Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County Development Authority receives $500K in OneGeorgia Funds

ATLANTA (July 17, 2023) – The Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County Development Authority (FBHCDA) is the newest recipient of OneGeorgia (OGA) Equity Funding. This grant will be used to construct road, drainage, water, and sanitary sewer improvements for the new Peachtree Business Park.

The improvements include an 80-foot right-of-way, a 24-feet drainpipe, and an 1,800-plus linear feet extension of both water and sewer mains from Peachtree Road. The project engineer expects to tap the nearby water and sewer mains along Peachtree Road and near the proposed park as starting points.

These much-needed improvements will help the FBHCDA create seven project-ready sites within the new park, providing adequate road access and water/sewer services where it was once absent.

These seven sites enable the FBHCDA to address an economical challenge in attracting new business.

Since 2016, 90 percent of their sales have been tracts of land with less than 15 acres.  Subdividing the Peachtree Road Tract into seven smaller lots, will give the development authority more of this valuable and attractive resource. 

The FBHCDA expects to continue its economic momentum created by the development of the Highway 319 Business Park.

These sites are aimed to attract business tenants, specifically light manufacturing prospects, to the park and provide new jobs for the area, lowering the local unemployment rate.

“DCA is committed to bolstering local economies through partnerships and resources, and the utilization of OneGeorgia for these projects illustrates the initiative of the leaders in these communities,” DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn said. “Building strong communities through business development and job creation has incredible, lasting benefits for our state.”

The OGA Equity Fund is a flexible community and economic development tool, providing financial assistance via grants and loans to eligible projects in rural communities. This helps build the necessary communal infrastructure for economic development.

OneGeorgia programs are administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

For more information about the OneGeorgia Authority and Department of Community Affairs, visit dca.ga.gov.