‘Low income’ apartments
Farragut Pointe, planned near Concord Hills, a big concern
Even though a planned 124-unit low-income apartment complex, located just outside of Farragut town limits along Loop Road, has a letter of approval from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, nearby Concord Hills homeowners aren’t happy with the plans.
“The HOA Board feels that this project is just in the wrong location,” Concord Hills Homeowners Association Unit 1 representative Joe LaCroix said Monday, March 8.
LaCroix shared a copy of an e-mail that had been sent to Jacobs, verbalizing the high points.
“We are requesting that Mayor Jacobs rescind his support for the PILOT application of Farragut Pointe that was going to the IDB for a vote on Tuesday,” LaCroix stated.
“The property sits on a two lane, non-engineered road that is substandard,” he added. “There are no sidewalks and it would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to widen/correct. Simply walking anywhere from this property would be incredibly dangerous.”
Additionally, “access to basic services are incredibly difficult in this location,” LaCroix said. “Food, jobs and medical care are not within a reasonable distance.
“Also, there is no public transportation anywhere near this location and there is no plan for it as well. The closest location for public transportation is roughly 5 miles away in Cedar Bluff,” he added.
Jacobs’ letter of approval was submitted to the Industrial Development Board’s Health Education and Housing Board of Knox County as part of project developer John Huber’s request for a Payment in Lieu of Taxes proposal for the complex, which already has been christened Farragut Pointe.
It was due to be heard by that Board Tuesday, March 9, (after press deadline).
District 5 Knox County Commissioner John Schoonmaker, whose district covers Farragut and adjacent portions of West Knox County, shared an e-mail and documentation with Town officials Friday, March 5, explaining the issue.
“I am bringing this to your attention, as you may hear from the Farragut residents who live in Concord Hills,” Schoonmaker stated in his presentation.
“According to state legislation, the approval for the apartments can be granted with only a letter of support by the county mayor,” he added, also including the endorsement letter from Jacobs.
“It does not have to have approval from the County Commission.”
Schoonmaker and Farragut Mayor Ron Williams met with Concord Hills HOA Board Sunday, March 7, to discuss the development.
“There are better locations in Knox County for those apartments,” Schoonmaker said during an interview. “If you are going to put low- or moderate-income housing somewhere, it should be near a major thoroughfare, shopping opportunities and hopefully on a K-trans (bus) route.
“Loop Road is a narrow country road, and really needs major improvements before more housing is even considered,” he added.
“It’s just not the logical location for something like this.”
