JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville developer is asking the city to approve his plan for a 395 acre subdivision off Boney Road near the Pumpkin Hill Preserve State Park.
The City Council is set to vote Tuesday on whether the land can be rezoned for the development.
But a lot of people are voicing their concerns, saying it will be bad for the environment and will ruin their rural lifestyle.
More than a thousand people have come out against this development and said they're not against development as a whole but that the plan is just too big for their small community.
"It's not so much that we are against development, we know that development is inevitable, but we want it done responsibly. And I think that is why the community is really rallying behind us -- is the density of the proposed development and the environmental sensitivity of the land there," Shane Williams, chairperson for Stop Development on Boney Road, said.
William Hogan Junior's historical roots are in that land and are about as deep as the trees. It's a quiet area, rural and woodsy and that's how he likes it.
"My family has been out here for over 100 years. There's not many ways out of these woods, you know? And we were in the woods forever. And now they found us," Hogan said.
Steve Leggett is the developer looking for the approval and plans on building hundreds of single-family homes in a neighborhood called Edwards Creek Preserve.
Leggett's attorney, T.R. Hainline responded to the criticism saying:
"He sought input from federal, state, and local environmental agencies. Mr. Leggett agreed to three pages of conditions on issues such as traffic improvements, buffers, setbacks, building height, landscaping, lighting, fire safety, water quality protection, and wetlands protection. We believe that the City Council will follow these recommendations."
Last week, the City Council's zoning committee recommended approval of the development by a 6-0 vote, and the full City Council will vote on the issue this coming Tuesday.
Council member Ray Holt, who represents the area, says he's in favor of the development because he thinks it will be done in a responsible way.