Residents urge county to pause dense subdivisions as traffic, wildlife and infrastructure worries grow in north end

Megan Walters, a resident who identified herself as from District 5, told the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners during the public forum that commissioners should "take the time to ride with our police, fire, and EMS" to better understand public-safety and community needs and that she was "very concerned" about traffic and school capacity ahead of new subdivisions.

The comments came during the county's pre-meeting public forum, where several residents from the north end — including Cecilia Campbell and a long-time property owner who identified himself as a District 5 resident on Mackenzie Road — warned that proposed subdivisions would increase traffic, strain evacuation routes, and threaten wildlife habitats. Campbell said residents felt "desperate" and that many were unaware when zoning or…