Lakeland officials could decide future of Wedgewood Golf course Monday

Sara-Megan Walsh, The Ledger
·2 min read
Cars drive along Carpenters Way within the Wedgewood area where it winds among the golf course In Lakeland, FL, Wednesday November 23,2022. (Photo: Ernst Peters/The Ledger)
Cars drive along Carpenters Way within the Wedgewood area where it winds among the golf course In Lakeland, FL, Wednesday November 23,2022. (Photo: Ernst Peters/The Ledger)

LAKELAND — Lakeland officials are expected to decide what the future of Wedgewood Golf Course will look like on Monday.

Lakeland commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday on Mulberry-based SJD Development's request to rezone roughly 117 acres of the former historic Wedgewood Golf Course to construct 994 units consisting of multi-family apartments, townhomes and single-family homes. The development would be named Gibson Trails.

"This project is significant," Attorney Bart Allen said, when first presenting the proposal.

Residents have voiced opposition to the proposed redevelopment since May. Their complaints focus on housing density, building heights and what traffic impacts it will have on Carpenter's Way and neighboring roads.

Where it started:Wedgewood Golf Course sold, former Polk commissioner and son to build 1,400-home development

Lakeland residents react: Proposal to redevelop Wedgewood Golf Course sees opposition

The developer has scaled back the proposal from its initial plans for nearly 1,400 homes down to about 1,200 by eliminating the request for a 150-bed assisted living facility and removing some multi-family apartments. A second round of revisions further scaled back the plan by bringing once four- and three-story buildings down in height, specifically in the northeast end of the former golf course.

Neighboring residents, however, have said the developer's concessions aren't enough to prevent gridlock on Carpenter's Way and U.S. Highway 98 N.

"We can't handle it," Gina Ward, resident of Wedgewood Estates, told commissioners in November. "We won't be able to leave our homes."

Ward and Pat Teehan, Wedgewood Estates residents, have been sending out newsletters, reaching out to the community to notify them of Monday's public hearing.

Latest Gibson Trail plan:'We can't handle it': Traffic a top concern as Wedgewood Golf Course plans move forward

Those interested in speaking about the redevelopment of Wedgewood Golf Course into Gibson Trails will be offered a maximum of five minutes to make comments to commissioners, Mayor Bill Mutz said, based on the number of those interested. This is legally required as part of the public hearing process before a decision is made.

There will be a second opportunity for residents to speak about the decision made on the proposal for Gibson Trails, if any, and other city issues near the end of the commission meeting.

Lakeland commissioners will meet 9 a.m. Monday on the third floor of City Hall, located at 228 S. Massachusetts Ave. A livestream is available on the city's website lakelandgov.net/tv. for anyone interested who is unable to attend.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on Twitter @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland officials to hold hearing on Wedgewood Golf Course Monday