Greetings from Montreat! I wanted to give you an update on the status of the lodge site before we get into our busiest season of the year.
As indicated in my most recent post about the new lodge, feedback from our open meeting in April has been positive, especially regarding “Option 2.” Since the meeting, we’ve received thoughtful input from many and last week filed an application for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for approval to move forward with that plan. Phase One would include the smaller 24-room lodge facing Assembly Drive, with additional residential-style cottages facing Georgia Terrace following as appropriate funding and approvals are secured. We will be working with town staff over the next several weeks on the proposal even as we continue to receive input on the project from varied members of our constituency, including neighbors, donors, and future lodge guests. More about the plans for this project can be found here.
Notably, the North Carolina Supreme Court has yet to decide on the petition filed by neighbors opposed to the Special Use Permit (SUP). While that process is subject to the court’s busy calendar, we are moving forward with the PUD process, as the need for additional lodging continues to grow and is affecting programming.
In the meantime, an eager crop of Summer Staff arrived on campus this week and are preparing to host you this summer. Be sure to check out all of our summer happenings as listed in This Summer in Montreat for important information about various happenings in Montreat. This Friday, we’ll be sending out our first This Week In Montreat (TWIM) of the summer season.
More to come,
Richard DuBose
President, Montreat Conference Center