Image Credit: Save East Knox County
Tennessee Conservative News [By David Seal] –
Chris Howard and several of his neighbors have organized a citizen action group titled Save East Knox County. The group is reacting to development that is outstripping roads and other infrastructure.
For example, Brakebill Road is one such artery that has massive development that organizers cite as a safety issue. The road is a popular crossover path between the Strawberry Plains Pike Exit on I-40 and Neal’s Landing on Asheville Highway. The development on Brakebill Road is believed to require an estimated 3300 vehicles per day along the 2-mile stretch.
Residents aligned with Save East Knox County are trying to get more citizens involved with policy making in their community. Signs are posted throughout the community; a Facebook Page has been established; a website is used by the group to provide critical data and announce public meetings related to zoning; and efforts are under way to get residents motivated to attend Knox County Planning Commission meetings.
“The Knox County Planning Commission is an advisory board comprised of 15 community members. Of these fifteen, 7 are appointed by the City Mayor and 8 are appointed by the County Mayor. These volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and represent a broad spectrum of community interests and concerns. They serve staggered four-year terms without compensation and may be re-appointed.”
One criticism offered by Save East Knox County is their assertion that many members of the planning commission are beneficiaries of housing and commercial development. As a matter of record, several members of the planning commission are in the real estate, property management, banking, or related industries.
Howard, one of the founding members of Save East Knox County, is not trying to stop all development in East Knox County. He and others just want to see development carried out in a responsible manner, have infrastructure keep up with demand, and have elected officials to listen to the concerns of citizens.
The group has identified certain areas in which rezoning should be opposed. They want appropriate zoning that suits the community. A heading from one of their petitions to Knox County Commission states as follows.
“We are asking that the rezoning of 0 Strawberry Plains Pike, Knoxville, TN 37924, near Carter Elementary and McCubbins Road, under Rezoning 7-F-26-RZ, be denied. This land is currently zoned RC (Rural Conservation) and HP (Hillside Ridgetop Protection), and changing it to PR (Planned Residential) would invite development that does not fit the site or the needs of our community. The proposal for 68 new houses would place dense residential development around a historic cemetery on steep hillside land with two creeks and a 150-foot TVA easement running through the middle of the property. This is not a good location for that kind of buildout. The terrain, water features, and protected hillside conditions make this property especially sensitive, and pushing development here would risk damaging the character and stability of the area.”
A link to the petition is provided here.
Howard stated “opinions vary within the group. There’s gonna be a lot of people that will say no and shut the door on any development, but that’s not realistic. So we just gotta find a solution that is right for the community and we have got to make sure we do it right. We are starting to see some development that will impact the rest of our lives.”
One of the suggestions made by the group is that developers should be required to meet with the community in which development is proposed and engage stakeholders before submitting plans to the planning commission and county commission.
The Tennessee Conservative News (TCN) would like to thank Chris Howard for providing an exclusive interview for this news report. TCN will follow this issue and provide follow-up reports as information becomes available and as Knox County Government takes action on rezoning.
About the Author: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, 917 Society Volunteer, and past Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a citizen lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level. David is also a 2024 winner of The Tennessee Conservative Flame Award & has received an accolade from the Institute For Justice for successfully lobbing the TN legislature to protect property rights. David can be reached at david@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Pray they succeed.