Image Credit: drakescreekroundabout.com
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Residents of the Durham Farms neighborhood in Hendersonville are pushing back against the city government which is aiming to install a large roundabout at the development’s entrance, even launching a website describing their concerns and oppositions in great detail.
The group of neighbors make clear they are not in opposition to a roundabout itself but are instead advocating for a redesign as they disagree with the current plans’ large footprint, extensive use of dual lanes, lack of consideration for the floodplain impact, and the need for private property acquisition.
They also cite a lack of a traffic flow study and the opaqueness of the Hendersonville city government in acquiring the funds for the project.
According to the site, plans for a roundabout were originally proposed by the developer in 2018 who then agreed to contribute over $650,000 to the project in 2019. But in 2023, without resident input, the plans were shifted from a private development obligation to a public project eligible for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, federal funds designed to aid in COVID-19 recovery efforts and generally utilized for purposes like providing premium pay for essential workers and maintaining government services.
The residents raise questions about how a private development enhancement would qualify for the use of such funds, why these funds are still available so many years after the COVID “emergency” has passed, and when and why the shift to using ARPA funds was made, especially without properly informing the community as required by Tennessee’s Open Meetings Law.
Choosing to be proactive, the community is doing more than just expressing concern, offering the practical alternative suggestion of traffic cushions as a proven and less disruptive option to a roundabout.
One resident has even spoken with the media to discuss some residents’ unhappiness with the threat of eminent domain, which has never been done in the history of Hendersonville according to Mayor Jamie Clary.
As a result of this citizen movement, the project has been paused but not fully rescinded.
The organizers of this opposition encourage Durham Farms residents to attend upcoming city and county meetings to hold their government accountable, especially regarding their potential misuse of funds, and demand the transparency they are due.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
