JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Close to 100 residents from Jacksonville’s Northside gathered to express their concerns about a proposed housing development in their community.
The meeting provided a platform for homeowners to directly address the developer about their apprehensions.
The proposed development, which plans to build over 100 new homes near the intersection of Bridges Road and Quiet Country Lane, has sparked opposition among residents.
Melvin May, a Northside resident, emphasized the community’s desire to maintain its current quiet and peaceful environment.
“We like to keep the community as it is. It’s a quiet neighborhood. We want to keep that standard,” he said.
Residents fear the impact of increased traffic and congestion on their small community roads. “They’re small community roads and they cannot support that amount of traffic with that number of homes going back there,” May said.
Homeowner Sonja Coles, who lives close to the proposed site, expressed concerns about the potential congestion and impact on property values.
“This is a dead-end street, so when we come in, it’s one way in and one way out. When they want to develop back in here, they would have to go through our backyard to try and put 141 houses back there. That’s too much congestion,” she said.
She acknowledged Jacksonville’s growth but suggested a smaller development of 50 homes might be more acceptable.
Pastor James Sampson, another homeowner, highlighted the tranquil nature of the area.
“Quiet country says it all. The geese wake us up in the morning and the cows moo us to sleep at night. It’s one of the best kept secrets in Jacksonville,” he said, emphasizing the community’s desire to preserve its peaceful character.
In response to the concerns, the developers agreed to conduct a traffic study to assess the potential impact of the construction project on local roads. The study will focus on the stretch from Dunn Avenue to Quiet Country Lane.