KPV wall safety, appearance discussed by Shipley, others, at FMPC
While only discussed, Farragut Municipal Planning Commission provided some direction during its March 16 meeting for SITE Inc. and developers of Kingston Pike Village’s troublesome retaining wall at 13120 Royal Palm Way, located at the southwest intersection of South Watt Road and Kingston Pike near Dixie Lee Junction.
“What was ultimately approved by the Planning Commission in 2020 was a brick veneer with stone pilasters every 25 feet apart and a fence at the top of the wall for liability reasons,” said Mark Shipley, Town Community Development director. “There’s also a stairway going up the wall.”
Since the owner of the property to the south no longer wants the stairway, Commissioners also agreed the stairway was unnecessary and a hazard.
However, a SITE Inc. representative said the wall is from 20 to 40 feet tall with a 5-inch space between the nail wall and the middle of the veneer.
“.... When this wall was constructed, this design wasn’t followed,” Shipley said. “I’m not really sure what happened. The wall that was built is not flush, and there’s some variation in it, as much as 18 inches or more.
“So, trying to tie back now is a real challenge,” he added.
When the staff discovered this issue, “we did place a ‘stop work’ order on the project,” said Shipley, emphasizing “safety first. ... We met with the applicant … to figure out how we’re going to get a veneer on this.”
While trying to rectify the wall issues, three SITE Inc. options were offered, with a mixture of masonry and a composite or vinyl material, which would be similar to the multi-family buildings, ultimately chosen by FMPC.
