People in Northwest Tallahassee are voicing their concerns about a potential new development near their long-time homes.
Residents have sent dozens of emails speaking out against the property's development. The church sits on a lot just off of Capitol Circle Northwest.
Community members are fighting back the proposal to rezone land that could open the door for developers to build new housing, saying it'll ruin their neighborhood.
"We enjoy a relatively rural lifestyle here. People move here to have some space and to build their homes and enjoy wildlife," said Rob Maddox.
Maddox has lived off Maddox Road and Capital Circle Northwest for over 30 years. His family has owned this land and even sold the Northwood Baptist Church 85 acres of land in the 1990's. Now, the church is looking to sell 32 acres in an effort to pay off debt.
The Church is currently using a temporary facility that was built in 2002 but a deadline to pay it off and move to a permanent building is quickly approaching. Pastor Todd Sapp said selling the piece of land is only a means to an end to get them the funding they need to pay off the debt on the temporary building; adding the church is still$1.1 million in debt.
"It's been painful because we do care about our community. We love our community. We believe God has placed us here for the community's good, so our goal is to be a healthy church and that includes a financially healthy church," said Sapp.
Although Maddox understands the church is in financial trouble and isn't the one building new housing, he believes the potential of rezoning and selling the land to developers will not only cause more traffic congestion, reduced wildlife and environmental problems, but also ruin their more rural neighborhood.
"For us, it's our lifestyle and we can't really think of how they got into this and what is their way out, but we just hope it's not this," said Maddox.
Tim Glenn is also worried it would ruin their neighborhood. He said he moved out here to have his dream home and enjoy the wildlife. Glenn's property is the closest to church, his bedroom just 141 feet away from the property line. He fears a zoning change would change how his yard looks.
"To have almost five homes per acre compared to one home per four acres is a drastic increase in density and the neighborhood just doesn't feel that that's compatible," said Glenn.
After hearing some of the community's concerns, Sapp said they've changed the zoning and are considering offering some of the land to the neighbors to buy to create a buffer zone from their property and future development.
"We have done everything that we possibly can in order to ease their concerns and we want to continue to be here for a very long time," said Sapp.
Neighbors from the area are bringing their concerns to the county commission meeting happening Tuesday in hopes the board will reject the rezoning proposal and turn down the possibility for future develop.
