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presstalk 671-TALK
- Thu, Jul, 14, 2011
• So our distinguished Mayor and his merry band of Aldermen is upset that a 2002 law requires Farragut to replace old signs with upgraded street signs before 2018, a period of 16 years. Imagine the nerve of the Feds. Their aim, according to McGill, is for us to “see signs when it’s dark outside.” The horror! Why would anyone be out at night in Farragut? What’s next: seatbelts and airbags in cars? But don’t worry, concerned fellow citizens, our illustrious Board will avoid replacing signs by spending $500,000 of our tax dollars on decorative lights on Campbell Station Road. We can all sleep easier knowing that this Board won’t be hoodwinked by the Feds into spending money to make our roads safer.
• What a pleasant visit I had to the Farragut Post Office this morning, Saturday, July 9. Two ladies were there. They were so pleasant, so helpful. I had never seen them before, and if they work there now, I will go back. I have been going to the Post Office in another county when I visit my mother. The Post Office needs to serve people the way these two ladies did, and I complimented them on it. Thank you.
• From the [presstalks] in the paper last week about the illegals being here putting on roofing and not speaking English: let’s do remember that the immigrants that came, back in the 1800s, that came through Ellis Island, they learned how to speak English because then, we didn’t have a phone service that when you called one of those services, it’s always “If you want to talk in Spanish, push this number.” We are the reason why they don’t learn to speak English, because why should they, when we make it so easy for them to keep speaking in Spanish? Something needs to be done about this, but what can I say?
• There is a new business on Kingston Pike in Farragut with signage that does not fit into the Farragut rules of signs. It’s a terribly ugly sign and there’s two [sic] — it’s double signage because it’s on the building and it’s at the street. And I believe that goes against Farragut rules. The sign is all bright, lit and it’s multicolored and it just doesn’t fit in with anything else in the surrounding vicinity. It’s an eyesore. It’s a tire and lube place, or a lube express place, and I’m not going to use its name, but everyone who drives by is going to know what it is.
Editor’s Note: Although there are restrictions, Farragut’s sign ordinance allows multicolored wall signs, allows signs to be lit and allows one business to have both a wall and road sign. Farragut Municipal Planning Commission approves signs for new businesses as part of that business’s site plans.
• Regarding garage sales: a lot of areas allow two garage sales per address per year. Prior to the sale, you get a garage sale permit for $5. You’re allowed to put up garage sale signs but must take them down 24 hours after your garage sale is over or be fined $25. Farragut could profit by this, manage the garage sales, and rather than paying the Town employees to yank down the garage sale signs before the sale begins, have them checking to be sure that whatever address has a garage sale in progress has purchased their $5 permit. This isn’t difficult to do, because for the most part you can check the local newspaper ads and compare those addresses for garage sales to the permits purchased. The fine for having a garage sale without a permit is $50 in other areas. And this works. The outdated signs are a thing of the past; you don’t have gaudy garage sale signs up that happened two weeks ago, and no one is running a business out of their garage. It goes back to the original premise of “I’m getting rid of some stuff I don’t need; you’re picking up some stuff you’d like to have cheaply.”
• Via presstalk@farragutpress.com: I am distressed and disappointed about the 99-condo development planned for the land near Anchor Park. Turkey Creek Road and Farragut schools are already quite crowded. Someone commented in farragutpress that this was “an ideal location” for such a development, but I don’t think that residents of Brixworth, Sailview, Inverness and other subdivisions off of Turkey Creek Road would agree. The landowners should certainly be allowed to try to develop their land, but I’d like the Town to consider permitting single-family homes more like those already in the area. Fifteen to 20 houses would be much preferred over a 99-condo development.
• Via e-mail: Thanks folks for the Red, White & Blues festival. Like last year, it was a blast. However, you should consider starting and ending later when the heat has subsided a bit. Nevertheless, it was a great event with great food and especially great music. We attended the parade the next day and were disappointed at how boring it was. It was like a business parade with a bunch of politicians — boring. Come on Town, get some music, some floats, something. Watching a bunch of business people and politicians waving doesn’t say Independence Day. Probably won’t do that again. The Gatlinburg parade looks more inviting.
• Via e-mail: I shop at the wine store next to the old Kroger and I use the center as a shortcut from my house to the new Kroger. I wonder every time I go through there why the Town allows [the owner] to get by with not keeping up their vacated building and parking lot. The trees are dying, weeds are growing very high, windows have brown paper hanging down with strips of tape exposed. It is just ugly, unkempt and a total eyesore. The Town should do something about the upkeep of abandoned buildings.
• Via e-mail: In reference to the KTrans parking lot at Campbell Station [Road]. If all the parking places are not being used for KTrans, then why is the town paying an additional $14,000 to have more spaces? Why not just use the number of spaces that the town can provide without paying any more money? It just does not seem to make sense to pay extra money for something that is not truly needed.
• Via e-mail: Great Red, White & Blues event! It is so nice that Farragut has started doing community activities like
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