Earlier this week, through the packed walls of Sikes Hall at the RP Funding Center, both residents and developers alike spent hours debating a potential development near the Carillon Lakes neighborhood. One that Lakeland City Commissioners voted 4-2 to approve, despite residents’ cries to stop it.

The commission was tasked with deciding what would become of the vacant land off of Airport Rd. The big-ticket contender? A 300-unit, 3-story apartment building. During the 6-hour long meeting, commissioners listened to both sides of the argument, from 30 residents of Carillon Lakes, opposing the development, and the developer, pushing for the apartment’s approval. The City believes that new apartments would save the area’s integrity by blocking the development of a commercial development or shopping center.

By the end of the meeting, the development was passed + the authorized developer Matcon Construction Services Inc. was issued to go ahead with the plan to erect 300 apartment units at 3301 Airport Rd., to be named Parkway Preserve.

Residents were also concerned about the entry both to the development as well as Carillon Lakes. Presently, the entrance to both the apartments as well as the neighborhood would be a shared two-lane road. Concern was insurmountable with this as well, as residents were fearful that traffic would be exacerbated with drivers ignoring traffic laws. However, it was decided that “a traffic study showed that even with the new development, traffic would still operate within acceptable City standards.”

At this time, the development may run into another hiccup or two due to an existing easement surrounding the private road entrance to Carillon Lakes along with two new conditions set by the commission.