42-acre project unveiled - The News Observer - News

Well "IF" they do it right (By "IF" I mean not mess up our mountains) I am very excited about this project and what it will do and bring to our County. The revenue it will bring will benefit the community is so many ways. I know a lot of the long time locals are not real happy about this and I honestly respect their feelings and even understand why they have serious reservations about it.

That is why I hope when they put this in they are sensitive the the long time local concerns. I do not think they should be ignored during this project. They need to pay close attention to how they bring this in. They need to have a great plan on how it can add to the scenery to our area and not take away from it. I said I am looking forward to it coming in but I would not welcome it at all and be right with the long time locals if it is going to mess with our views and take away from what we all love so much about our piece of heaven we have up here.

I never moved up here to change the way the locals do things. I never wanted them to adapt to my ways or my views. I came up here because I fell in love with the Local ways. I fell in love with the way they live and do things. So I was 100% willing to adapt to the locals ways...not the other way around. Those that come up here from the big city trying to change things are 100% wrong in my opinion. The ones that are so arrogant to think they have a right to do that with out thinking about how the long time locals that have been here for generations feel are wrong. The ones that come up here and do that to the Locals have pushed the Locals to feel negatively on us who were never born and raised here. So for that I cannot blame the True Locals for feeling the way they do about us. I just wish they would not lump all of us that are not originally from here all in the same group of arrogant idjits. We are not all that way.

So in closing I hope this big project is done correctly with sensitivity to those that have generational roots planted here. After all this piece of heaven we all love so much would not be what it is today if it weren't for the long time Locals. I think so many people forget that. I for one am not in that group and do not forget.

I for one am a lifelong local who welcomes the project. I think if anything..this will be an asset to our area. If I had anything to say about it, I would say that they need to build a bigger amphitheater because in the summer those 2000 seats will fill up fast. I say go big or go home. Just imagine if we could have a big country music or better yet bluegrass festival there. That would be a huge attraction to our local mountain community. As far as they scenery is concerned...lets be real folks the land we're talking about is a nasty cut up, chopped up half grass and half dirt stretch of nothing adjacent from Tin Loongs and the river. its not mountain property. Heck, if you put anything on it it would be an improvement from what it has been for the last 15-20 years. I say bring it on and perhaps let some tax revenue flow back into the county.

I couldn't agree with you more, I'd like to call it evolution rather than change. I think the community can grow for economic reasons and entertainment purposes without changing the local customs and views.
I guess to someone who has lived there all their life they see others coming and think they want to change things and that's the furthest thought in mind.
Believe me I have a place in Morganton and I dont want what happened in Elijay were the Walmart is to happen in Blue Ridge. But they could have done that much nicer than they did and they could have had just local restaurants instead of chains. Now why in the world would I drive 800 miles to go to a Long Horn which I can go at any time and any place.
No that's not why anybody goes to Blue Ridge and that neck of the woods they go to enjoy the quiet life, the nice neighbors and scenery. The lakes, mountains and wild life who would change that.
But a town has to evolve or it dies talk to the shop owners in town they are struggling, talk to the youngsters who cant wait to leave town because they have nothing to do. That's sad the young people are the future and they are driven away.
The key as you say is that is done right stay involved go to the meetings, vote keep and eye on what's going on.

Yeah my main reason for my post was to let born and raised locals know that not all us permanent residents that have moved here from the city want to change everything to our liking. I wanted them to know that there are some people like myself that care about their feelings and respect their way of life.

I know most of you have me on ignore but thats typical of what people from the cities of Florida would do. Cowboys Adamz that was a very good post and I agree with a lot of it. But this project is the kiss of death and just another way to change Blue Ridge into little Northern Florida. Well Ill just have to adjust to loving in the Burbs just more folks from the city for me to give wrong directions when they ask. Yall got what ya want I hope yall will be happy. You guys moved from the city and now are bringing the city UP with you. Good Job.

My local friends on the govt teat will love the jobs...maybe they can get real medical benifits too...

