June 2024

Owners of 27 properties in Silver Creek have signed on to an appeal request in filed in Lake County District Court on May 15th, saying they believe the county’s planning commission approved the conditional use permit for Maji ya Chai Land Sanctuary “based on erroneous and insubstantial evidence.”On April 15th the county planning commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional use permit for Maji ya Chai, a nature retreat for people of color, after reducing the maximum allowed visitors and stipulating they meet all requirements for septic, runoff, fire safety and noise limitations.Dan Snowdon, whose home is directly across the road from Maji ya Chai, says his reasons for the appeal against the retreat are about not wanting more people in the area he lives.“Collectively, we understand the societal value of the project, however, believe this 30-person resort/retreat will be too large and disruptive to the rural lives we have chosen,” said Snowdon in a written statement to the Press.Snowdon says that many of the property owners who signed the appeal request are outside of the quarter mile notification area required by the conditional use process.