Concerns from local residents seemed to sway Council's decision.
Residents in a local subdivision made their voices heard at Monday’s Lake City Council meeting. After hearing their concerns, council members decided not to move forward on a plan to increase residential density around their properties.
Among the items set for discussion Monday night was changing the Future Land Use Classification from residential medium density to residential high density on land surrounding Oak Meadow Plantation and Forest Plantation, a neighborhood northwest of the Interstate-75 and U.S. Highway 90 intersection. The proposal would have allowed 12 dwelling units per acre as opposed to eight per acre, which would’ve necessitated higher buildings.
Shannon Davis, a resident at Oak Meadow as well as its HOA Vice President, said he felt that a bigger proposed apartment complex, which would be built along Northwest Lake City Avenue adjacent to the subdivision, could lead to more crime and lower property values for residents.
“These are serious issues along with the foot traffic that’s going to come through our neighborhood,” Davis said, also noting the potential for flooding a bigger housing complex could bring to the subdivision. “Property value would be diminished greatly, and the folks that live in the HOA have worked their whole life, and I’m sure if your property value was in jeopardy of being diminished, you would not want this, you would not want this result.”
After several more residents voiced their concerns with the project scope moving forward, Councilman Jake Hill, who represents the district in which the property lies, said he heard the complaints about the proposed change loud and clear.
“I’m a firm believer that when people come up to this council meeting, they come for a reason, and I like to see that,” Hill said. “If y’all don’t want it in (District) 12, I don’t want it in 12.”
Councilman Todd Sampson agreed, saying while he does support more housing being built in Lake City, the concerns of residents in building too condensed housing units shouldn’t be discounted.
“We heard about the housing shortage,” Sampson said. “And anyone who’s looked on Zillow at the rentals? Good Lord, there’s nothing worth renting out there. So we need development. Whether it’s eight or 12, it’ll help.”
After Hill briefly made a motion to dismiss the item, City Clerk Audrey Sikes said if the council wished to not move forward with the item, the better route would be to either bring the item up for a vote to vote it down, or just move on without a motion. The council chose the latter.