'This project is significant': Proposal to redevelop Wedgewood Golf Course sees opposition
LAKELAND — More than 20 residents representing at least six different communities are challenging one of largest infill developments proposed in Lakeland.
Former Polk County Commissioner John Hall and Jonathan Hall, a partner with Ronin Assets, have requested rezoning of 117 acres of Wedgewood Golf Course under a Planned Unit Development to construct 1,400 new dwellings. The developers made their case to Lakeland's Planning & Zoning Board on Tuesday.
The father-son duo have proposed plans to build 1,028 multi-family units, 204 single-family attached townhomes, 16 single-family homes and a 105-bed assisted living facility on the former historic golf course.
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To move forward, Lakeland's Planning and Zoning Board would have to approve a series of zoning changes to shift densities around:
Increase the density of housing in six parcels largely located near the center of the golf course
Keep the current zoning it in three areas closer to the edges of the property
Downzone one parcel of land closest to Heatherpoint Drive to a lower density
Bart Allen, a Lakeland-based attorney, said the requested changes would help bring the proposed land use in alignment with existing communities and better suits housing market demands.
"This project is significant," Allen said.
Meanwhile, residents say the proposed development — dubbed Gibson Trails — is too dense, its buildings too high and have concerns that the traffic will be too much for the local roadways to handle.
"The golf course was a dump. It has been the entirety that I've lived there and I'm glad someone is going to make something great out of it," Edward Mehnert, a Staffordshire Drive resident, said. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's half as considerate as they portray their planning to be."
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'Too High, Too Dense'
Opposing residents said any development of Wedgewood Golf Course will change the look and feel of the communities that have long enjoyed the scenic overlook of its greenways.
"This is an emotional issue for many homeowners. We bought golf course-front property and that's a huge aesthetic," Victor Prebor, of Derby Drive, said. "My lot will be devastated by this development. It's going to create a negative impact on most homeowners."
Prebor was one of several residents who spoke out against rezoning Tract 5, that runs along the west side of Carpenters Way, and Tract 7 that extends to the west between existing communities. The requested change is from Residential Medium to Residential High, which allows a density of 12 to 75 units per acre.
If approved, the developer would combine these two areas along with third piece of land to construct 156 two-story townhomes.
North Lakeland resident Jack English, representing Cambridge on the Tee, said he has an issue with the developer looking to add more than 1,300 homes in an area he claims has less than 1,000 residents. The proposed four-story multi-family apartment buildings are out of character with the existing neighborhoods, according to English.
"In a meeting with other community leaders, we looked at their plans," he said. "There is no four-stories."
English said he'd like to see Tracts 5,6,7 requested for townhomes all be kept as single-family homes, similar to the adjacent communities.
Heatherpoint Drive resident Bill Beurmann asked the developer to consider similar consistency in the northeast corner of the golf course. The proposed plans call for row of single-family homes immediately south of the block.
"The developer has talked continuously about compatibility," Beurmann said. "The placement of these homes as in the plan is not compatible with our community."
The Wedgewood Visioning Plans submitted to the city call for 16 single-family homes to be built on a minimum 7,200-square-foot lots. The houses will be a maximum of two stories.
By contrast, Beurmann said Heatherpoint Drive homes have an average lot size that's substantially larger, about 11,500 square feet, than what's proposed. He asked the city to consider asking anything to be constructed be on a similar lot size to better blend in with the existing community.
"We've tried to be extremely thoughtful in layout and design," planner Scott Mingonet, of Kimley-Horn, said. "There are certain things we are amenable to improve our being a good neighbor to the rest of the community."
Mingonet said the developer is "flexible" on some of its units and is willing to remove up to nine townhomes from the current proposed plans to reduce its density. He believes careful design, such as orientating the narrow end of buildings to the adjacent communities, can help reduce the impact of the requested density.
Traffic woes
Concerns abound as to whether the two-lane Carpenters Way can handle the anticipated increase in traffic.
"It can be difficult to maneuver through our community at different times," Gina Ward, representing Wedgewood Estates Homeowners Association, said.
Ward asked the city to get Florida Department of Transportation involved in evaluating the traffic signal timing at the intersection of Carpenters Way and US Highway 98. She asked for consideration of bringing more mass transit to the area if the developer wants to build multifamily housing.
Staffordshire Drive resident Terry Ford objected to a proposal to drop Wedgewood Estate Drive south, bringing the roadway closer to houses on his block.
"What's going to happen when you bring it down by the homes and there's no control of speeding on that road? It's a problem," Ford said.
Traffic engineer Mike Woodward, of Kimley-Horn, said the curve of the road with the addition of a roundabout at the intersection of Wedgewood Estates Drive, Carpenters Way and Heatherpoint Drive should help to slow traffic down.
"For residents trying to get out of the neighborhood, it will be a benefit," Woodward said.
The traffic engineer said he believes some of the existing road issue would benefit from a signal retiming. But changing Carpenters Way is not a solution.
"We should not be considering widening Carpenters Way," he said. "It would have a negative impact for anyone who wants to walk across the street and lead to higher speeds."
Chuck Barmby, Lakeland's transportation manager, said he recognized the developer's traffic study was performed before the Lakeland Park Drive extension was completed. Barmby said he plans to review how the roadway's opening has impacted traffic patterns.
Susan Seitz, a Planning and Zoning Board member, asked if the developer will allow Audubon Oaks residents access to a roadway it proposed to construct running along the east side of the golf course. It's not in the plans, but the development team said they would be open to the discuss it.
Environmental pressures
The large-scale Gibson Trails development has residents fearing what impacts the construction could have on an already sensitive environment.
Pat Teehan, president of Wedgewood Estate Homeowners Association, asked if the developer has fully accounted for stormwater runoff as Lakeland Park Drive is the high elevation point and water runs downhill, through the communities making its way toward Lake Gibson.
"Lake Gibson is at capacity with contamination," Teehan said
David DeMarcay, owner of Audubon Oaks Apartments and the under construction Gibson Oaks, strongly encouraged the development team to more closely examine the area's drainage issues.
DeMarcay said two of the drainage ponds depicted for Gibson Trails are owned and maintained by Audubon Oaks under permits it has with the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
"I don’t know if they can add more to those ponds or not, they might have to add their own," he said.
Beverly Copeland, president of Sandwedge Villas Homeowners Association, raised the issue of decades old of soil contamination from years of chemicals used to keep golf course's fairways green.
The developer's attorney said environmental studies have found "some areas of light contamination." If approved to move forward, Allen said the developer will take all necessary steps to remediate the land as required by Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies.
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What's next
With the public hearing concluded on Tuesday, the city staff will review all submitted plans, documents and residents' statements to give a recommendation on whether or not the development should proceed as planned.
Normally this would happen at the city's next Planning and Zoning Board meeting on June 21. Barmby said given the size of the proposed development, it may take longer for city staff to review.
"In my time here, this is probably in the top five in number of residential units sought to be improved at one time," Barmby said. "I want to make sure we get details right."
Lakeland's Planning and Zoning board can choose to accept the city staff's recommendations, amend it or deny the requested zoning changes, Assistant City Attorney Jerrod Simpson said.
Board members asked if they have issues with one section or portion of the project, could they deny a section or all of the proposed development.
"The applicant has presented this as a whole. If there’s a problem in one part of it, I can see that as a lawful basis to deny" Simpson said.
The developer's team said it was taking notes on residents comments made Tuesday.
"We recognize this is a significant case," Mingonet said. "We are continuing to work on the site plan, will listen to neighbors comments and make revisions."
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: Wedgewood Golf Course redevelopment proposal in Lakeland met with opposition
