MOTION FAILS
Fort Oglethorpe officials pass on annexation for proposed apartment complex for seniors
Fort Oglethorpe has rejected a developer’s plans for senior living apartments on Dyer Bridge Road.
Developer Gary Hammond, during a recent public hearing before the City Council, presented his plan to erect 72 low-to-medium income apartments for seniors on a 14-acre parcel at 987 Dyer Bridge Road while requesting annexation into the city and rezoning from commercial to a planned development for mixed use.
The annexation request failed due to lack of a motion. Without the property annexed into the city, the council didn’t need to take action on the rezoning request.
Developer’s presentation, resident’s opposition
“Our motto is partnering with communities to provide quality, lasting homes to the residents. I can’t do this without you,” Hammond told the council.
Hammond, who has developed more than 30 communities in the southeast, said his main goal was providing housing for seniors living on fixed incomes.
“Instead of renting for $1,500 a month, which is pretty typical for new independent living market rate, they’ll rent for $675 per month,” Hammond said. “The community will be professionally managed and residents will be required to have a source of income to pay their rent. Depending on household size, incomes will range between $8 to $14 per hour, or $1,400 to $2,500 per month.”
Hammond added that the apartment community would also promote wellness among tenants and offer a series of on-site organized social activities. Hammond said the complex would offer four apartments for the fully handicapped and two for the audio or visually impaired.
“That land currently has no road frontage and no commercial appeal, Hammond said. “It’s a 72-unit retirement home — 31 one-bedrooms and 42 two-bedrooms that will sit up on the hill with beautiful views of Fort Oglethorpe. I think it’s very worthy of your respect and I think you’ll be very proud of it when it’s finished.”
Realtor Steve Abercrombie spoke in support of the project and Hammond’s reputation as a developer. Abercrombie said the property was listed three years ago and has only had two written offers to date.
“I think that this development would bring a lot to Dyer Bridge Road area,” Abercrombie said. “I don’t believe it will ever be developed in retail to be honest with you, and I do think this would do a lot for that hill.”
Resident Donald Wallin was the only person to speak in opposition of the proposed development, claiming that low-income housing leads to increased drug activity.
Wallin, a 28-year resident of the neighborhood, said he encountered a strange man who had wandered into his home a few years ago who lived in a nearby low-income apartment. Wallin said the man was “drugged out of his mind” and searching for his cat.
“I need a whole lot more of those,” Wallin said. “Low- to medium-income apartments — they always move more people in there with them.”