On Wednesday, thousands of Coweta County residents participated in Fourth of July events celebrating our nation’s independence. It was a time of celebration, fun and fellowship in a family setting.
As we have stated before, our community exhibits the best of small-town America — particularly in the way it celebrates the Fourth of July and other holidays.
But these celebrations are only part of the good life here in this wonderful community — a community that has grown by leaps and bounds in population during the two decades or more. In 1990, the population of Coweta County was a little more than 53,000. Today, the estimated population is almost 130,000. By 2040, Coweta’s population is expected to be around 240,000 people. That’s tremendous growth.
In land mass, Coweta has 443 square miles. That makes it the 17th largest of Georgia’s 159 counties in land size. Our county is slightly larger than faster-growing Gwinnett County in northeast metro Atlanta. Gwinnett has 437 miles.
Our county is now the ninth fastest-growing county in Georgia. Today, there are 288 people per square mile in Coweta compared to Gwinnett County’s 1,900 people per square mile. So, in terms of population density, Coweta still has room to add people before getting anywhere near the density of Gwinnett.
In previous surveys, Coweta residents — even those who have moved here from other areas — said they loved the small-town, rural atmosphere. They want that atmosphere maintained. They do not want to become another Gwinnett County.
But continued growth is inevitable. The issue is, How do we manage that growth? How do we keep pace with the infrastructure and service needs as growth continues, and how do we maintain that rural atmosphere?
What are your thoughts on these issues? Tell us how Coweta should manage the inevitable growth? How do we pay for infrastructure and service needs? How do we maintain a small-town atmosphere? Send us your thoughts: By email to editor@newnan.com or by mail Editor, Newnan Times-Herald, P.O.Box 1052, Newnan, Ga. 30264
