The Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization (GHMPO) policy committee has officially approved its opposition to a potential merger into the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).
At issue is a federal law that requires metropolitan planning organizations that start to "bump into each other" — as the Gainesville-Hall one does with Atlanta on its borders in Gwinnett, Forsyth and Jackson counties — to be governed by a single planning organization.
ARC already serves more than 15 counties, and David Haynes, speaking on behalf of the organization at the GHMPO policy committee meeting Thursday morning, said ARC "categorically oppose(s) the rule, as it's written."
"It's burden not only for the officials, but it's confusing for the public."
The Citizens Advisory Committee of the GHMPO has already voiced its opposition to the plan, citing the loss of local control.
"What we're asking ... is that the GHMPO remain its own separate committee, with its own separate plans, its own separate boards and committees," said Joseph Boyd, transportation planner with GHMPO.
The municipalities in Hall County, along with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, are drafting and sending letters to Governor Nathan Deal and Congressman Doug Collins in opposition to the rule.
Boyd reiterated that this is not a case of Atlanta extending its reach to include Hall County; it's a federal rule that mandates it.
"Atlanta definitely does not want this. They do not want any more counties, from what we've been told," said Boyd.
Another item local leaders hope will help their case is the amount of local traffic that stays within Hall County in terms of commuters.
Nearly two-thirds of the work force in the county is employed within Hall, Boyd said, meaning that Hall County isn't filled with commuters who head to Atlanta, like Gwinnett and Forsyth.
For that reason, local leaders said there should be more local control over future transportation plans.
