2026 2 20 Strategic Summit Packet

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CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 
 
Benefits of Having a Capital Improvement Program 
A comprehensive and well-crafted capital improvement program (CIP) is an important element of sound 
financial management and long-term planning for all local governments. Specifically, a CIP, simply outlines 
a recommended schedule of needed public facility improvements to be made over a multi-year time frame 
such as five years, their associated costs, and funding sources. The benefits of developing and maintaining 
a CIP are numerous including: 
• Providing for the orderly and planned replacement of major capital facilities and equipment  for the 
benefit of citizens, industry, and visitors. 
• Ensuring continuity that major capital facilities and equipment will be replaced in the face of changing 
political and managerial leadership.  
• Strengthening long-range financial planning by knowing when expensive capital projects are to be 
budgeted. 
• Proving to grant agencies  that the city government has carefully vetted capital projects and obtained 
public input on community needs.  
• Assisting in proper planning and timing of capital projects so projects can be coordinated and the right 
people and consultants in place to design and construct the projects. 
• Enhancing the city’s credit rating by demonstrating to the rating agencies the city has engaged in long-
term capital planning.  
• Providing the city with a positive public relations tool to show the taxpayers that their local government 
has carefully and proactively planned for the future replacement of public facilities and equipment.  
 
Resources Used to Create the City’s CIP 
This CIP was created from previously completed master plans and in-depth city staff input regarding their 
capital needs for the upcoming seven  fiscal years and beyond. Specifically, those completed master plans 
consist of the following: 
• City of Athens Signal Timing & Operations Study (2019) 
o Study of Congress Parkway/Decatur Pike corridor and Green Street/White Street corridor  
regarding traffic signal timing and pedestrian improvements 
• Downtown Master Plan (2020) 
o Streetscape improvements, façade improvements, wayfinding signage, and brand identity  
• Comprehensive 20 Year Land Use Master Plan Update 2017-2037 (2020) 
o Land use plans, guidelines, and policies 
• City of Athens Mobility Plan (CMP) (2021) 
o Transportation network (streets, bicycle paths,  and sidewalks) deficiencies and 
opportunities including sidewalk gaps  that need to be filled, new sidewalks/crosswalks , 
street and intersection improvements, and traffic signalizations 
• McMinn County Recreation Master Plan including the Cities of Athens, Etowah, Niota and the Towns 
of Calhoun and Englewood (2021) 
o General master plan of existing conditions of all city parks and recommendations for 
improvements