AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – City leaders are planning for the future of Augusta with a comprehensive plan they say will identify the needs of the community and businesses throughout the area.

“The plan is going to give us the opportunity to plan for ourselves. That what this should be about as citizens and taxpayers with their wish list or their ideas of what they’ll like to see their community look like,” said former Augusta commissioner Moses Todd.

People came out to a community meeting at Bernie Ward community  center Thursday, hoping to give their input on how Augusta should grow in the future.

Former Augusta commissioner, Moses Todd, says getting more city leaders to attend these meeting would help.

“I would certainly like to see my commissioners at these meetings are sitting in the background not doing the planning for the community they’re the ones that’s going to set the priorities or decide what plan is put in place or what plan is funded if the plan is not funded it’s not going to happen”

He also says it’s important to spread the word to people who wish to provide their concerns and ideas to Augusta officials.

“PSA’s a lot of the folks that ride the buses do not know to post it on the buses to post it in schools,” said Todd

This is the first of several public information sessions by Augusta’s Department of Planning and Development to gather comments on the needs and wants of the community. The meetings focus on growth and development for housing, traffic, and community in hopes to make the city better.

“This is not territorial, you can go to any planning meeting to anywhere in the county and this is for the citizens of Augusta-Richmond County and not a district.”

The next comprehensive plan meeting will take place on June 1^st at Sandhills Community Center from 6pm – 8pm.