The Cedar Ridge neighborhood in Brazos County, located on the South College Station City line, used to be quiet and secluded.

“A couple years ago it was all trees. It was just a beautiful place,” said Lemuel Phillips.

Phillips has been living on Cedar Ridge Drive for 16 years, but he says it isn't the neighborhood he moved to anymore.

The neighborhood used to be densely wooded, but the trees were removed to make room for a new student apartment complex called The Cottages of College Station.

Cedar Ridge Residents say they have no problem with the new housing development, but they requested the city leave 200-300 feet of trees in place to create a buffer between longtime residents and new-to-the-neighborhood college students before construction ever started.

Neighbors say that didn’t happen.

“For some reason they didn't really think about the impact this would have on this area, and they allowed a bulldozer to come through here and just wipe it out,” said Brian Clark. Clark moved to the neighborhood in 1999.

New units of the apartment complex are being built less than 200 feet away from the nearest Cedar Ridge home.

This project was approved by the College Station City Council in 2008.

“Meeting records reflect that the council recognized the nearby residential areas and, therefore, required even greater buffers and screenings than were normally required under city ordinances… The builder has continued to develop the project in accordance with all required city approvals,” said Jay Socol, City of College Station Communications Director. “The developer has modified its plans to accommodate requests related to berms and trees planted, as well as wood fencing.”

Residents say adding plants and a fence is a good start, but it doesn't solve the problem.

“It’s too bad...it was a really nice place at one time,” said Clark.

Their once peaceful neighborhood is now noisy, and the dense trees are gone.