Planning and Community Development

UACED staff work with towns, counties and regions to develop comprehensive plans that guide them with their community development efforts.  These plans typically include: workforce, economic development structure, retail/commercial service and outdoor recreational opportunities. It is important for Alabama communities to have a vision and a workable strategic plan to guide their growth and development.  The UACED staff work with external partners such as Alabama Power Company and Auburn University to provide strategic planning to communities throughout the state.

Coosa County Strategic Planning

Sumter County Comprehensive Plan
​In March 2016, Congressman Gary Palmer convened a meeting of community leaders and elected officials in Coosa County to discuss the county’s economic development challenges.  The consensus of this group was that Coosa County needed to develop a plan that identifies high priority opportunities and common goals that elected officials and community leaders could work on collaboratively to advance economic development in this rural county.  UACED offered to coordinate the process for Coosa County, and upon invitation, we brought together our staff and our partners at the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission to help facilitate.  Elected officials and community leaders throughout the county began meeting in October of 2016, and quickly identified four priority opportunity areas: small business development, infrastructure development, education and workforce development, and outdoor recreation and tourism.  UACED has facilitated six subsequent meetings, which have been organized around planning teams for each of the priority areas.  During these meetings, the planning teams have developed short and long-term goals and objectives for each priority area, and identified shared goals among the teams that present broader opportunities to work together.  The outcome of this work is a consolidated plan that will guide the county’s efforts moving forward for the next three to five years.  The planning teams are now transitioning to implementation teams, and over the coming months and years, UACED will continue to support their efforts to bring Coosa County’s economic development plan to fruition.
Creation of the Sumter County Comprehensive Plan was a cooperative effort of the Sumter County Commission, The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, The Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission, The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, The University of West Alabama, and Kelly Landscape Architects.  Input by Sumter County citizens during public meetings and listening sessions held throughout the county provided ideas and direction to this project.  Research was also done utilizing federal and state information sources as well as in the field exploring the many assets located within the county.  ​The County Recreational Master plan was completed as part of an overall county Comprehensive Planning process.  
Picture of community gardens
Community Gardens
Picture of RV/Camper park and camping
RV/Camper Park and Camping

Pickens County Website

Through the fall of 2014, UACED worked in alliance with members of the Pickens County, Alabama community to develop a new website that would serve as a community organizing tool for local citizens as well as a business and tourism portal for those outside of the area searching for new opportunities. The project was inclusive of the whole county; drawing input from local cities’ officials, County Commissioners, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, business owners, and multiple other involved groups and citizens.  As a result of productive meetings and workshops about goals, content, and design, UACED was able to build a website for Pickens County that will be used by all the hard working members of their county as another tool in their economic development efforts.  Please visit the site and learn more about Pickens County, AL at: www.PickensCountyAL.com .

Elmore Outdoor Recreation

The working team of Goodwin, Mills and Cawood, the Elmore County Commission, the Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission, and UACED created a framework for outdoor recreation that includes public access and services for county residents and provides economic, community development and tourism. The planning team conducted listening sessions in Holtville, Millbrook/Coosada, Wetumpka and Tallassee and utilized community input to develop a strategic plan that will guide outdoor recreation throughout the Elmore County for years to come.

Pike Road

The Town of Pike Road contacted UACED with a request to a Financial Management Policy.  The purpose of this document is to serve as an all-encompassing financial management policy, which will provide direction for the Town of Pike Road, Alabama (the “Town”) in budgeting, reserve balances, debt management and accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices. Moreover, this will provide recommended methods to accomplish and adhere to the proposed procedures contained herein. This policy document will create, manage and ensure ongoing adherence to a purposeful, planned and deliberate set of guidelines to create both operating and restricted accounts.