Developments of Regional Impact
Program Description | Downloads & Related Links | Contact Information
Program Description
Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) are large-scale developments that are likely to have regional effects beyond the local government jurisdiction in which they are located. The Georgia Planning Act of 1989 authorized the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to establish procedures for review of these large-scale projects. These procedures are designed to improve communication between affected governments and to provide a means of revealing and assessing potential impacts of large-scale developments before conflicts relating to them arise. At the same time, local government autonomy is preserved since the host government maintains the authority to make the final decision on whether a proposed development will or will not go forward.
Population and Development Thresholds
Thresholds are used to determine whether a proposed development qualifies as a DRI. The thresholds vary by type of development and the population category of the county in which the proposed development will take place. There are various categories of development, each with separate thresholds, including (among others): office, commercial, hospitals, housing, industrial, hotels, mixed-use, airports, recreation, post-secondary schools, waste disposal, quarries and asphalt plants, wastewater treatment and petroleum storage, etc.
Because communities across the state have a wide range of population and development levels, two Tiers or "population" categories (Metropolitan Areas and Non-Metropolitan Areas) have been established. The threshold varies for each of these because a development in a region with low levels of population and development is likely to have a greater relative impact than it would have in an area with higher levels of population and development.
Local Government Role
The local government role related to DRIs involves the following:
- Identifying potential DRIs as part of the local development review process. Examples of activities triggering the process include rezoning s and issuance of development permits or building permits.
- Notifying the Regional Development Center (RDC) of all potential DRIs for intergovernmental review.
- The local government is strongly encouraged to take the findings of the RDC into account when making a decision to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a proposed DRI.
Regional Review Process
The intergovernmental review process for each proposed DRI consists of the following:
- The regional development center distributes a summary of the proposed development to other affected local governments and public agencies, asking for their comments.
- The regional development center evaluates the likely impacts of the proposed development and determines whether the development is consistent with the regional plan and the plans of affected local governments.
- Based on the evaluation of impact and comments received from affected parties, the regional development center determines whether the proposed development is in the best interest of the region and notifies the host local government of its finding.
The regional development center's report on the results of the intergovernmental regional review process is advisory in nature, designed to help the local government anticipate possible impacts of a proposed development. The local government is encouraged to take this information into account in deciding whether to approve, deny, or require modifications to the development in order to mitigate any undesirable impacts uncovered in the DRI review.
Below are links to the Department's rules governing the review of DRIs. Following the link to the rules is a link to the associated tier map. The tier map identifies the DRI Tier (Metropolitan or Non-Metropolitan) for every county in Georgia. The current map became effective on January 1, 2005. Under the current rules a Metropolitan County is defined as one having a population of over 50,000 based on the most recent Census.
If you have any questions regarding the DRI rules or DRI Tier maps, please call our Office of Planning and Quality Growth at 404-679-5279.
Downloads & Related Links
DCA Rules 110-12-3: Developments of Regional Impact
Current DRI Tier Map - Effective
January 1, 2005 (PDF)
DRI Online System
In support of implementing the DRI rules, DCA has developed online Web-enabled forms for use by local governments who are contemplating action on a development that may meet or exceed established DRI thresholds. The two forms described in the rules are now available at http://www.dca.ga.gov/DRI/. The first form, "Initial DRI Information Form," is used to alert reviewing agencies that a city or county is being requested to take some action to advance a potential DRI project. If the proposed project is determined to be a DRI, then the local government must submit the second form, a "DRI Review Initiation Request Form," This form is designed to provide complete information about a proposed project to the appropriate reviewing agencies, which will then initiate the formal review process. The forms and process vary slightly, depending on the County where the project is located.
Contact Information
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
60 Executive Park South, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30329-2231
For more information about Planning and Quality Growth, please contact the Office of Planning and Quality Growth at 404-679-5279.
