townview: Alderman Bob Markli
In 2018, among many other exciting projects, we will see the stabilization of the circa 1820 Campbell Station Inn and demolition of the surrounding old dairy building.
When completed, this will be a significant historical asset for the Town as well as the site of a future multi-use building, which may serve as a permanent home for the Farragut Folklife Museum, additional municipal office space and/or commercial space, and public park space in the heart of what is emerging as our Town Center.
We will also see the completion of the pedestrian underpass at Campbell Station and Kingston Pike, which will greatly improve the walkablity of this central core of the Town. On the Southwest corner of this intersection, ground is being broken for a new mixed use center. And work is getting under way to improve South Campbell Station Road all the way to Northshore Drive.
All this is part of the Strategic Plan to invigorate the Town Center district. It will create a hub of activity, which it is hoped will bring progress to this critical area and increase the viability of the dark storefronts that were created by the advent of the commercial shift to Turkey Creek/Parkside shopping areas.
What is needed next is an increase in population in this central core to support these businesses. New higher- density housing, such as town homes, condos or luxury apartments in this core area, will create the market needed to support further development and create a walkable downtown urban core that can meet all the needs of its inhabitants and create an activity hub for the Town as a whole.
The proximity of schools, Post Office, Town Hall, historical and cultural sites, shopping, dining, residential, professional and recreation will provide a nexus for a vibrant pedestrian culture interconnected with safe sidewalks and walking trails.
By now all Town residents should have received their copy of the 2018 edition of the Town of Farragut Annual Report. This slim volume is a treasure trove of resources for Town residents and we encourage everyone to read its 27 pages cover-to-cover. In it is almost everything you could want to know about your Town; how it is run, staffed and financed.
Lastly, Farragut is succeeding because of its volunteer spirit, the willingness of our neighbors to pitch in and make it work. Because of your continued involvement we have been able to avoid the pitfalls of many other cities, maintain a lean staff and budget and minimize the tax burden on us all while maintaining an enviable quality of life.
This August we will have an opportunity to elect a new mayor and potentially two new aldermen. I am confident we will educate ourselves to the needs of our community and make sound choices to lead us into our next decade of progress and refinement so that we may continue to be a beacon of small, responsive, unobtrusive, constitutional local government.
