VALDOSTA — Valdosta City Council has given the green light to a new subdivision along East Park Avenue and Inner Perimeter Road.

The rezoning request was made by Cole Livingston, which called for a change in designation from Community-Commercial (C-C) to Multi-Family Residential (R-M), allowing for the development of a residential subdivision on a 31.26-acre property.

The property, located at 2510 E. Park Ave. and 4595 Inner Perimeter Road, is currently undeveloped and covered in forest. The rezoning request covers a portion of a larger 75.75-acre parcel of land, which is split-zoned as C-C and R-M, according to city records.

The proposed residential subdivision would occupy most of the property, with approximately 200 single-family homes planned for development, according to the plan.

During the council meeting, Larry Sanders of Arrow Engineering said, “I just want to say you know we’re excited to bring these new homes to the city of Valdosta. We have been getting backlash from people saying this is low-income housing … these are nice, medium-priced houses that I think will bring the community up.”

Responding to Councilwoman Sandra Tooley’s question about the income range, Sanders said the houses would be priced between $215,000 and $250,000.

Brian Levitt, a member of the Cottonwood neighborhood’s Homeowners Association, spoke in opposition of the request and presented a petition signed by 49 nearby residents who expressed concerns about the impact on local traffic and infrastructure.

Levitt highlighted the congestion on the already-busy roadway and raised potential security and health hazards associated with increased vehicle volume.

“I’ll summarize three primary issues with this. The number one issue … The roadway is already very congested. … It needs no additional help with vehicles already in the mornings.”

He said the infrastructure is not developed enough to handle the increased traffic and people from more housing.

Diana Deeley, a resident of West Gordon Street, voiced her opposition to the proposed density of the residential subdivision. Drawing from her personal experience living in San Francisco, she argued against cramming too many houses into a limited space, describing it as an undesirable living situation.

Matt Martin, city planning and zoning director, reported to council that the property already had zoning for multifamily residential development at a high density. He said the applicant’s proposal for a single-family subdivision at a lower density would result in fewer units compared to what is currently permitted.

Martin emphasized the rezoning aimed to eliminate the awkward geography resulting from the existing mixed zoning.

Councilman Tim Carroll raised the topic of future growth in the area, particularly along Inner Perimeter, expressing confidence this would be a significant hub for residential and commercial expansion in coming decades. Martin concurred with Carroll’s assessment.

After discussions, Valdosta City Council unanimously approved the rezoning request.