MOULTRIE, Ga. — Moultrie City Council approved rezoning requests Tuesday night for a new apartment complex and townhome subdivision on Doc Darbyshire Road.

The zoning approvals will convert a total of 15.65 acres on the north and south side of Doc Darbyshire Road at the intersection of Rowland Drive into residential area. The area previously covered in trees has recently been cleared, Stephen Godley, the city’s director of Planning and Community Development, told the council during his presentation Tuesday night. 

He described the seven-building apartment complex plan as “middle class accessible housing” during his presentation. The current plans for the 18 townhomes will have to be changed to accurately comply with garbage and firetruck accessibility requirements, Godley said in an interview Wednesday. 

While the city has approved the rezoning requests, Godley could not comment on when development might begin.

The Observer reached out to Excel Realty Associates, LLC, which is listed as the applicant for the rezoning request but as of press time Wednesday, they had not replied to email requests.

Other actions taken by the council

The council considered its first and second reading of an ordinance to amend the hotel/motel excise tax ordinance to match state standards. If passed in the next council meeting, it will change the definition of an “extended stay” customer. Currently extended stay hotel/motel customers do not have to pay their tax after 10 days of renting. This ordinance will change that requirement to 30 days of stay, City Manager Pete Dillard explained to the council during the work session. 

The council was also going to consider amending the zoning ordinance to regulate tattoo and body piercing businesses to “mirror alcohol licenses,” according to Dillard. The council opted to table the amendment until the next council meeting. 

The council did approve to change the service fee schedule for changing names on business licenses to $50. They also approved councilmember Cecil Barber’s term of office for the Moultrie-Colquitt County Airport Authority from July 1 of this year to June 30, 2024. 

The council approved the lease agreement with Georgia Pines for the new mental health facility with minor changes. These changes include access to the facility’s parking lot for downtown events outside of the facility’s normal business hours. 

During the work session Dillard recommended to the council to consider increasing the price of cemetery lots in the city controlled West View Cemetery from $425 to $600 to help accommodate maintenance costs. 

“This is not something I’m married to,” Dillard stated. “You may want to put a different price or may not want to change it at all. I just want you to be aware of the possibility.”

According to discussion between the council members the city sells approximately 10-20 deeds per year with seven so far in 2022. There was some discussion to move the money garnered from the sales of the cemetery plot deeds to a special account. Currently the money from the sales go to the city’s general fund, according to Dillard. 

No vote was taken on the issue.