LAKELAND, Fla. — A new proposal to build 85 homes near Lakeland’s airport has residents in the area sounding the alarm.

“Where most airports grow into a community, there’s not a community here yet. So, the planning is so important right now; not to put residential here,” Kevin Benedict said.

Benedict and several other residents off Medulla road said that the new proposal would put 85 homes on 45 acres of land.

“Between my home to the county line is about 200 acres, only 17 homes - each on at least 5 acres or more - and we got the county wanting to put 29 homes on just 10 acres,“ explained Desmore Peters. “That is not compatible and behind them the city wants to put another 56 homes.”

Most in the Lakeland community off Medulla road live off of 5 acres of land. This new development would put twice the amount of homes on that lot space.

“Currently the airport has so much country around it, it was a small rural airport but Lakeland has grown with Noah and Amazon within the last year. Generally the area around an airport is generally better suited to grow into business parks.”

Lakeland’s housing manager Teresa Maio also commented on the proposal for more homes in the rural area saying, any allowance for residential development off Medulla Road would be a recipe for conflict.

“Currently the airport has so much country around it, it was a small rural airport but Lakeland has grown with Noah and Amazon within the last year,” said Benedict. “Generally, the area around an airport is generally better suited to grow into business parks.”

I spoke with Lakeland Airport’s director, Gene Conrad and he said the airport will continue to be a good neighbor but added that the new runway will need room to grow.

“We want people to know that the airport will expand before they buy a home in the area,” explained Conrad. “The runway has been approved and Lakeland will see those changes in the next 10-15 years; the area will naturally grow with the new business and jobs.”

Lakeland is currently the 120th busiest airport in the country.

The new runway will increase that traffic and potentially be a benefit for the entire Polk County.

The Polk County Commission voted yes on the housing development that will place 85 more homes in the community. Residents appealed the decision and lost but they say the​ fight is far from over.