Letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
Farragut voters will soon decide whether they want to maintain a small town atmosphere or continue to push for more urbanization. Farragut voters will elect a new Mayor and one Alderman in both the North Ward (above Kingston Pike) and the South Ward (below Kingston Pike). Early voting will run from July 17 through August 1 and the final Election Day is August 6. Voters should ask the candidates which direction they want the town to go.
Town of Farragut was chartered in 1980 with the vision of preserving small town character with a priority for low-density housing and a limit of two-story building height. In recent years, elected officials have taken a different direction, approving zoning variances to allow massive four-story apartment complexes in what are now Anchor
934 apartments at Biddle Farms and Farragut Junction apartments at S. Watt Rd. Ask yourself whether those projects are consistent with small town living.
The new development has its roots in the New Urbanism design concept. New Urbanism operates on the premise that standard single family home subdivisions have an excessive “carbon” footprint. It calls for high-density development with the hope that more people will travel on foot or bicycle and reduce the use of cars for transportation. How many people think it is suitable to cross congested roads like Kingston Pike, Campbell Station Road or Parkside Drive by foot or bicycle while carrying groceries or retail goods?
Get to know the candidates for Mayor and Aldermen and ask them if they want to preserve Farragut’s small town heritage or move toward further urbanization. You get to decide the town’s future by the choices you make. People who don’t vote are allowing others to decide for them. Let’s get a record turnout for Farragut elections in July and August!
~ John Steinberger, Knoxville
