Projects cut — Turkey Creek, Sonja Drive — in 3-2 BOMA vote
One of the priorities in the Town of Farragut’s Strategic Plan faced criticism from aldermen and residents during Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday, Feb. 27.
The critical success factor priority, “connecting our community with excellent parks, greenways, trails, sidewalks and recreational programs” came under fire because it included two projects — the Turkey Creek Road “Multimodal Improvements” and Sonja Drive/Admiral Road “Multi-Modal Improvements.”
Those two projects from the plan were cut when the Board approved the strategic plan in a 3-2 vote.
While Aldermen David White, Alex Cain and Vice Mayor Scott Meyer voted to adopt the strategic plan minus the two projects, Mayor Ron Williams and Aldermen Drew Burnette voted against the cuts.
“The irony that we’re under — ‘connecting our community with excellent parks, greenways, trails and sidewalks’ — and we want to take out greenway projects,” Burnette said. “It’s still a top priority of everyone in the Town … that still want what the residents want for our community.”
“I don’t think we need to take all the wording out,” Williams said.
However, “I think we need to remove (the two projects) at least temporarily, especially the Turkey Creek one, considering we have a pending lawsuit in one of the projects,” Cain said. “We need more discussion … I’d love to get more feedback before we move forward on it … we don’t know what the outcome of that lawsuit’s going to be.”
Removing the projects from the strategic plan does not affect the budget, as the projects are still in the draft project that has yet to be approved in June, the mayor and Town administrator David Smoak explained.
“We’re still developing the budget,” Williams added.
Regarding The Sonja Drive/Admiral Road project, Cain said there were residents who did not want the roads widened.
According to a draft budget document, the project is estimated at $1,375,000, which is placed in the 2026 budget.
“This project is construction of a 5-foot concrete sidewalk along Sonja Drive from Admiral Road to Oran Road,” the document stated. “The approximately 2,900 feet of new sidewalk will provide a safe pedestrian path for the families and students within Stonecrest to access the Farragut public schools.
Farragut Municipal Planning Commissioner Louise Povlin, formerly vice mayor and proponent of the project, reminded the Board Stonecrest subdivision and the roads are in the Parent Responsibility Zone. “It’s a safety issue,” she said.
The Turkey Creek project is estimated to cost $2.5 million with $500 for land acquisition in the 2026 budget and $2 million for construction in the 2027 budget.
According to the budget draft, “this project is an extension of the existing Turkey Creek greenway from its current terminus at the western side of Brixworth Subdivision to the bridge over Little Turkey Creek near Virtue Road.
“The project will likely include curb and gutter and additional width (about 3 feet) to Turkey Creek Road,” the document stated. “This project will provide a necessary connection to the Little Turkey Creek Greenway at Sheffield subdivision and eventually to a greenway extension along Virtue Road from the bridge over Little Turkey Creek to Boyd Station Road.”
However, Cain warned of a pending lawsuit brought forth by some residents along Turkey Creek Road, who previously said the Town would be taking their front yards.
Along with the greenway and road expansion project along Turkey Creek, the 2026 draft budget also includes a project to improve Virtue and Boyd Station roads.
“I have the same issue that we have over on Turkey Creek Road in that the way the preliminary plans are drawn, the greenway would be coming (700 to 1,500 feet) in on my property,” property owner Steve Williams said as he objected to the project. “You’re going to have the same lawsuit in effect that you currently have on Turkey Creek Road.
“So I would like to either sit down with the Town and resolve it, which to me doesn’t seem to be — I’ve been pushed off every time,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but you can’t put the greenway on my property by state law.
“Therefore, we’ll have to file suit, which will waste my money and your money — the Town’s money,” Steve Williams warned. “It makes no sense. It makes sense to sit down and work it out. It’s not that hard
“I have a red barn down there — it’s an historic barn — and the way (the preliminary plans are) drawn now, the barn would have to be torn down,” he added. “I’d hate to see this get too far down the road to where we end up in a lawsuit.
In addition, “I’m asking, let’s pull (the project) off the strategic plan; let’s work it out; be neighbors,” Steve Williams said. “That’s where design comes in. We haven’t gotten there yet.”
“No one’s reached out to me,” he added.
“We’re not to that point yet,” Mayor Williams replied.
Smoak said the Virtue Road project is not included on the strategic plan.
White then asked Steve Williams to leave the podium.
