LYNCHBURG, Va. – Drive through Villa Road and Krise Circle, in Lynchburg, you won't miss the blue signs plastered on every yard.
It says, "Save Villa Maria and our historic neighborhoods."
Twenty years ago to the date, Bill Greene closed on his house and he's not happy knowing his backyard could be pinned up next to a 53-townhome development.
"It's the density that is the serious problem. I can't imagine what level of traffic it's going to cause. And what level of services problems: water, sewer that it could and will cause," Greene said.
A developer out of Northern Virginia wants to build town houses on an old boarding school property that's almost 8 acres.
Anne Quillian has only lived in the area for three years and created T-shirts that say, "Save Villa Maria" on the front and "No to 53 townhomes" on the back, to fight the proposal.
Concerned neighbors say they're not against development at all.
They'd rather see the property turn into green space or 12 detached single-family homes.
"At the most, a few regular houses. Like our house that would fit in. Nothing like 53 town houses. 'No 53 town houses,'" Quillian said.
Todd Leap, lives in the Villa Maria, a historic mansion on the block.
He says he's tried to buy the property from the owners multiple times, but the asking price was too much.
"Our plan is to invite all the planning commissioners from Lynchburg as well as all of City Council from Lynchburg, one by one. We have some appointments already. Walk the property and understand the impact," Leap said.
10 News spoke with the developer, Mitchell Namrow, on Monday. He did not want to do an interview, but say they're talking about possible reducing the number of town homes. He also says, it will be a mixed property with one to 1.5 story duplexes.
If you drive by and notice, the rezoning sign posted mentions a planning commission meeting on Aug. 14 and City Council meeting Sept. 10. City leaders say the planning commission meeting is now scheduled for Sept. 11 with the developer and board members.
City planners said, "Originally, the petitioner had planned to go to Planning Commission in August and Council in September, but my understanding is that they chose to delay by a month so that a meeting with the neighborhood could be held prior to the public hearings. We have requested they update the signs accordingly."
Namrow plans on holding a public meeting for the neighborhood on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.