Is Smart Growth America's Form Based Code a good fit to move Flomaton forward economically? That question may be answered at a meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. today (Thursday) at Flomaton Town Hall.
Citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting to hear about the plan from John Robert Smith and Tucson Roberts, an economic development consultant.
Smith, who used the Form Based Code to revitalize downtown Meridian, Miss., during his 16-year tenure as mayor of that town, serves as chairman of T4 America and is the policy advisor for Smart Growth America.
At the 1 p.m. meeting, Smith will explain the Form Based Code concept and open up a question and answer period for residents.
Form Base Code is a concept to keep conforming properties together without zoning. Currently, Flomaton has no zoning and Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., has said the town has lost some possible businesses due to that fact.
Form Based Code is a way of regulating land development to achieve certain goals and is designed to address deficiencies of conventional zoning to provide local governments the regulatory means to achieve development opportunities with greater certainty.
Smith was scheduled to arrive in Flomaton Wednesday to take a tour of the town to assess opportunities for growth.
Should the Flomaton Town Council opt to go with a Form Based Code, Smart Growth America can provide technical assistance to see the program through.
For more information on Smart Growth America, go to http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org.
