---
title: SR 592. Georgia PlanFirst communities; honoring
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr592
cite_as: SR 592, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr592
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr592.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr592/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72336
date: 2026-01-27
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr591.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr593.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 94
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr592.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 592
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-01-27
last_action: Senate Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Larry Walker
  - Drew Echols
  - Ben Watson
  - Brian Strickland
  - Jason Anavitarte
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR592/2025
upstream_id: 2091361
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - community planning
  - local government
  - PlanFirst program
  - Georgia Planning Act
---

# SR 592. Georgia PlanFirst communities; honoring

## Text

Senate Resolution 592
By: Senators Walker III of the 20th, Echols of the 49th, Watson of the 1st, Strickland of the
42nd and Anavitarte of the 31st
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 image as an attractive place to invest, conduct business, and raise a
family; moreover, planning creates an environment of predictability for economic
development, property owners, and the general public; 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 SENATE 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 Secretary of the Senate 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 Senate resolution honors fourteen Georgia cities and counties for earning the state's Georgia PlanFirst designation, recognizing their long-term community planning efforts.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution from the Georgia General Assembly's Senate does not change any law. It formally recognizes 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 as Georgia PlanFirst communities.
The resolution notes that 2026 marks the 36th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act, which requires coordinated planning by local governments. It explains that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs runs the PlanFirst program to recognize communities with a strong record of comprehensive plan development and implementation. The Senate directs its Secretary to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and the press.

### What it does

- Formally honors fourteen named Georgia cities and counties for being designated Georgia PlanFirst communities by the Department of Community Affairs.
- States the legislative body's recognition of these communities' planning efforts in connection with the 36th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies of the resolution available to the public and the press.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement of the Senate's position.

### Who it affects

The named local governments (Brookhaven, Brunswick, Bryan County, Cedartown, Cochran, Covington, Douglas, Dublin, Gainesville, Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville, Oconee County, Sugar Hill, and Woodstock) and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which administers the PlanFirst program being referenced.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or financial effect; it does not change zoning, funding, or planning requirements. Its main practical consequence is a formal, public statement from the Georgia Senate recognizing these communities' planning work.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses describe the Georgia Planning Act's 36th anniversary and the purpose of the state's PlanFirst recognition program.
- The resolved clause names the fourteen honored cities and counties and states they are recognized for community planning accomplishments.
- The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-01-27)
- Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-27)
- Sponsors: Larry Walker, Drew Echols, Ben Watson, Brian Strickland, Jason Anavitarte
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72336

> The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr592.md?full=1