---
title: HR 1363. Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1363
cite_as: HR 1363, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1363
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1363.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1363/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73223
date: 2026-02-12
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1363.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1363
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-12
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Trey Kelley
  - Tim Fleming
  - Danny Mathis
  - Trey Rhodes
  - Charlice Byrd
  - Matt Reeves
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1363/2025
upstream_id: 2116193
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - local government
  - community planning
  - Georgia Planning Act
  - municipal recognition
---

# HR 1363. Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; commend

## Text

House Resolution 1363
By: Representatives Kelley of the 16th, Fleming of the 114th, Mathis of the 133rd, Rhodes of
the 124th, Byrd of the 20th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS, the year 2026 marks the 36th anniversary of the implementation of the Georgia
Planning Act, which established that the State of Georgia must maintain an essential public
interest in protecting and preserving the natural resources, the environment, and the vital
areas of the state as well as serve these interests through coordinated and comprehensive
planning by all local governments; and
WHEREAS, local governments throughout our state have undertaken the tasks necessary to
implement comprehensive plans to protect and enhance the quality of life within their
respective communities; and
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia recognizes the important role communities play in
fostering the state's role as an attractive, inclusive place to invest, conduct business, learn,
live, engage in recreation, and raise a family; moreover, planning helps to create a
sustainable environment of predictability for economic development, property owners, and
all Georgians; and
WHEREAS, it is the wish of this legislative body to recognize and honor those communities
that have dedicated their purposeful work to establishing a vision for their future growth and
development and have taken the steps necessary to set a path needed to achieve this vision;
and
WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs acknowledges the importance
of coordinated and comprehensive planning to the state; therefore, the PlanFirst program has
been created to recognize those communities in Georgia that have shown an exemplary
history of comprehensive plan development and implementation; and
WHEREAS, this legislative body is justly proud to honor the City of Brookhaven, the City
of Brunswick, Bryan County, the City of Cedartown, the City of Cochran, the City of
Covington, the City of Douglas, the City of Dublin, the City of Gainesville, Gwinnett
County, the City of Lawrenceville, Oconee County, the City of Sugar Hill, and the City of
Woodstock for their outstanding and commendable community planning efforts and
accomplishments, which hereby designate them as Georgia PlanFirst communities; and
WHEREAS, it is the sense of this legislative body that those local governments that enhance
the well-being and vitality of their communities and have shown a long and sustained
commitment to excellence in planning and plan implementation certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body honor the City of Brookhaven, the City of Brunswick, Bryan
County, the City of Cedartown, the City of Cochran, the City of Covington, the City of
Douglas, the City of Dublin, the City of Gainesville, Gwinnett County, the City of
Lawrenceville, Oconee County, the City of Sugar Hill, and the City of Woodstock for their
many community planning accomplishments in conjunction with the 36th anniversary of the
Georgia Planning Act.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A House resolution honors 14 Georgia cities and counties for earning the state's PlanFirst designation, recognizing their long-term community planning work under the Georgia Planning Act.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a change to state law. It marks the 36th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act, which requires local governments to engage in coordinated planning to protect natural resources and manage growth.
The resolution honors the City of Brookhaven, the City of Brunswick, Bryan County, the City of Cedartown, the City of Cochran, the City of Covington, the City of Douglas, the City of Dublin, the City of Gainesville, Gwinnett County, the City of Lawrenceville, Oconee County, the City of Sugar Hill, and the City of Woodstock for being designated Georgia PlanFirst communities by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. It directs the Clerk of the House to make copies available to the public and press, but it does not create any new legal requirements.

### What it does

- Formally honors 14 named Georgia cities and counties for achieving Georgia PlanFirst community status through their comprehensive planning work.
- Recognizes the 36th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act, which requires local governments to engage in comprehensive planning.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and press.
- Creates no new statutory requirements, funding, or penalties since it is a commendatory resolution rather than a law.

### Who it affects

The resolution names the City of Brookhaven, the City of Brunswick, Bryan County, the City of Cedartown, the City of Cochran, the City of Covington, the City of Douglas, the City of Dublin, the City of Gainesville, Gwinnett County, the City of Lawrenceville, Oconee County, the City of Sugar Hill, and the City of Woodstock, along with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which runs the PlanFirst program.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries symbolic rather than legal weight, giving public recognition to local governments for sustained planning efforts. It does not change any Georgian's rights or obligations, but it highlights the state's PlanFirst program and the value the legislature places on comprehensive local planning.

### Key provisions

- The preamble explains the Georgia Planning Act's role in requiring coordinated planning by local governments to protect natural resources and quality of life.
- The resolved clause names the 14 specific cities and counties designated as Georgia PlanFirst communities.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-02-12)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-02-12)
- Sponsors: Trey Kelley, Tim Fleming, Danny Mathis, Trey Rhodes, Charlice Byrd, Matt Reeves
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73223

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1363.md?full=1