Around 145 sound off about Town in many ways
Farragut residents turned out, 145 strong, to the Town’s two public meetings about the Mixed Use Town Center in Farragut Community Center Thursday, Aug. 31, to learn more about the “downtown” Town Center area and have their say in how it would be developed, while sounding off on other Town projects and needs.
“I’m fighting … fighting for my Town,” Elaine Jackson, vice president of Sweetbriar subdivision, said about why she attended, explaining she is concerned about the current traffic, especially when Interstate 40/75 backs up.
“We can’t just keep putting buildings out there … I don’t think the Town of Farragut is thinking this through,” Jackson said.
Still, she added, “I love the fact that they came out and did this (meeting) for us and they are allowing us to voice our opinion.”
“We think this public meeting is very helpful,” Karen Johnson said. “It helps to visualize ideas for the MUTC, especially transportation.”
She would like to see Jamestowne Boulevard extended with a traffic light and a road across it, closing the entrance to Kohl’s.
Seventy-two people signed up for the 11:30 a.m. meeting and 73 signed up for the 5:30 p.m. meeting that day, according to Farragut Community Development director Mark Shipley.
At several times in the meeting, residents lined up in front of maps set up along the walls to place dots indicating their preferences regarding a number of questions. “I think both meetings went very well,” he observed. “There was a mix of ages, but mostly leaning toward middle age and older.”
Shipley said the consultants are still analyzing all of the input and will be providing some overview to help guide their upcoming recommendations.
“There was a lot of input received and a lot to analyze,” he added.
“As most of you know, the Town is relatively young,” Shipley said. “We were founded in 1980 without the benefit of having a traditional downtown, so that desire to develop a town center has historically been conveyed to us by the citizens as something they desire.”
Now, he said the Town is reaching out to residents to see if that interest in having a downtown is still there.
“You have a lot here,” said Bert Kuyrkendall, partner/engineer with OPD, a planning design firm. He pointed out, along with Town Hall and Campbell Station Inn, there is agricultural land, offices, residential and retail.
“You do have a lot of great community resources in the Town Center area,” Kuyrkendal said.
Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen completed a comprehensive plan in 2010 to create an idea for a town center.
Residents were asked to respond to questions via a website about what they wanted.
They responded safer conditions for children and teens regarding walkability, more walkable spaces, open space, art and flexible entertainment venues and for utilities to be placed underground among others. While some wanted more restaurants, others said there were enough.
