Chattahoochee Bend State Park General Development Plan - Coweta County, GA

Pond was first retained by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in 2006 to create a General Development Plan (master plan) for the 3,000 acre Chattahoochee Bend State Park. In 2009, Pond was again retained by DNR to complete the Phase One design and construction documents. As the project lead, the Pond team included architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, and landscape architects. The Phase One plans included the four-mile long entry road and gatehouse, the Visitor’s Center, maintenance area and staff housing, RV campgrounds, tent and trailer camping, canoe and kayak launching areas, parking, restroom facilities, hiking and bicycle trails and wilderness camping areas. Throughout the planning and design process, the Pond team worked very closely with DNR – who as the Owner representative to the project, was highly involved with the programming and sustainability goals of the project.

Site development challenges included location relative to designing roadways into topographic features and providing water, sewer, and electric systems in this remote environment. Challenges to the implementation plan were primarily centered around the very sensitive rock outcrops

and wetland areas that bordered the river as they required preservation and have the opportunity to provide wonderful educational resources to the park. In addition, there were no utilities that served the site, so Pond had to select appropriate sites for water wells, septic fields and the infrastructure to support their distribution. In addition, the use of photo-voltaic panels increased the ability to provide sustainable power to remote areas.