The Cornelia Historic Preservation commission meets as-needed to develop design guidelines, review and approve applications for façade renovations, issue COA's (Certificate of Appropriateness), and ensure that all regulations, standards, and guidelines from the State and National Historic Preservation Office are being followed and implemented correctly in the Commercial Historic District.
| Name | Position | Phone number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Rettig | Chair | prettig@piedmont.edu | 706-894-3100 |
| Shawn Knight | Vice Chair | shawn_knight@windstream.net | 706-499-1931 |
| Gay Davis | Secretary | gaydavis@gmail.com | 706-499-3186 |
| Don Higgins | Commissioner | daubreyhiggins@gmail.com | 706-778-4335 |
All those seeking appointment will be required to submit an application; the City Manager will present the applications to the Cornelia City Commissioners for consideration for appointment.
– All applicants must be residents of Habersham County and own property in the Cornelia.
– Applicants must have special interest, experience, or education in history, architecture or the preservation of historic resources.
– All applicants will be subject to a background check and must be willing to take any training that is deemed necessary to fulfill this appointment.
– Board members receive no compensation.
For more information contact Jessie Owensby, 706-778-7875 or by email at dmanager@corneliageorgia.org.
Application to fill seat on Commission
For the safety of our employees, we will open at 10:00 AM tomorrow, Monday, February 2, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Governor Brian Kemp issued a new State of Emergency order for all counties in Georgia in preparation for another winter storm this weekend. As the storm moves through the state beginning Saturday morning, wintry precipitation is expected throughout North and Central Georgia. The State of Emergency went effect on Friday, January 30, and will run through February 6, 2026.