We, the residents and supporters of Tallulah Falls / Rabun County, oppose the City of Demorest’s attempt to take private property inside our town through eminent domain. This land is not inside Demorest. It is inside Tallulah Falls which is a separate municipality and county with its own zoning, land‑use authority, and community priorities. Demorest’s effort to condemn land outside its borders is an overreach that threatens local control, private property rights, and the character of our community and Rabun County.

Tallulah Lake is one of Georgia’s most treasured lakes — a mountain lake fed by the Tallulah River, created in 1913, bordered by forested slopes, and connected to the Tallulah Gorge ecosystem. Any attempt by the City of Demorest to seize land inside Tallulah Falls threatens not just private property rights, but the ecological stability of this fragile watershed along with the cultural identify of Tallulah Falls.

The proposed project risks:

• Disturbing steep, erosion‑prone terrain that feeds directly into Tallulah Lake
• Increasing sedimentation, which harms fish habitat and water clarity
• Disrupting riparian buffers that protect the lake from runoff and pollution
• Introducing construction impacts such as blasting, trenching, and heavy equipment near the shoreline
• Threatening wildlife corridors used by deer, black bears, migratory birds, and native species
• Altering natural hydrology that supports the lake’s water quality and downstream ecosystems
• Creating long‑term risks from buried infrastructure, leaks, or future expansions

We stand together to protect Tallulah Lake, its wildlife, its water quality, and the natural beauty that makes Tallulah Falls one of Georgia’s most cherished mountain communities.

This is government overreach. Not even by our own government. We call on Demorest to cease all condemnation efforts.