By City Commissioner Guy LaLonde, Jr
Against the Grain……..Wedgewood
Monday morning, I cast the lone “NO” vote on the Wedgewood Estates item.
Let me first say this: I respect my fellow commissioners and understand the position they took. These decisions are not easy, and everyone on that dais cares deeply about Lakeland and its future.
But my responsibility is to vote the way I believe best serves the people I represent, even when that means standing alone.
This vote was not about opposing growth, and it certainly was not about attacking development rights. Much of this project had already been approved previously. I was glad to see reductions in density, added acreage for public safety purposes, and efforts made to address concerns raised by residents.
However, my vote came down to one simple issue: TRAFFIC and INFRASTRUCTURE.
I do not believe a 2022 traffic study should continue being used to justify what could become a 2032 buildout without updated, real-world TRAFFIC data. The corridor is already heavily impacted today, and residents made it very clear they are concerned about congestion, safety, and access in and out of their neighborhoods.
I also continue to have concerns regarding drainage and stormwater impacts affecting pre-existing homes in the area. Many residents feel the property has not maintained the natural drainage conditions that existed when much of the land operated as a golf course. Those concerns deserve to be heard and taken seriously.
I understand Florida law, including the Bert J. Harris Act and proportionate fair-share requirements, gives property owners significant rights and limits how far local governments can go in restricting development or requiring improvements beyond a project’s direct impact. Those are realities we must work within.
But while the law may limit certain actions toward a developer, it does not remove our responsibility as a city to ensure INFRASTRUCTURE keeps pace with growth and that residents can safely and reasonably move throughout their community.
That matters to me.
I was proud to campaign on and help continue pushing for Fire Station 8 because public safety in North Lakeland matters deeply to me. Better response times matter. But it is also fair to ask: once first responders are on the road, how do we ensure they can efficiently get through increasingly congested corridors?
Growth is coming. We all know that.
But I believe our citizens deserve updated TRAFFIC analysis, honest conversations, and INFRASTRUCTURE planning rooted in today’s realities — not just projections on paper.
Leadership is not always about going along.
Sometimes leadership means asking harder questions and being willing to cast the difficult vote.
Whether people agree with me or not, I will continue doing my homework, listening to residents, and fighting for smart growth and responsible INFRASTRUCTURE for the people of Lakeland.