The Bryan County Board of Commissioners got a refresher course on the local and regional land-use plans during a workshop June 14 before its regular meeting in the Administrative Complex.

The first presentation by Ray Pitman with Thomas and Hutton focused on the development of land over the next 19 years in Bryan County. Pitman told the commissioners that by the year 2030, the population in Bryan County will be close to 60,000.

Pitman also said Bryan County needs to put some attention on hurricane evacuation routes. Right now, Hwy. 144 is the main evacuation route out of the south end of the county, he said, and if a Category 1 hurricane were to hit the area, the portion of the roadway near the Buckhead community would be under water.

Although a major hurricane has not affected this area in quite some time, Pitman stressed that doesn’t mean it won’t.

“In the 20-year period after the Civil War, we had nine hurricanes and they were all between Category 3 and Category 5 storms,” Pitman said. “That should open our eyes.”

Read more in the June 22 edition of the News.