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A bad day off road is better than a good day at work.

dont thank(or blame) the good ol' boys from florida on this one. sounds like the home grown folks (community organizers and legistlators) started this project rolling and will no doubt see it to completion.they probably will receive a few campain donations, you know, scrach mine ill scrach yerin, from those heavys in the development biz. business as usual. besides most of the floridians dont want anymore development/modernization of the area anyway. its not why they come to the hills . but you cant please all the people all the time. like BC said ,well have to learn to live with it, some more than others.

The New Observer has a good take on this and other issues we have talked about in this forum:


Everything points to recovery

BY GLENN HARBISON, PUBLISHER Monday, May 18, 2009 3:45 PM CDT In every issue of The News Observer, we are fortunate to have many positive things to fill the newspaper’s pages.

Often, the items are not necessarily what most folks consider front page news. For instance, individual successes in academics, the accomplishments of sports teams, weddings, births, donations to the many worthy causes, scholarship winners - the list could go on and on. All are good news which reflect the foundation of where we live.

Sometimes, we also get to tell of positive things happening in the business arena. Regrettably, the past several months have seen all too few of such reports. They have been there, but not nearly as often as most of us would have liked.

The past several days have changed that perspective considerably. While all the good news has not happened at once, it has surely come in like a flood. Just look.

Fannin County is finally getting a much-needed recreation building. The land is already being cleared at Fannin County Park. The building will ease the strain on current facilities and parents alike. Most importantly, it will give young people a place to go and be busy with activities that build character.

The county’s solid waste ordinance now appears headed for passage. While more laws are seldom anyone’s favorite subject, we have to protect what we have and the ordinance is the only way to accomplish that goal.

The ordinance will help steer the county into the future, a philosophy that has been sorely lacking.

The new Fannin County High School stadium will be ready for the Class of 2009 graduation ceremony.

This facility is so much more than a football stadium, it is a community asset that will benefit the area in countless ways. It will see much more than football.

Now, the beer and wine pouring ordinance is almost a reality in Blue Ridge. I know this had to be a tough step for city leaders to take. It is a subject I’ve wrestled with both personally and professionally.

But, the bottom line I see is that we have to do everything we can to put our people back to work, and the ordinance can do nothing but steer things in that direction.

Then, there is the new 42-acre project announced along Hwy. 515 at the Toccoa River. This is a great example of private initiative that will be a boom for the rest of the area. The project is a major undertaking, but it can do nothing but help our sagging economy. Building the project will create jobs, and more jobs will come when everything is complete.

The developers deserve the community’s thanks, as well as cooperation from government leaders as the wheels of the development continue to turn.

Then, last week ended when the ribbon was cut in Blue Ridge officially dedicating the First Phase of the Streetscape Project downtown. What a difference the work has made. It will not only be an asset for the town and merchants there, but for the whole area.

When all downtown has been revitalized, which is the direction the current administration is taking, Blue Ridge will be on par with any similarly sized city anywhere.

See, when everything that is happening is put together, there are a lot of positive things taking place. And these things can only be signs of an economy that is recovering.

And, as things get better, we should all learn the lessons the economic slump dished out.

We should never take success for granted. It is only achieved by hard work, and that hard work must continue when times are good.

We have learned how dependent we are on tourists. Not only do these folks come to visit, they come back and often come back to live. They start out as our customers who later become our neighbors.

We have learned that tough times mean tough decisions. Those decisions have to be made.

Above all, we have learned how fortunate we are to live here. We have a great area with countless assets, but the greatest of those assets are the people.

Everything that has happened, everything mentioned here, took hard work and dedication by the individuals involved. These were not only the leaders, but everyone who worked anonymously to make sure positive things came to pass.

Now, things are going to get better.

Thankfully, it is obvious they already are.

I find myself agreeing with GLENN HARBISON more than I care to admit. Most publishers are not as open mined. I certainly agree with his assessment of Blue Ridge and Fannin County recent developments.

There were a fair share of people who thought that project was an effort to convince the county to allow beer and wine and nothing was going to come of it. I always though the original location was very small for what they said they had planned. I'm happy to hear they are following through.

Having several more restaurants will being even more people from the surrounding areas and keep the existing restaurants on their toes.

Last weekend my wife and I ate at Repaz on Main, Cucina Rustica and Shoebooties in Murphy, (Thursday Friday and Saturday evenings). All were good in their own way but the best value was Shoebooties and they have always been consistent. A little more competition will help the local establishments.