NORCROSS, Ga. — A Gwinnett County neighborhood is pushing back against a proposal that includes a public restroom in future improvements of a nature preserve, citing additional safety concerns.
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The Norcross City Council is looking for ways to improve the seven-acre Johnson Dean Nature Preserve that’s tucked away next door to homes inside of a residential neighborhood near downtown Norcross.
As city leaders work to award a contract for a developer to begin making improvements, neighbors say the proposal which includes future plans for a pavilion and a public restroom is unwanted and potentially unsafe.
“Who knows what traffic could come through here,” asked Brady Rinehart, who launched a petition last week to block plans for the construction of a restroom. “It’s the security of my children that’s at stake.”
Rinehart lives nearby and says he and other neighbors have raised concerns about the potential for homeless individuals setting up camp near the proposed restroom so close to houses.
At nearby Thrasher Park, he says his family has run into issues near the restroom before.
“Police patrol that all the time and my wife got harassed at the pavilion(about) a month ago,” he said.
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Norcross Mayor Craig Newton launched a Homeless Task Force last month with the hope of finding compassionate and effective ways to address the homeless population in the city. Mayor Newton cited complaints from residents as the inspiration.
At a Norcross City Council Work Session on Tuesday, several council members expressed interest in finding ways to move forward without a plan for a restroom.
Additional improvements include a new retaining wall and improvements to the parking area.
In response to the petition on social media, an official with the Norcross Tree Preservation Board wrote about the need for upgrades.
“As the preserve becomes more popular, has more visitors, and becomes more attractive as an outdoor nature learning center, the stewards of Johnson Dean saw the need for this amenity,” said Charlotte Osborn, Chairman of the Norcross Tree Preservation Board.
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Osborn also mentioned the possibility of building restrooms that could automatically lock at sunset.
Some neighbors say they are open to improvements, just ones without safety concerns.
“I think there are ways to improve it without affecting nature itself,” said Marte Henley.
The improvements could cost an estimated $360,000 with the majority of the dollars coming from special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) money.
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