lettertotheeditor
Reader questions logic of BOMA land-use decisions
The latest Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) vote shows that BOMA decision making is no longer based on our ordinances or the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Ultimately, the three BOMA members voting against the (Harmony senior living) proposal did so for the following reasons.
Both Vice Mayor (Louise) Povlin and Alderman (Scott) Meyer indicated that they were voting against the item primarily because the developer had not proven the need for another assisted living facility and because residents recently voted to change the Future Land Use Map from Medium-Density Residential to Low-Density Residential on the parcel.
One has to ask, should local government be the ones to decide if there is a need for a particular type of development? In past discussions, the Town has never asked other developers to provide proof that there is a “need” for their development. Simply look at the Biddle Farm, the apartments are being built, but the Phase II commercial has not been started, even though the current schedule shows it should be completed in August 2023.
Shouldn’t it be up to developers (who) take risks based on their market analysis? I don’t think Harmony was willing to invest $60 million in Farragut if they had not identified a business need. Regarding their second argument, the Horne Properties, (LLC). attorney advised there is Tennessee case law that denial solely based on the desires of citizens is illegal. Mayor (Ron) Williams simply stated his vote was based on the questions: was this a good fit for this district (area) and is 200 units really a transition?
Vice Mayor Povlin also correctly stated that the existing buffer (behind the Ingles) is not a transition and not intended to be a transition. However, in her closing comments, the Vice Mayor stated that she ultimately supports placing low-density residential directly behind Ingles.
This placement does not provide the adequate transition the Vice Mayor mentioned earlier. In contrast, the S-1 Zoning Ordinance general description states, “This district is also intended as a transitional district to lower density residential by providing for low impact quasi-institutional/residential uses that have minimal traffic demands.”
It is clear that, from a transitional aspect, a S-1 facility is a preferred to a low-density residential development.
Finally, it was noted that in 2016, Vice Mayor Povlin voted three times to approve The Villages, a similar S-1 development 100 yards to the west. As well, then Alderman Williams, approved the same S-1 development at the Second BOMA Reading.
Both did so without any objections to location, scale, form, function or density transition. Even though these votes were raised during the meeting, neither addressed how these two developments were different.
It is clear that this vote was not about consistency with the Town Ordinances, the Land Use Plan and potentially Tennessee case law. It highlights the inequitable ways in which the Town applies these rules and guidance documents based on their personal preferences.
During the recent Hy-Vee discussion, the Town argued against the expansion of the commercial property as it would abut an open green space and with a residential neighborhood beyond that.
Yet, regarding this parcel, the desire is to place low-density residential directly behind (a) grocery store with a open green space in between. The hypocrisy is palpable.
Michael Wilson, Farragut
