Pooler to buy 28 acres fronting park after warehouse backlash

May 19, 2026 – The Pooler City Council voted Monday to purchase nearly 28 acres along East U.S. 80 fronting Tom Triplett Park for $1.5 million following growing public concern about preserving green space and limiting development near the park.

The council approved the acquisition after returning from a short executive session during its May 18 meeting. The property includes almost 28 acres at 1301 and 1323 East U.S. 80 and is owned by the Ben B. Wall Irrevocable Trust.

Mayor Karen Williams said the purchase was intended to address concerns residents have repeatedly raised during recent public meetings.

“This council body, staff and I have heard the concerns raised by residents about green spaces, recreational spaces, and Tom Triplett Park,” Williams said.

The motion to add the item to the agenda and approve the purchase passed unanimously.

The vote followed weeks of public concern over a zoning condition change that would clear the way for a warehouse development on the former Oglethorpe Speedway property near Tom Triplett Park, which drew criticism from residents during the council’s April 6 meeting. Residents at that meeting voiced worries about traffic, flooding, environmental impacts and the loss of green space near the park, with several urging council to preserve the area rather than allow additional industrial development.

The issue resurfaced Monday during a second public hearing on the city’s 2046 Comprehensive Plan update, where planning staff said residents consistently cited concerns about overdevelopment, wetlands, green space and development surrounding Tom Triplett Park.

The city did not discuss specific future plans for the newly acquired property during the meeting.

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