MOULTRIE, Ga. – Property in the area of Ninth Avenue and Sixth Street Northeast is going from the City of Moultrie to the Canfor lumber company via the Moultrie-Colquitt County Land Bank. The Moultrie City Council approved the abandonment of this property to the Land Bank at Tuesday’s meeting.

Moultrie City Manager Pete Dillard said the city can’t give property away, but can donate it to an entity like the Land Bank. In this instance, Canfor is obtaining the property from the Land Bank to promote development of the area.

“Canfor is a big industry,” said Dillard about the Vancouver-based lumber producer that has operated a plant in Moultrie since acquiring what was once known as Beadles Lumber Company in 2014. Dillard said Canfor’s millions of dollars in investments to upgrade the facility was big for the city.

He said Canfor will also provide funding for a new traffic signal at Second Street and Fourth Avenue Northeast.

In other business Tuesday:

• The City received a bid of $533,832.75 from Reames and Sons Construction of Valdosta for Street Resurfacing 2020. The funds would come from LMIG and TSPLOST, and the resurfacing would take place “all over town.”

• Dillard informed council members present at the Tuesday work session that two shopping centers – Sunset Plaza and Moultrie Plaza – were cited for the conditions of their parking lots, particularly where Belk’s is located at Sunset and where Rose’s is located at Moultrie Plaza. Dillard said the city adopted a property maintenance code in 2005, and part of that is the parking lots must be in good shape.

Dillard said he was informed that work is being done on the roof of Rose’s and when that project is completed work will begin on the parking lot. He said the city has not heard anything regarding Sunset.

The citations issued did not include a fine, Dillard said, but fines could come if there are no improvements.