*NEW* City of Monroe Code Rewrite 1st Draft *NEW*

Nestled in the Alcovy River basin between the urban sprawl of Atlanta and classic Athens, Monroe offers the best of both worlds. Our rich history draws visitors to Monroe; our small town atmosphere, engaging cultural life, and high tech capabilities entice them to stay. Monroe's colorful history is typified by ante-bellum homes, historic downtown, and venerable government buildings. Monroe's future is exemplified by intermingling these historic areas with planned residential growth and high-tech industries.

There are few cities that offer as much entertainment, excitement and diversity as do the attractions in our city. For years, many visitors have portrayed our city as the perfect place for visiting historic sites, shopping, dining, and strolling the streets of a beautiful downtown.

Our convenient location in the middle of Georgia's historic heartland makes visiting Downtown Monroe a great day trip or relaxing weekend destination. The City of Monroe offers many events and activities throughout the year, including festivals, concerts, parades, and marathons.

The growth and prosperity that Monroe enjoys can be attributed to the innovative and progressive thinking of its' community leaders. Using a 100% Freeport exemption and our idyllic location astride Georgia Highway 138 & U.S. Highway 78, the community leaders of Monroe have garnered the interest of businesses seeking new locations and opportunities in Georgia. Once these businesses are captivated by our location and amenities, government and community leaders work cooperatively with the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority in an effort to draw these new industries to our area.

Also attracting both individual and corporate customers is the Monroe Utilities Department; Monroe's community-owned, full-service utility company providing Monroe, Walton County, and Oconee County residents a wide range of services including; water, electricity, gas, sewer, cable TV, high-speed internet, and voice over internet phone service. Additionally, the Monroe Utilities Department provides a citywide broadband fiber optic system typically found only in larger metropolitan areas.

Aside from the employment opportunities and historic areas, Monroe offers its' citizens and visitors a widely divergent range of cultural and recreational activities. Located in the historic and vibrant downtown district, Monroe provides an Art Guild, Music Guild, and the Monroe-Walton County Uncle Remus Regional Library. Host to the largest skydive club in Georgia, Monroe's airport also hosts a sailplane club and an award winning squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. Lastly, hiking trails, lakes, ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts and other recreational areas dot the landscape of Monroe.

Finally, the quality of life enjoyed by the citizens is exemplified by the Fire Department's claim to an ISO rating of 3. Staffed full-time, the Fire Department provides both emergency medical and fire responses to our citizens. Similarly, the Police Department provides all essential police services using the Community Oriented philosophy. Recently completing the certification process to become a Georgia Accredited Law Enforcement Agency, the Police Department continues to seek new and innovative way to attack the root causes of crime and criminal behavior.