Presstalk 671-TALK (8255) or editor@farragutpress.com
• I’m calling to express my opinion about the new (Town of Farragut) Center that’s being proposed on the (Biddle Farms property) along with the Eddy Ford property. I would like to see it put on the Eddy Ford property because, first of all, it would be more visible, have more room for expansion and I think there would be less traffic problems with that. And last but not least, it would be an opportunity to honor the Ford family as one of the early families of this area — that being Mrs. Ford.
• I read in the Nov. 19 issue (of farragutpress, page 1A story) that state Rep. (Jason) Zachary (R-District 14, which includes Farragut) is introducing a bill to limit the powers of the (Knox County) Board of Health (and other county Board of Health statewide). Instead, he wants county mayors to make decisions during a pandemic. To date, (Knox) County Mayor (Glenn Jacobs) has not agreed with a single recommendation of the experts on the Board of Health (until Monday, Nov. 23).
I agree with state Sen. (Richard) Briggs (R-District 7, which includes Farragut), who used the analogy of the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA regulates the certification of aircraft. For example, nearly two years ago the Boeing 737 MAX (was) grounded due to safety issues. … The 737 MAX has been recertified by the FAA. Following Mr. Zachary’s thought process, we shouldn’t follow the advice of the FAA (on) these aircraft safety issues because they are appointed, not elected. Everyone on the Board of Health are experts appointed by elected officials. I personally feel much safer following the advice of experts, not politicians. I sincerely hope that his bill will not be approved.
• Well, it’s 9:30 on another night at the Farragut International Motor Speedway. Once again, the sounds of engines revving and cars racing up and down Kingston Pike have started anew. I can only image how frustrating it would be to be a young parent trying to get their children to bed when the noise starts up each night. How long has this been going on? Weeks it seems. I sure hope law enforcement might pull these guys over and get them off the road before someone gets hurt.
• Last Thursday, Nov. 19, the Farragut (Municipal) Planning Commission approved the rezoning of the Biddle Farm. For over 25 people that protested this, when their e-mail comments were read they were inaudible — you couldn’t understand anything (during this virtual meeting). If we couldn’t understand anything, then the Planning Commissioners at home could not understand them either.
They voted 7-to-1 to approve this, even though the developer (Budd Cullom) told them it will take 100,000 cubic yards of fill dirt to make this site buildable. That is over 7,100 dump truck runs through our largest school zone, cracking our streets, hurting our cars — for years. We don’t want this project. There is a poll on Nextdoor with 275 responses: 78 percent of the people polled do not want this project. Why will our Planning Commission and Mayor (Ron Williams) and Aldermen not listen to the people?
• I am a 26-year resident of Farragut — I live in Fox Den. My comment (in response to a presstalk, page 4A, in our Nov. 26 issue) about the new Town Center: I agree; I think the person who wrote this (presstalk) is spot-on (quoting that presstalk): “residents want a welcoming, open, natural park-like destination that offers smaller, casual indoor/outdoor social spaces that will serve as a place folks can walk or bike or drive to in order to enjoy some relaxed time in/around those specialty shops, restaurants and bistros.”
My vision of the Town Center was something like on a slightly larger scale. At Kiawah Island (near Charleston, South Carolina) they have a town center, a large park in the middle, and around it they have (inaudible). … That’s really what I envisioned. I realize that we’re taking care of the eyesore that exists with the old Kroger site, but I don’t view that as a Town Center — and I think most people don’t. That’s a cumbersome development, and it’s great that we found some use for it, but I really don’t see that as our Town Center.
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