Chapter Seven: Housing

Needs

Identify funding sources for Central Park:

• The implementation of Central Park will have an immediate impact on Covington, Newton County, and surrounding jurisdictions. However, a project of this scale will require numerous funding streams. Identifying potential investors, grant opportunities, and state and federal allocations will be needed for Central Park to become a reality.

Create multiple trailheads for the Cricket Frog Trail:

• The creation of a trailhead for the Cricket Frog Trail would encourage more residents to utilize the trail and would bring in more visitors. This type of project could be subsidized through grants like the Recreational Trails Program offered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Increase park personnel, equipment and resources:

• As growth continues, resources, equipment, and personnel to parks and recreation initiatives.

Spur economic opportunities along multi-use trails:

• Multi-use trails such as the Cricket Frog Trail offers unique opportunities for businesses and industries to capitalize on the user base of the trail. The trail can be used as an asset to the community and spur businesses and industries that cater to trail users.

Opportunities Concept of Central Park:

• Central Park has the potential to be a regional and statewide destination. The creation and planning of the park is very exciting for residents and businesses in Covington, and the impact of the park on the community will be immediate.

• Explore connections to neighborhoods and points of interest to maximize connectivity to Central Park.

Multi-jurisdictional trail connections:

• Connections to other jurisdictions allow residents and visitors to explore areas that may have not been explored without the trail.

• Finalizing the Cricket Frog Trail connections will increase economic development and private investment for all jurisdictions in Newton County.

Infrastructure and Resource Allocation

Infrastructure and the allocation of resources are significant topics relating to the future of Covington. As mentioned, numerous times throughout the plan, Covington is growing not only in population and development, but also regarding the number of cars that traverse through the community daily. Planning for a variety of infrastructure improvements and the expansion of existing infrastructure will be crucial in the next 5 to 25 years.

Upgrading and expanding water and sewer infrastructure is costly, but it is a requirement due to aging pipes and connecting services to new developments. Local governments must plan expansions and upgrades years in advance, and Covington has master plans and reports in place that prioritize necessary infrastructure improvements. The current plans dedicated to water and sewer infrastructure include: the Eastside Sewer Capacity Analysis, Covington Sanitary Sewer Manhole Repair and Rehabilitation Report, and Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP) Replacement Master Plan. These master plans and reports prioritize upgrades and improvements that need to be made and include work program items. Completing the action items listed in these plans will assist Covington with planning and budgeting for infrastructure projects and will help develop a timeline for the replacement of dated infrastructure.

The allocation and capacity of water, natural gas, and power also must be accounted for regarding growth and development. An increase in population and new structures will create a demand for more resources, and all natural resources have a capacity. The City of Covington has an agreement with the Newton County Water Resources Department which allows the City to supply water to the community. Covington also offers water treatment services and water reclamation services to residents. According to the Newton County Strategic Water Plan: Forecast and Capacity Evaluation, the water demand in Covington is expected to be 4.06 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) in 2030, which is an increase from 3.66 MGD in 2020. By 2030, the Covington water reclamation facility is expected to reach capacity, and additional capacity will be needed to serve the City’s needs. In the next few years, Covington will need to extend the capacity of the water reclamation facility tanks, and coordinate with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division on permitting the expansion. The Middle Ocmulgee Regional Water Plan estimates surface and ground water resources in the region are adequate for future water demands.

The City of Covington is a Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) member, and purchases power through MEAG’s wholesale agreements. MEAG and Covington should analyze and forecast energy usage citywide to determine how much power will be needed in the future. Projecting or forecasting power usage will allow Covington to determine if energy capacity needs to be expanded. Covington will also need to be wary about the impact electric vehicles will have on the power grid. As electric vehicles become more prevalent, there will be an increase usage of watts within the city by residents and visitors who charge their vehicles overnight. The City should develop a permitting process for the installation of residential and commercial EV charging stations. The permit process will allow the local government to have a general understanding of how many residential and commercial charging stations are located within the city and will allow city staff to inspect the charging stations to ensure installations are up to code.

Additional funding sources may be needed to keep up with the ongoing infrastructure improvements or maintenance. One of the best alternative funding sources is a Special Local Optional Sales Tax (SPLOST) which will allow the City to spend SPLOST dollars on approved projects. These projects can include infrastructure improvements that will directly impact the quality of life of residents and the quality of services provided by the City. Funding and infrastructure improvements related to the 278 CID and Transportation are covered in Chapter 5.

Needs and Opportunities identified throughout the process that relate to Infrastructure and Resource Allocation are on the next page.