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Tallahassee neighborhoods fight recent development projects

Tallahassee neighborhoods fight recent development projects
Tallahassee neighborhoods fight recent development projects
Tallahassee neighborhoods fight recent development projects
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Development in Tallahassee impacts every corner of the city.

While some projects have been welcomed by residents, others have prompted entire neighborhoods to fight back.

"We've been promised certain things before, and they didn't come through," said Frenchtown resident Carolyn Jones back in March 2017.

With development comes inevitable change and sometimes, that change creates conflict.

"If they came and, you know, put a couple fast food places within a couple blocks of here, it would probably put me out of business," said Gary Yost, owner of Yosties Chili Parlor in February 2016.

In All Saints, Yost closed his chili dog parlor in December 2017. His store on Railroad Avenue was being replaced by housing.

The Warehouse on Gaines Street closed in May 2018 to make room for more housing.

The latest neighborhood showdown, a rezoning hearing this week.

Residents in Summerbrooke urged the county commission to stop plans for high-density housing.

"We live there. You don't, and you're forcing this on us," said Ellen Hicks, opponent of Bannerman rezoning.

In Frenchtown, residents pushed to save a city-owned parcel with roots in the African-American community.

More than 300 residents from Myers Park and the surrounding neighborhoods packed a planning commission meeting in February 2017.

They opposed rezoning about ten acres to develop more housing. The planning commission denied the proposal.

"That's public land. No more of it will be made, and it's important to save it for all of us to use now and for future generations," said Myers Park resident Karen Cooley in February 2017.

City officials said there were about 100 projects in the works at the start of 2018.

The developer of the property by Summerbooke said he's open to working with concerned residents.

The Summerbrooke Property Owners Association declined comment for this report.