Lindsey seeks accountability over neighboring construction
Andover subdivision resident Gillian Lindsey continues to seek accountability from the Town regarding drainage and construction issues involving a neighboring property.
She approached the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission during the citizen comments portion of its Thursday, Aug. 20, meeting and asked what is being done regarding the property adjacent to hers.
In earlier interviews, Herbert and Gillian Lindsey said they repeatedly questioned the Town’s codes department about neighboring construction they said caused drainage issues on their property.
They said changes to the grading and drainage of the neighboring property increased runoff onto their land, leaving them facing thousands of dollars in engineering costs and concerned their home is more vulnerable to flooding.
Recently, Gillian Lindsey said she learned the neighbor was living in the residence even though she believed the property did not have a certificate of occupancy.
“And occupancy of a property that has not gotten a certificate of occupancy … what warrants and what policy does the Town use to grant to overlook somebody occupying a property?” she asked.
However, Community Development Director Mark Shipley said the property owner has a temporary certificate of occupancy.
“The owner has a temporary CO and is legally able to occupy the house,” Shipley said.
Regarding the situation, he told the Commission, “Those are things I’d have to get an answer to because I don’t have the status of those.
“You know, we’ve been working on this matter for a while, and the property owner has done a lot of things, as far as the drainage easement,” Shipley said. “I don’t know what the status of that currently is. I think he has a temporary certificate of occupancy right now, which would allow him to occupy the residence.
“So, it’s more of a drainage issue that’s the concern that’s been raised,” he said. “But my understanding is he does have a temporary certificate of occupancy until he gets the drainage rectified to the satisfaction of the Town engineer and his department.”
Lindsey said she previously received different information from the Town.
“When I reached out to the Town of Farragut, I was confirmed that they were not going to give any certificate of occupancy, which I have documented in the email to that individual until they satisfy the requirements of the Town of Farragut,” she said.
“When the Town of Farragut violates its own rules, how are they held accountable?
“Rules are made to be enforced, and they’re supposed to be applied to everyone,” Lindsey said. “People in leadership roles, are they supposed to apply rules equally or selectively?
“As a resident of the Town of Farragut for the past 20-plus years, I’ve had a problem
that has generated in the last year and a half,” she said. “And, the Town of Farragut has been violating their own rules, and I have everything documented."
