Gault presents zoning request proposal in Norman Park

Adelia Ladson, The Moultrie Observer, Ga.
·5 min read

NORMAN PARK — An out-of-town investor proposes to turn part of the former Norman Park conference center into apartments for the elderly.

At last week’s Norman Park City Council meeting, an overflow crowd came out to voice concerns with the plan. The crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk in front of Norman Park City Hall, waiting to hear the proceedings.

Norman Park Realty, LLC, which purchased the former dormitories on Bay Borough Street in 2021, is not local but has an address in Brooklyn, New York, that is a location for Korsinsky & Klein LLP, Attorneys at Law.

David Gault, representing the company, described the plan for the property to the city council.

“First, I just want to give you a quick background about, really, the intended use. ’Cause I think that’s what a lot of you are here about and there seems to have been some, maybe, some other misinformation that has come round about our intended use,” Gault said.

“We are only looking for 50 and plus age-group, US citizens, only. … A place for renting. Okay?,” he said.

He went on to say that they were starting with the McCall Hall, which would be the first phase and contain 14 units. Then, he said, they would build from there.

“I would just like to squash any kind of rumor or any kind of ambition that anybody may harbor. We have no intention of allowing anybody but US citizens, 50 plus as our market for this intended use,” he said.

Gault also said that they would do a strong vetting process of the renter applicants and said it was not going to be an inexpensive place because of the quality of the environment and the beauty of the rooms.

“The other two main buildings will be phase two and phase three,” he said.

He also said that they were working very closely with the YMCA of Moultrie concerning the pool that is on the property, “And they are very excited about coming in with us to manage the pool. And, then, we will be able to offer swim lessons to not only the surrounding area, but particularly to citizens of Norman Park.”

He said that they had worked with YMCA of the Georgia Sunbelt CEO Rich Gallagher and Pat Gallagher and their pool people, talking about getting the pool back in shape. He also said that they would like to work out some sort of arrangement that residents of Norman Park could use the pool, even if they weren’t members of the YMCA.

“And the other buildings, we will hopefully evolve as we grow the community and, you know, make into other apartments. and we also have a vacant lot and that will be something that is … that we’re not bringing up at this time. So, we’ll see how that goes in the future,” Gault said.

He said they have submitted plans, applications, schematics and surveys, all within what has been asked and they hope that was sufficient.

City Attorney Tommy Coleman said earlier in the meeting that an applicant for an R-PUD zoning, which was the zoning being requested, has to include with their application a schematic drawing of what they’re going to do.

“It has to show the council exactly what the development is going to be. Then, the council approves that preliminary plat and the preliminary PUD zoning,” he also said.

Coleman went on to say that the applicant had filled out some documents, sent a number of emails and has a site-plan for one of the buildings.

“But we’re gonna require that the entire area have a site-plan for the entire area before the city council considers it,” he said.

In closing, Gault told the city council that he and his partners are looking forward to bringing the properties up to their full potential and they wanted them to prosper and bring a few people into the community, which would mean more gasoline and milk being bought.

“Your little town looks like it’s coming back. Got a new city hall. Got a lot of businesses here. and we’re looking forward to being a big part of that in the future,” Gault said.

Debbie Herring of Moultrie got up after Gault and said that she was the owner of the other properties that are parallel to what was previously the Georgia Baptist Conference Center.

“I’m here to learn because I’m wanting to do some development as well,” she said.

Herring also said that she liked Gault’s ideas and thought they would bring in a lot of capital and revenue to Norman Park.

Ran Wilson of Moultrie also got up to speak and said, “We’re presenting this project. The whole piece of property would be an R-PUD. They are legally committing to the use of McCall Hall, which would be 50 and older US citizens. … In writing, legally binding.”

He went on to say that when they got ready to look at the other two buildings, they would have to go through the process again for each building.

“I just wanted to let you know, my client is looking for an R-PUD on the whole thing with a commitment as soon as possible to have 14 apartments in a dormitory, which is, basically, an apartment,” Wilson said.