Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
On October 16th this month the Farragut Planning Commission has on the agenda item 4) B) Action Items: Discussion and public hearing on a resolution, Resolution PC-25-05, to amend the Farragut Municipal Code, Appendix B - Subdivisions, Article III., Subsection A. Streets, 1., to provide for context sensitive street cross section requirements, as Illustrated in a new appendix to the Subdivision Regulations, referenced as Appendix F, in lieu of existing requirements in the Subdivision Regulations (Town of Farragut, Applicant). Good luck if you understand that agenda item. I don’t see this as ethical. The agenda item is not descriptive of the full intent of what the town is doing. A new “Appendix F” is not even readily available for viewing by the public prior to the October 16th meeting. And the State of Tennessee requires by law that agenda items must be understood by the average person.
After going back to the first time this was introduced for discussion in the Farragut Planning Commission Meeting April 17th of this year, I learned of the town’s attempt to take the front yards of many Farragut residents for eight-foot asphalt greenways with six-foot grass strips for a total taking of 14 feet of their property, much of which would require the taking by eminent domain. The following roads that were to be included: Evans Road, Red Mill Lane, Allen Kirby Road, Boring Road, North Campbell Station Road, and Herron Road.
On several occasions in both the Mayor and Aldermen meetings and in the Planning Commission meetings town officials have said wider roads result in more speeding and that 10’ wide roads are acceptable. I agree with these statements. I live on Evans Road, and our road is fine. We want it left alone. More road width means more speeding. But if a road is “widened” it allows the town to install greenways. So the town’s motive for greenways stays the same in spite of their changing the project language.
The town of Farragut is in a lawsuit with residents of Turkey Creek Road for these very reasons. The town first named the project along Turkey Creek Road as the “Turkey Creek Road Greenway”. After the lawsuit was filed the town altered the town budget and renamed the project the “Turkey Creek Road Multi-Modal Road Project” and added on foot of pavement on the road in order to classify the project as “road widening”. Funny thing is that in 2022 the town notified Evans Road residents that they wanted to acquire easements from the property owners in order to specifically build a greenway. No mention was made of road widening then, but it is obviously their go-to language now.
In my opinion the town should stop trying to take residents land until the existing greenway lawsuit is adjudicated. The town should be honest with their agenda items and tell the complete story instead of passing incremental changes that they hope will inevitably lead to their goal. And the town should always notify any citizen whose land may be taken by eminent domain sooner rather than later.
My neighbors and I who live on Evans Road do not want our road widened nor do we want a greenway forced on us. For years we have fought this greenway taking and will continue to make our wishes heard. But I hope that other residents in our fine community will realize that what is happening to us will eventually happen to you.
Sincerely,
Greg Wiberley
Farragut Resident Since 1986
