Pond worked with the City of Winder to develop their Comprehensive Plan and update their zoning ordinance. As the first city-led Comprehensive Plan, this represents a unique opportunity for the community to establish its vision for growth and development.

This planning process comes when Winder is experiencing immense growth and grappling with how it will accommodate that growth, given its small-town character and infrastructure. Pond worked closely with city staff and elected officials to design an engaging public program, including a website, interactive map, open houses, and pop-up events.

The public shared their preferences via “Change and Preserve” and “Community Scale” map exercises, which showed where community members wanted to see change and what type of change they envisioned. Pond used this feedback to overhaul the future development map, establishing character areas customized to the City of Winder and providing the right balance of direction and flexibility for decision-makers.

The plan also includes a proposed urban growth boundary, which the city can use to guide decision-making about annexation requests. Pond is also working with the city to update their zoning ordinance in parallel with the Comprehensive Plan. Revisions focus on making the ordinance more consistent and cohesive, thus increasing its accessibility for property owners and supporting decision-making for elected officials.

Doing these two efforts in tandem provides an opportunity to move directly from planning to implementation. The ordinance revisions directly advance the goals and objectives established in the Comprehensive Plan, such as increasing housing affordability and choice.