Micah’s Creek, an innovative residential community proposed in Athens, Georgia, has won unanimous approval from the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission.
During the Mayor and Commission’s Regular Session on December 5, 2023, W&A Senior Planner Justin Crighton, AICP and Athens Area Habitat for Humanity Vice President of Operations Charles Smith advocated for the approval of Micah’s Creek, speaking on both the technical strength and social impact of the project’s plan.
Following Crighton and Smith, local homeowner Jackie Williams-Huggs spoke on her experience raising her family in an Athens Area Habitat home. She is the first person in her family to own her home.
“I just want y’all to know what Habitat means to me,” Williams-Huggs began, addressing the Mayor and Commission. “We are so grateful to have a place to call home. It has transformed our lives. It has given us the ability and a place to grow, to make memories, and to know that I don’t have any stress of being able to afford housing. It’s a feeling of continuous joy… knowing that my family will always have a place where they can come back to and a place I can pass on to my kids.”
The conversation progressed to Mayor and Commission Discussion during which time District 3 Commissioner Tiffany Taylor placed a motion to approve the rezone.
“I share the same sentiments as Miss Jackie. I know that in my community, when someone is getting a Habitat home, they’ve made it,” Commissioner Taylor said. “I’ve walked through the terrain. I grew up in that area, so I’m really excited to see what comes of it.”
Commissioner Olivia Thornton quickly seconded the motion.
“I’m just excited about the vision of this project,” Commissioner Thornton said. “It just looks like the phoenix rising again.”
To read more on the project, please visit Micah’s Creek: Project Profile.
The full session on Micah’s Creek can be found at the below link from 21:30 to 41:40.