The Habersham County Commission voted Monday evening to table a conditional use permit request for a proposed Christian retreat development on Kennedy Mountain Road in northern Habersham County.
Property owner Jim Draper had submitted a request for a conditional use permit to construct 17 dwellings—including 11 cabins—on his 73-acre property. The proposal, intended as a faith-based retreat, drew both support and opposition from local residents during the meeting.
During the public hearing, two individuals spoke in favor of the project, including Lew Oliver, the designer of the development. Oliver surprised commissioners and attendees by introducing a revised version of the plan that significantly reduced the number of proposed dwellings.
However, County Attorney Ralph Taylor immediately advised the commission that it could not consider the new design, as the hearing was publicly noticed for discussion of the original application involving 17 units.
Shortly afterward, Oliver attempted to withdraw the application altogether, but Taylor again advised that the hearing proceed as scheduled based on the publicly advertised request.
Six residents spoke in opposition to the project, citing concerns about environmental impact, increased traffic, and potential effects on the quality of life in the rural area.
After hearing comments from both supporters and opponents, the commission voted to table the matter, effectively delaying any decision until a future meeting.
More details on the development proposal and community response will be available Tuesday at nowhabersham.com.
