Steve Cover Recalls the Early Days of Chattahoochee Hill Country

Steve Cover is currently the planning director of the city of Sarasota.  Twenty years ago when we began the process to think about our 40,000 acres, Steve Cover had just been named head of planning for Fulton County.  The stars seemed aligned for our effort as Steve had previously been in Maryland and was well aware of the success in Montgomery  County Maryland where TDRs had most successfully been used to help create balanced growth. 

I ask Steve to reflect on what it was like 20 years ago as we prepared to work with the county for a unique overlay and zoning regulation for the most southern tip of Fulton County.  

I remember sitting in that meeting and saying to myself, "We can do this. We can really do this!"

When I went back to my staff and explained what was being proposed, they said, "Steve, you've only been here 2 weeks. We don't want you to lose your job!"

I said that I know, but we can do this. 

"But Steve, we'll have to change our Comprehensive Plan!"

"That's right!"

"But Steve, we'll have to rewrite our zoning ordinance!"

"That's right!"

"But Steve, we'll have to rewrite our subdivision regulations!"

"That's right!"

"But Steve, this has never been done before!"

"That's right! Are you guys up to it? We can do this!"

"Sure, Steve! We can do it!" 

Fun exchange with staff. Will never forget it. 

When I proposed this to Tom Andrews and other Dept heads, Tom just laughed and said to the other Dept heads, "You have to know Steve. He loves this kind of thing, and having worked with him in Maryland, he can probably pull this off!

When we first met with Bill Edwards, the local Commissioner at the time, he asked me a lot of questions. Even though it was something that had never been done before, he asked questions that were quite insightful and showed me he got what I was talking about. His last question was, "Okay, Steve, does this have a real chance to make it?" I replied, "Yes, not only does it have a chance to make it, but I think this project will get national recognition." Bill then said, "Okay, Steve, I'm with ya!”

On the day the Commission voted, I was at the Georgia Planning Conference. I drove 5 hours back to Atlanta for the hearings. I walked into the Commission Chamber and literally, in about 90 seconds, the Commission approved everything. I turned to Steve (Nygren) and said, "I drove 5 hours for 90 seconds?" Steve replied, "Yes, but you needed to be here."