Four Pecos Road residents heard seeking to kill Ivey Farm connector

Four Pecos Road residents voiced their objections to the connection between Pecos Road and the Ivey Farms development in e-mails for Farragut Municipal Planning Commission’s Citizens’ Forum portion of its Sept. 17 meeting.

“It was my understanding that no traffic would be diverted through Saddle Ridge (subdivision) while Union Road is under construction, as we all know that Pecos Road is not equipped to handle additional traffic from a safety standpoint (no sidewalks and longer straightaway),” Joyce Sayers stated. “I would ask that both the Town of Farragut and Goodall Homes be good neighbors and respect the residents of Saddle Ridge by keeping the connection closed until such time when the Union Road construction is completed.”

While Chariti Skinner thanked the Town for correcting the flooding issues on Pecos Road from the Ivey Farms construction, Sayers also opposed the connection, stating, “My main concern is safety.

“Due to the fact that our neighborhood was built in the late ’80s and early ’90s, we do not have sidewalks or traffic-calming measures of any kind,” she added. “The impact of having a straight connection through Pecos Road to Saddle Ridge drive, along with the heavy pedestrian traffic, will undoubtedly create unnecessary safety and health risks to the residents of Saddle Ridge.”

She suggested the road be strictly for emergency vehicle use and pedestrian traffic.

Tim Sayers stated he was concerned about the height of the grading for one of the Ivey Farm lots, which abuts a Saddle Ridge subdivision lot.

“The grading of this lot contributes to the storm water runoff issues and is an eyesore due to its height,” he stated. “This lot is at least 10 feet higher than the original grading of the land prior to the Ivey Farms development.

“It will be even more of an eye sore when a two-story house is built on it.”

Jeffrey Kendall also addressed the grading of the Ivey Farms lot.

“The flooding issues at Pecos Road have finally been mitigated,” he stated. “However, residents are greatly concerned with the height of the lot adjacent to Pecos Road. It is about 20 to 25 feet high and creates a substantial runoff threat to our neighbors to the north, the Lupinis.

“We ask that the Commission ensure the Town engineer and staff re-examine the design being implemented by Goodall Homes to ensure there is no adverse impacts in the long run,” Kendall added.

Tim Sayers also questioned construction traffic on Union Road.

“The MPC and Town Staff have committed that this would not be permitted,” Sayers stated. “I am requesting that signs saying ‘No construction traffic” be posted on North Hobbs Road and/or Union Road to deter construction traffic coming off of Kingston Pike from using Union Road, and also on Union Road where the Ivey Farms development connects to Union Road.”

In other business, the FMPC voted unanimously to approve a subdivision plat correction for Lots 17-19 of Split Rail subdivision, to provide for the side property lines to be shifted

“Apparently, when construction started on Lot 17, it was found that about 1 foot of the driveway was on Lot 18,” Shipley said.

Cut out

• To recommend the Board approve the proposed rezoning of 2.485 acres of property, known as the Gibson farm, at 1013 McFee Road from Agricultural to Open Space Residential Overlay (R-1/OSR). Last June, the applicants asked for the property be rezoned to Mixed Residential Overlay (R-1/OSMR), which would have allowed attached dwellings, but was met with objections from neighboring residents and Planning Commissioners, who stated they preferred detached dwellings. The applicants since resubmitted their original request to only have detached dwellings.

• To approve a preliminary plat for a proposed Phase II Brookmere Subdivision along Virtue Road, which involves 52 lots on 87.34 acres zoned R-1/OSR. “In terms of a preliminary plat, this is Phase 2 and will complete the development of this subdivision infrastructure,” Shipley said. Phase 1 of the project was approved on March 15, 2018, and included 90 lots. Phase 2 also will provide a secondary access street connecting Brookmere to West Kingsgate Road. FMPC also voted unanimously to lower the speed to 25 miles per hour at the intersections and at Reverence Run Road.

To approve a preliminary plat for a proposed Goin property subdivision, which involves 11 lots on 7.09 acres zoned R-1, but a proposed R-2 rezoning request is pending. The property is situated between Phase 3 of Inverness subdivision and Turkey Creek Road.