MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — The High Falls community might be home to a new industrial distribution center, and some residents in the community have made their opposing opinions known.
"It's been going on for over 15 years and it's just come to most of the local's attention," Tracy Hill, a resident in the High Falls community, said. "Now everyone's trying to last-minute get-together. It's almost like it was planned that way."
Hillwood South is planning to build a $250 million project in Butts County. There will be three new buildings taking up nearly 3 million square feet next to High Falls Lake.
Hill values the peace and nature the park brings, and she worries that the project will take away from that.
"You're seeing all this beautiful lake and then all of a sudden you're going to be seeing all these warehouses," Hill said. "There's nothing serene about it. We see that every day when we go to work, when we bring our kids to school...I don't know why'd they want to do that on such a pretty part, historical part of this land."
In the High Falls State, Park three counties come together: Butts, Lamar, and Monroe.
The Monroe County Board of Commission voted against the project due to the negative impact it could bring to the area. The state park falls within the fourth district represented by George Emami.
"The biggest concern we have is just the soil and erosion and also the potential for toxins, or other environmental issues that could affect our lifestyles and affect our state park," Emami said
There is a petition going around calling for the preservation of the lake and state park. It was created by Hill's sister, Kimberly Orihuela. Hill wants to make sure people are aware of how this community could be impacted since it also determines the future.
"This right here is open to everybody, in every state, around the world," Hill said. "It may not seem important to them now, but in the future when their kids come to this lake and there's left is a little dry pond with some dead fish, they missed out."
Some people in the High Falls community want to spread awareness by highlighting their experiences at the park and promoting their website and Facebook page.
Hill believes sharing their concerns regarding this project is necessary because if they choose to move forward, she thinks we all stand to lose.
"It's going to be a mistake to not save the lake," Hill said.