Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority looking for ‘Macon Action Plan’ input

Since the plan’s launch in 2015, there have been noticeable changes in the downtown area.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority, along with other organizations, held an open house seeking public comment for the Macon Action Plan.

Residents who attended the open house voiced their desire to see more businesses, living spaces and a grocery store in downtown Macon.

Since the plan’s launch in 2015, there have been noticeable changes in the downtown area.

“The downtown population has quintupled, property values have more than doubled, and the number of events has risen by more than one-thousand percent,” the Executive Director of Macon-Bibb County Urban Development, Alex Morrison, said. “These changes have led the private sector to open more businesses, hotels, and hold more events, creating a lot more vibrancy within the community.”

According to Weston Stroud, the Macon-Bibb County Transportation Safety Manager, people need to invest in the area in order for more things to develop.

“To come and invest in downtown, you have to have a certain number of people living there, right? Like in order for a grocery store to come there, they need to be a certain number of residents in the area,” Stroud said. “And so the more living spaces that we have provides opportunity for more businesses to come downtown.”

Morrison says one of the biggest things people want is to connect the local heritage trail to neighborhoods. This would create safe and comfortable bike and pedestrian pathways that go into and out of downtown and into neighborhoods.

Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority website. Preliminary recommendations are also available on the website.