letterstotheeditor
‘Connectivity’ of subdivisions not thought out
There has been quite a lot of debate recently about “connectivity” in the Town of Farragut, specifically connecting streets from one subdivision to adjoining subdivisions.
The Town of Farragut (Municipal) Planning Commission and BOMA (Board of Mayor and Aldermen) are both clearly in favor of this, to the point of insisting on provisions for such “connectivity,” even when no plans yet exist for adjoining property.
This was most recently evidenced by the denial of Steve Williams’ appeal [June 10 FMPC meeting] regarding a connection to his property from The Grove at Boyd Station. TOF officials like to sell the connectivity issue as creating efficiency, reducing congestion and “sound community planning.”
However, what they consistently fail to mention is that these street connections between neighborhoods also increase traffic within the neighborhood, therefore increasing congestion and noise in those neighborhoods. It also creates new safety hazards for the residents, pedestrians and cyclists. Residential neighborhoods are meant to be a place of peace and quiet, including light traffic and little or no congestion.
The Planning Commission and BOMA should revisit this issue and apply a healthy dose of common sense and reasonableness to the definition, interpretation and application of “connectivity,” as mentioned in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and TOF Subdivision Regulations. The Town is already struggling with vehicle traffic congestion, but facilitating the flow into and through residential neighborhoods should not be part of the solution.
Brian Gill,
Farragut
