(a) The local governments of the State of Georgia are of vital importance to the state and its citizens. The state has an essential public interest in promoting, developing, sustaining, and assisting local governments. The natural resources, environment, and vital areas of the state are also of vital importance to the state and its citizens. The state has an essential public interest in establishing minimum standards for land use in order to protect and preserve its natural resources, environment, and vital areas. The purpose of this article is to provide for the department to serve these essential public interests of the state by developing, promoting, sustaining, and assisting local governments, by developing, promoting, and establishing standards and procedures for coordinated and comprehensive planning, by assisting local governments to participate in an orderly process for coordinated and comprehensive planning, and by assisting local governments to prepare and implement comprehensive plans which will develop and promote the essential public interests of the state and its citizens. This article shall be liberally construed to achieve its purpose. This article is enacted pursuant to the authority granted the General Assembly in the Constitution of the State of Georgia, including, but not limited to, the authority provided in Article III, Section VI, Paragraphs I and II(a)(1) and Article IX, Section II, Paragraphs III and IV.

(b) The department shall serve as the principal department in the executive branch of state government for local government affairs. The department shall perform the state's role in local government affairs by carrying out the state's duties, responsibilities, and functions in local government affairs and by exercising its power and authority in local government affairs. Without limiting the generality of the purposes served by the department, the department shall:

(1) Develop, promote, sustain, and assist local governments;

(2) Provide a liaison between local governments and other governments, including the state government and the federal government;

(3) Act as the state's principal department for local government affairs and local government services generally and for programs, functions, and studies in local government affairs and local government services and act as the coordinator on the state government level for such programs, studies, and functions provided by the department and for those provided by others;

(4) Act as the state's principal department for developing, promoting, maintaining, and encouraging coordinated and comprehensive planning;

(5) Develop, promote, sustain, and assist local governments in the performance of their duties and responsibilities under law to their citizens, including among such duties and responsibilities of local governments coordinated and comprehensive planning; the provision of infrastructure and other public works and improvements; the development, promotion, and retention of trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities; the provision of transportation systems; and the promotion of housing supply;

(6) Serve as the representative of the Governor to local governments and in local government affairs on a regular basis and on special assignments as authorized by the Governor;

(7) Assist the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority for any purpose necessary or incidental in the administration and performance of the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority's duties, powers, responsibilities, and functions as provided in Chapter 26 of this title;

(8) Reserved; and

(9) Assist the OneGeorgia Authority for any purpose necessary or incidental in the administration and performance of the OneGeorgia Authority's duties, powers, responsibilities, and functions as provided in Chapter 34 of this title.