Proposal to Build Hotel and Restaurant Near Oakbridge in South Lakeland Withdrawn

Published: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 5:45 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 11:49 p.m.

LAKELAND | A much-debated proposal to build a hotel and restaurant near Lakeside Village has seemingly been halted.

Drummond Co., who owns the property at the southeast corner of Harden Boulevard and Oakbridge Parkway, recently withdrew its request for commissioners to hold an appeal hearing on rezoning the land.

And the property's proposed buyers may have found another location to build on on South Florida Avenue.

Drummond, out of Birmingham, Ala., wanted the city to rezone land to allow a Holiday Inn Express and a Cheddar's Restaurant to be built there. However, the proposal was opposed by nearby residents and rejected twice by the Planning and Zoning Board.

Lakeland Community Development Director Jim Studiale said Drummond sent a letter to the city on Monday saying it was withdrawing its appeal of the zoning board's decision.

The hearing had been scheduled for Monday's City Commission meeting.

In the letter, local representative Leonard Mass wrote that Drummond was confident the proposal would have been an appropriate fit for the land and the community, but it recognized the significant opposition by nearby residents and the city.

"Therefore, Drummond Company has decided to withdraw its applications, in part, because it understands that a great deal of emotion exists with respect to the East Village applications and that it is very difficult for the City Commission to balance property rights interests with the understandable concerns of many existing Oakbridge residents," the letter states.

About 120 residents of the Oakbridge neighborhood sent letters to city officials asking them to not allow the zoning change.

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Proposal to Build Hotel and Restaurant Near Oakbridge in South Lakeland Withdrawn