Statesboro’s city government, working with the Coastal Regional Commission, will host the first of three “stakeholder” meetings 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at City Hall to launch the update process for the Statesboro Comprehensive Plan.

Members of the public are invited to attend the stakeholder meeting and share their ideas and vision for Statesboro’s future. The tentative agenda includes a public comment session, data review and update, and discussion of the city’s vision and goals.

The state requires that cities and counties have up-to-date comprehensive plans to maintain Qualified Local Government Status as specified by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, or DCA. This status, in turn, is required to participate in grant funding opportunities such as Community Development Block Grants and Community Home Improvement Grants, as well as financing through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.

Plans generally attempt to look 20 years into the future but must be updated every five years. The Statesboro Comprehensive Plan is intended to guide the city’s growth, development, investments, policies and programs, according to a description of the previous plan on the city’s website.

A stakeholder committee is being created to help guide the planning update.

Member organizations that have been invited to participate in the planning process include Bulloch County Schools, Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Department of Transportation, Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, Development Authority of Bulloch County, Whitesville Full Gospel Baptist Church, Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group, and Action Pact.

Statesboro officials are awaiting confirmation of the dates, times and places of the second and third meetings, said city Public Information Officer Layne Phillips.