Development of the old Woody’s on the Water property at Columbus Marina has hit a snag, with city council members voting at a Wednesday work session to extend the closing date to July 7.
The city agreed in February to sell the long-vacant waterfront building to DJ Mantooth, owner of Daknas Holdings LLC, for $100,000. At the time, Mantooth planned to renovate the property at Marina Drive for a high-end steakhouse.
The original closing date was set for Tuesday, but Mantooth’s plans for the spot must first receive approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the land and leases it to the Lowndes County Port Authority. City Attorney Jeff Turnage said that has not happened yet.
“He said he wanted to put in a dock or a floating pier, something like that,” Turnage told The Dispatch after the work session. “But I don’t believe he’s even submitted (those plans). … I know the Corps hasn’t given him the approval he needs, so we wanted to move the closing day.”
Built in 2001, the building at 233 Marina Drive has housed a number of restaurants, most recently Woody’s on the Water, which closed in 2009. The building was donated to the city in 2020.
The city had another interested buyer in 2022, but that deal fell through after the interested party became frustrated with the red tape – specifically the needed usage approvals from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Port Authority.
Turnage said he hopes the deal with Mantooth isn’t heading the same direction.
“I’m going to say I’m still confident it’s going to come together,” Turnage said. “I may be a little less confident than I was 90 days ago just because a delay on the closing is never good.”
Turnage confirmed the city required Mantooth to pay $1,000 in earnest money up front.
Mantooth did not return a call or message from The Dispatch by press time.
Street-legal golf carts
During Wednesday’s work session, the council also discussed a proposed ordinance that would allow golf carts to travel on city streets where the speed limit does not exceed 35 mph.
Turnage said state law allows municipalities to authorize use of golf carts on city streets, as long as the vehicles had all the safety equipment necessary to meet federal “street legal” standards.
Development downtown, particularly the burgeoning Parkview neighborhood in Burns Bottom, spurred Turnage to propose such an ordinance for Columbus.
“I suggested this a couple of years ago, and it never went anywhere,” Turnage said. “But with all the new developments we’re adding in Columbus, it seems like a good time to bring that back up.”
Other cities, such as Starkville and Ocean Springs, passed similar ordinances. If adopted in Columbus, owners must obtain a permit for their golf cart through the police department and pay an annual registration fee.
Police Chief Joseph Daughtry said that would allow one of his traffic officers to inspect the golf carts for things like working headlights, tail lights, turn signals and brake lights.
“It would not go for all-terrain vehicles, four-wheelers, even side-by-sides,” Daughtry said. “… (It would apply to) golf carts only.”
“Riding lawn mowers are still not allowed?” Ward 6 Councilman Jason Spears asked jokingly.
“No,” Daughtry confirmed, laughing.
The council took no action on the ordinance proposal during the work session.
Other business
In other business, the council:
■ rehired a director of training for the police department;
■ hired a staff accountant, pending pre-employment screenings; and
■ approved hiring a city planner, pending salary negotiations and pre-employment screening.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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