What is the future of our Beautiful & Treasured Lake Martin?
September 2025
BY: Harry DeNegre, President
Photo by: Lake Magazine
(This article was published in the September 2025 issue of Lake Magazine)
It is time for all of us that value our beautiful and treasured Lake Martin to ask ourselves this question. What is the future of our beautiful and treasured Lake Martin?
Does it continue as it has? Does it become an overdeveloped and party weekend lake for the out-of-town weekenders?
Over the past several years, many of us have championed a managed and planned development of mainly single-family home lots. We did not want our beautiful lake to become another Lake Lanier or other overdeveloped lakes. However, that is what appears to be happening despite the efforts of our community.
Within the last two months, we were made aware of a planned development on Lake Martin called “Margaritaville” at the end of Young's Ferry Road. This development is well underway even though there have not been any public meetings concerning this. In fact, we found out about this word of mouth and other lake organizations. If you want to see what this development will impact look at Margaritaville Lake Lanier, GA.
We believe this information to be accurate to the best of our ability. This development has not been publicly announced or debated. There has been no announced public meeting by our county government to the best of our knowledge. Our county commissioners have not called any public meeting concerning this development. This is what we have been able to find out about this development so far:
The Margaritaville Development is a 59-acre site for 173 RVs, 46 cottages, and other site totaling 289 sites. There will be docking facilities for over 150 boats. There is currently limited information on this proposed development. The developer still has to give the county government more information so there is time to approve or disapprove this proposed development according to our county officials.
The county has created an "Economic Development District" for the 59 acres purchased for the project. It is called the “Young’s Landing Improvement District”. To the best of our knowledge, this allows them to operate without supervision by the county.
To the best of our knowledge, there is no plan for a meeting with the residents of Tallapoosa County to discuss the project.
Even though there is not much public knowledge about this development, this is not a "done deal". We were told that it was more like 50-50 and it would likely be years before it would happen. We cannot verify this is factual. It may be a plan to keep the community from organizing against this.
The 59 acres were purchased on March 29, 2022. The special district was approved by the county in February of 2025. This special district gives the district some special variances.
To the best of our knowledge, no studies have been done by the county regarding water supply, sewage, traffic, safety, road capacity, impact on the lake communities surrounding the park, etc.
The Lake Martin HOBOs organization has voted against this development. The HOBOs held a poll of its members and 96 % voted against the development. The HOBOs Executive Board voted 8 – 2 against the Development at our last Board Meeting. The HOBOs intend to request a meeting with the County Commissioners concerning this Development as well.
The Sandy Creek HOA has voted against this development as well. We are asking the lake community to become active in opposition to this development. Please feel free to write or call your county commissioner and voice your vote about this development.
The HOBOs have posted more information concerning this on our website. Please take a minute and review this information. We will try to keep this information accurate and up to date as more information is acquired. Please get involved and save our lake.
Harry DeNegre
President, Lake Martin HOBOs.
