WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Houston County has seen growth in the last few years around Feagin Mill Road, Corder Road and Houston Lake Road. The growth has some people there concerned about traffic.
On Tuesday, Warner Robins planning and zoning members will discuss rezoning land at Houston Lake and Corder Road. This development area has concerned neighbors for years.
Back in 2022, the board recommended that the mayor and council deny requests for changing the property from single-family residential zoning to multi-family residential zoning on that site because of people's concerns about traffic.
People coming and going from Harper's Ridge Subdivision say they keep their foot on the brakes.
"Trying to get out of this subdivision is almost impossible," Ted Achimasi said.
He says more people are cruising along Houston Lake Road due to the increase of apartments and homes in the area.
"The apartment complex across the way makes a U-turn right at our exit, and it's a challenge to dart out in between the traffic," he said.
Achimasi and other neighbors say between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., it is difficult to leave the subdivision.
They say there has also been an increase in speeding and traffic in their own neighborhood due to new homes built in the back of Harper's Ridge that don't have their own entrance.
Now, a company named Sujano LLC is asking the city to rezone nearly 18 acres for Planned Urban Development. Larry Chambers says this brings concerns.
"Single-family homes, if they were built back there, wouldn't create near the number of people or the number of traffic problems it should stay R-1," Chambers said.
He's concerned about run-off water impacts: "When you cover up that much ground with asphalt or concrete or whatever, you create a water problem. The water's got to go somewhere, it can't go in the ground, so it has to go somewhere. We already have water problems behind our house coming off of that property over there. We already have the problem that is going to just multiply the problem."
He also is concerned about the sewage impacts and light pollution.
"It will be like a Walmart parking lot, you know with all of those LED lights, bright LED lights, shining in our backyards and back windows," Chambers said.
Chambers is unsure if the area can sustain more growth.
Achimasi is still looking for solutions to slow down speeders and can calm down traffic in their own neighborhood.
"I think put a light down at Tucker Place and Houston Lake to make it easier for people to get out," Achimasi said.
That planning and zoning meeting is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Warner Robins City Hall.