JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Neighbors in an East Arlington neighborhood are speaking out against more than five dozen proposed townhomes.
Several community members took to Jacksonville City Hall to make sure City Council members know their concerns.
“We knew the property was sold and there were plans for it," said Patrick Flynn who lives near the proposed town homes at the intersection of Ivylena Road and Southern Rose Drive. "I was curious to see what would become of the land behind his neighborhood, Lena’s Walk.
When he saw the plan for 65 townhomes on the five acre parcel, he was shocked.
“The first reaction is that it’s unsustainable," said Flynn. "It’s incompatible. It’s really illogical.”
Flynn says he’s concerned the proposal doesn’t match the largely single-family layout of the area off Girvin Road.
“We’re offering a compromise," said Flynn. "Go ahead and build as many single family homes if you want to develop this land, as you can within the regulations, but we are opposed to the changing of the land use.”
Neighbor after neighbor went before the Jacksonville city council, all opposed to the idea.
“I don’t think it can hold up to the traffic."
“The balcony is 22 feet in the air, looking down into my home and onto my property.”
“All it’s going to do is flood our backyards, ruin our backyards.”
The developer did not speak at city council, and a lobbyist for the project said he will be available to discuss the issue once it’s further along in the process.
He did point out the project received a positive recommendation from the planning commission and followed the city's vision plan for the area of "promoting greater density and diversity of land uses."
The townhomes will head to the land use and zoning committee for more discussion.
Flynn plans to make sure he says his piece before that vote.
“Every one of us is living on land that was developed at one time, so we’re not opposed to development," said Flynn. "We’re opposed to unreasonable development, to over development.”
The townhomes will have another public hearing at land use and zoning next week, then another at city council in two weeks.