Mansfield Planning Commission rejected a rezoning request from a Florida-based investor, who wants to buy Dawson Ridge golf course and install 300 doublewide mobile homes there.

Nathan Whittaker was looking to have the listed parcels rezoned from R-2, residential district, to MH, mobile home park district.

The five members at Tuesday's meeting voted 5-0 to reject the request, much to the appreciation of a crowd of about 60 people who packed into city council chambers for the meeting.

"You've got a lot of good ideas," planning commission member Dave Messmore told Whittaker, "but we represent the city, and if they're going to object to it, I'm not going to vote for it."

The crowd broke into applause after the vote.

"This does not prevent you from trying it again somewhere down the road," planning commission member Dave Remy told Whittaker.

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After the meeting, Whittaker said he would do just that.

"We have all these families that need a place to live," he said. "We're going to bring it back in whatever the time limit is."

Whittaker earlier this year purchased mobile home parks on Yale Avenue and Walker Avenue in Madison Township, along with Armstrong Avenue in Mansfield.

He was the first to speak on the issue at Tuesday's meeting. Whittaker knew he was facing a tough crowd.

"Hi, everybody," he said. "I'm not very popular."

A woman replied, "Not at all."

Whittaker called the demand for affordable housing "massive" in this area.

He said the purchase of the other three mobile home parks "doesn't put a dent in it."

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Whittaker said the planned golf course development "doesn't look anything like a mobile home park that you would think of."

"I know the community has expressed a lot of negative emotion because it's a beautiful piece of property," he said.

He added the development would take less than half of the property.

"There will be over 50 acres of grasslands and trees and creeks," Whittaker said. "We'll keep all the rolling hills. We'll put homes where there's flat ground."

He referred to the development as a "manufactured housing community." 

"Everyone will be pleasantly surprised how this turns out," Whittaker said.

He said there is a waiting list nearing 600 mobile home buyers.

"It (rezone) would allow 300 to 400 people to enjoy these views without destroying it," Whittaker said.

He told the crowd he sells the homes for exactly what he pays for them, a range of $70,000 to $90,000.

Whittaker added there would be no renters, only homeowners.

"There's families in our community that need a place to live," he said.

Delbert Dawson, owner of the former golf course, co-signed the rezone. He also addressed the crowd, turning directly to them as he spoke.

He said he has owned the golf course at 591 Von Hoff Blvd. for about five years. Formerly Coolridge Golf Course, it was closed last season.

"I've had some offers on the property," Dawson said. "I've tried to do something that is going to be good for the neighborhood."

Dawson said the mobile home park could serve as a bedroom community for people who will work at Intel in Licking County.

"Don't condemn something before you give it a chance," he told the crowd. "Don't make a decision before you know what's going to happen. These are not trailers."

Since there were so many people from the neighborhood at the meeting, Remy said he would limit the number of speakers to six to eight and give them up to five minutes to make their points.

A Neighborhood Watch leader said the area currently has low crime. He feared it would increase with a mobile home park.

The man suggested Whittaker continue to redo run-down trailer parks.

"If you do the golf course, you can only make it worse," he said.

He also questioned Whittaker's claim about leaving much of the space untouched.

"There's a swamp. You can't build there anyhow," the Neighborhood Watch leader said of part of the property. "Find some other area."

Another man asked what the mobile homes would be worth in 20 years.

"It ain't gonna be 90 grand," he said.

Whittaker said the property would appreciate in value because of inflation.

"I disagree," the resident replied.

Another man who lives on Grace Street also suggested Whittaker continue to focus on revamping mobile home parks. 

"Let's get them cleaned up first," he said. "Update the ones you have; then we'll consider a rezone."

A woman who says she has lived within a mile of the golf course her whole life said more than 420 people had signed a petition opposing a rezone.

"It's a terrible idea," she said. "It doesn't make sense in our community."

The last resident to speak said she had several concerns, listing sewage, water run-off, traffic and noise.

"What about the water and sewer lines? There are already issues," she added. "I'm really against putting in 300 homes of any size."

Prior to a vote, planning commission member Dan Seckel said he wanted more information from Whittaker.

Assistant Law Director Jake Linn said the planning commission had to take action within 30 days of the request, which was May 6, or the rezoning would be approved.

Remy suggested withdrawing the petition and bringing it back later, after Whittaker approached neighbors.

"I will not withdraw," Dawson said from the gallery just before the vote.