Habersham County votes to continue pause on residential growth

By: Brian Wellmeier

Residential homes on Wilbanks Road in Habersham County

Habersham County’s Board of Commissioners on Monday, Feb. 16, agreed to keep tighter reins on large-scale housing growth, voting to continue a temporary halt on residential proposals.

The board extended its existing moratorium for 30-days, which blocks the county from accepting rezoning applications tied to residential developments creating more than five lots. The measure pushes the pause to March 17 while officials continue overhauling local land-use rules.

The moratorium was first put in place earlier this year to allow time for completion of the county’s new unified development code – a sweeping rewrite intended to modernize regulations and guide future growth.

During the commission’s regular meeting, Habersham County Manager Tim Sims told commissioners the extension gives staff additional time to review and refine its unified development code before bringing it forward publicly.

After a public hearing scheduled for March, the board could choose to lengthen the moratorium another 60 to 90 days. The restriction applies to residential development in unincorporated areas of Habersham County.

“We’re going from four zoning codes to 8–10,” Sims said. “It’s more to manage the growth that’s coming. We hope to control it…it’s going to be a lot stricter guidelines (developers) have to go through.”

Commission Chairman Bruce Harkness emphasized after the meeting that the county is not attempting to shut the door on new housing.

Instead, he described the action as a temporary slowdown on subdivision activity while leaders evaluate infrastructure demands and community priorities.

“I do believe it’s morally wrong to tax the people in this county to run water, power, sewer to subdivisions to get new people to move here. We don’t mind people moving here. But I don’t think it’s right to tax existing homeowners to help build new subdivisions,” Harkness said.

Habersham County Attorney Angela Davis noted the board opted for only a short extension because there was not enough time to properly advertise a public hearing for a longer continuation. That hearing, expected next month, will determine whether the development freeze should remain in place beyond mid-March.

Harkness added the move reflects the commission’s broader effort to actively manage how and where growth occurs as development moves toward Habersham.