Please know that we (The Southern Environmental Law Center, The National Parks Conservation Association, and the St. Marys EarthKeepers) are in the process of exploring every possible option.
1,000 acres of Cumberland inholdings (fee-simple land, the yellow portions of the map below) are at stake: enough to change the essential character of the Island for all time. There is a very real possibility that if the County does not repeal the hardship variance - granted despite the applicant’s (Lumar, LLC) failure to meet any of the five requirements – dozens of houses may be built on those 1,000 acres (most of which are on the mid-to-south portion of the Island.) We are already hearing of other property-owners who wish to follow Lumar’s lead.
At the Planning Commissioner meeting, Sam Candler (a member of Lumar) stated, “I have every intention to keep it a holy and majestic place and my other family members do, too.” I fail to see how turning the Island into yet another high-end gated community will keep it “holy.”
The Public Hearing was postponed until April 4th in order to allow us more time to investigate any and all avenues. I’m grateful for your patience: I know that so many of you want to actively defend Cumberland Island and “do something to help.” You can:
* If you haven’t already submitted comments to the County Clerk (to be sent to the Commissioners) please do: kberry@co.camden.ga.us
* Write a “letter to the editor” of your local paper.
* Sign one or both of the petitions: https://www.change.org/p/citizens-opposed-to-the-10-lot-dev… AND https://www.addup.org/…/prevent-development-of-cumberland-i…
* Share this information.
Map:
Dark green – Federal land
Light Green – The Nature Conservancy
Yellow – Private Inholdings
Yellow Outlined in Red – Lumar LLC
Orange Outline – Wilderness Boundary
Blue Outline – Cumberland Island National Seashore Boundary
