Woodstock has become the first city in Cherokee County to join the state's Main Street Program.

The city on Friday was notified it has met all the qualifications set forth by the state Department of Community Affairs to be selected as an official Main Street community.

Billy Peppers, the city's director of economic development services, said he feels "relieved" Woodstock has won the designation.

"It's very exciting to finally get approval," he said, adding it was contingent upon the city's approval of a solid waste management plan with the county government.

The Main Street Program, which is coordinated by the department's Office of Downtown Development, assists participating Georgia cities in revitalizing their downtown commercial districts.

It uses a four-point approach to economic revitalization: organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring. The program integrates practical management strategies with the physical improvement of building and public spaces, aggressive promotion and image building and the economic development of the area.

Participants in the program have a better chance of winning grants and are offered reduced costs for design and other services from the DCA and Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Main Street Program is reserved for cities with populations between 5,000 and 50,000. Cities already participating include Acworth, Duluth, Douglasville, Suwannee, Cartersville and Stone Mountain.

Along with Woodstock, Canton has also applied for Main Street designation. The city has turned in all its documents to the state for consideration, said Ginger Garrard, Canton's Main Street program director.

Peppers said the collaboration between the Woodstock City Council and the community made Woodstock's application stand out.

Peppers said he's planning an event to celebrate the designation and will begin installing new streetlight banners within the next month.

Mayor Donnie Henriques said he's excited about the designation.

Along with a dedicated council and city staff, having the "human capital" behind the plans "showed the DCA the commitment the city had" about the program, Henriques said.

Main Street Woodstock, Inc., the nonprofit organization created to raise money for the program, will now focus its efforts on recruiting members for the organization, said Jennifer Nelson, member of the board of directors for Main Street Woodstock.

Mrs. Nelson, who said the designation is "huge," said she will also work to increase membership among residents of Towne Lake, where she lives.

Mrs. Nelson, director of external affairs for Chattahoochee Technical College, said people don't have to live in downtown or in the Woodstock city limits to be a member of the organization.

"You're investing in downtown, though," she added.

Jamey Snyder, owner of downtown Woodstock's Right Wing Tavern and member of the Main Street Woodstock board, said the designation provides leverage for the city's Downtown Development Authority to approach business owners who need help with remodeling their facades.

"It's a hand-in-hand approach," he said of the business community and government working together to improve the central business district.

Pat Tanner, a Woodstock resident who serves on the program's board, said the designation is an "extremely positive step" for the city.

Mrs. Tanner, who lives downtown, said she decided to get involved because she loves Woodstock's small-town atmosphere and the juxtaposition of the "old town and new town."

With the designation, she's more excited about the future of downtown and encourages other residents to get involved. For information, people can call (770) 592-6056 or see the program's Web page on Facebook.

"I think the more the community is involved, the richer the city will become," she said.