Lakeland has scaled back its vision for the shuttered Wedgewood Golf Course, cutting the number of new homes on the former fairways. But for nearby residents who have watched the course deteriorate for decades, the revised plan has not quieted worries about flooding, traffic and who will really be on the hook for long-term pond maintenance. City leaders are set to take up the updated development agreement on Monday, May 18.
What Changed In The Plan
A memorandum from the City of Lakeland details how SJD Development's proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) minor modification would trim the overall unit count from 973 to 825. The housing mix would shift to 61 single-family detached homes, 394 single-family attached units and 370 multi-family units.
According to the memo, the city will hold a second public hearing on the development agreement at its May 18 commission meeting, with the Planning & Zoning Board scheduled to consider the PUD minor modification the following day. The document also notes that the developer would donate several parcels and dedicate right-of-way to help with future road connections through and around the site.
Neighbors Raise Maintenance, Flooding And Traffic Worries
Longtime neighbors say what used to be manicured greens have slipped badly. Resident Beverly Inman, who moved in 26 years ago, describes a course that has steadily deteriorated, and she fears more homes will only add pressure to already-busy Carpenters Way.
Fellow resident Pat Teehan told reporters that ponds and turf have been neglected for years and that promises about upkeep do not mean much without firm, enforceable guarantees, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. Many worry that if drainage and pond maintenance are not nailed down now, they will be left with flooding headaches later.
City Deal: Roads, Fees And Reserved Trips
Under the draft development agreement, the developer would donate four parcels and dedicate right-of-way for a planned extension of Lakeland Park Center Drive. Wedgewood Estates Boulevard would be realigned so it meets Heatherpoint Drive, with either a roundabout or a traffic signal required where it hits Carpenters Way.
The agreement calls for a prepayment of $423,413.47 in transportation impact fees, installation of a transit shelter and new bicycle and pedestrian connections. It also reserves 5,538 daily trips and 463 PM peak-hour trips for the 825-unit project, according to the city memorandum. In return, the developer would receive impact-fee credits and a tax donation letter for the donated parcels, as provided under state law.
Developer: Design Aims To Ease Drainage
Tract Engineering's Danny Kovacs, speaking on behalf of SJD Development, told Tampa Bay 28 that the updated layout is intended to "space homes out" and preserve green areas in a way that helps drainage across the property. He said grading work and new infrastructure in the plan are designed to address runoff and pond issues while keeping the higher density in spots that can better support it.
What’s Next
The commission vote on the development agreement and the Planning & Zoning Board review are the next official checkpoints. Even if commissioners sign off on the deal, the project would still need to clear phased site-plan approvals and permitting before any construction starts.
Neighbors say they plan to turn out for the public hearings and to keep pressing for a roundabout at Carpenters Way and clearer, enforceable maintenance obligations for the ponds and other common areas.
