Safety, flooding are Saddle Ridge issues
As one of the neighbors directly affected by the Ivey Farms development, I felt compelled to respond to the Board (of Mayor and Aldermen’s) rather unfair response to the Sayers (couple, Nov. 5, farragutpress story).
I have to correct (Farragut) Mayor (Ron) Williams: It is not living next to construction that bothers nearby residents — we support the owner developing their property. The objections are safety and flooding.
Saddle Ridge residents pointed out during the planning process that using an existing subdivision as an entrance to new development would create a safety hazard that the Board should address. There are many small children that have to walk down Pecos Road to the school bus stop.
If the Board wants to convert a quiet dead end to an access for a new development, then they should include some sort of traffic-calming measures or pedestrian routes, just as for roads in the new subdivision.
Secondly, the grading of the subdivision has created a flood risk. The lots near our property used to be about 4 feet lower, so that rain could drain off, but the developer constructed an artificial hill to raise them about 12 feet vertically, so that stormwater now flows off towards us.
This is unsightly, seems to be against Town ordinances and has already resulted in orange mud flowing down Pecos Road on several occasions.
Vice Mayor (Louise) Povlin claims she is affected by the new development that goes some distance behind her house.
But, notably, the grading is better on that side of the property and there is no direct traffic connection to her subdivision. Vice Mayor Povlin complains about her name being dragged “through the mud” -— might I suggest that she could expend the same concern on the rivers of mud flowing down our streets.
Thanks,
Andy Lupini,
Saddle Ridge resident
