We have seen many public meetings in recent months where large numbers of citizens are attending. Most of them have two topics on their minds – how their taxes are being spent, and stopping some sort of large development from coming here.
Now, that feedback is always welcome at public government meetings, even if it is not directly asked for. But now, here comes the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, which is asking for community feedback on the future of our county and its cities – and no one is really showing up.
Eight people showed up.
Eight people in two meetings held in the last week to give feedback on Habersham County’s comprehensive plan.
It seems shocking to see this outcome, since there are a lot of people angry about decisions our governments have made about potential changes to Habersham County, the beautiful place we call home. But there is a pattern to the protests.
Folks only come out when it is their backyard being affected.
Put a cell tower in our backyard? No way, put it someplace else, I am sure the radios will work the same.
Development adjacent to your neighborhood? No way. It’s too dense and there are not enough roads to facilitate the traffic increase.
Want to open a business? Not near me, you better not.
So we as residents of this county do have opinions to share. There is feedback available about how we want the county to look in 2040. But we only have those opinions when we are in a reaction mode.
One person said aloud during Demorest’s lightly-attended comp plan meeting that development was fine, “just put it all in Cornelia.”
Instead of coming together as a community and offering ideas and solutions, we are simply wanting to put up force fields around our own backyards. Meanwhile, our tax base is upside down and the burden of government services resides squarely on the shoulders of homeowners.
It’s been said many times, many ways, that we don’t want to be Hall County. We don’t want to be Gwinnett County, and we don’t. But we are so focused on who we do not wish to be that we are having trouble getting a clear picture of who we – Habersham County – ought to be.
We need to keep our identity and quality of life. These folks are here to ask us what we want, and it is a waste of our tax money if we don’t tell them.
All of Habersham County is our backyard.
Onward and upward.