JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Size matters for residents in San Marco. They’re pushing back against the large-scale construction project they say will ruin the neighborhood's charm.
If you drive around San Marco. you may see signs that say "Let's Get It Right" dotting the lawns of homes.
Residents have started “Right Size San Marco” to campaign against the massive size of developments coming to the area.
Their main focus is Park Place at San Marco, an apartment complex that will be built on part of the south Jacksonville Presbyterian Church property
Most of that property will be leveled. The main sanctuary and iconic steeple will remain intact.
Jon Livingston, a resident who lives near the church, says the group is just "trying to keep the inherent character of San Marco."
He says interest sparked when "signs were posted around the property for rezoning, and so everybody was kind of curious at what was happening."
The resident group is concerned that the four-story complex and garage will cause traffic and overcrowding problems, especially because it’s across from the new Publix.
"There's already been an issue with traffic cut-through," Livingston said. "We have a lot of development going on in the area."
They're also concerned for the safety of pedestrians that walk through that particular area, as well as decreased property value, diminished green space, and obstructed views.
The group wants to make one thing clear, "we're not against apartments, we're not against anything really," Livingston said.
Their motto, “Let’s Get It Right,” is about building the right size developments to enhance the neighborhood.
"We want to see a nice transition from a single-resident neighborhood into more commercial or multi-family housing," Livingston said, and not cast a shadow on its charm.
A town hall meeting will be held Tuesday. Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. at the South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.
The project developer will be there.
The community is hoping to have a conversation about what type of developments will work best for San Marco.
You can visit their website, rightsizesanmarco.com for more information.