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Working out Echo Suites’ Outlet plans

October 9, 2024 by Tammy Cheek

Cox Universal Group, one of the two developers planning to build a hotel along Outlet Drive, got feedback on its site plan for Echo Suites Hotel from the Town of Farragut during a Staff/Planners meeting Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Cox Universal Group developers expect to build on Parcel 154.02, a 3.1-acre lot just west of Cotton-Eyed Joe. A the Oct. 1 meeting, they went over Town staff’s comments regarding its site plan, among which were questions about drainage and a sidewalk.

“All the shaded area (of the lot) is permeable pavers (that allows water to seep through the surface and into the ground instead of flowing into storm drains), which can satisfy the low-impact development requirement,” Town Community Development director Mark Shipley said. “They also have to have stormwater detention to meet our stormwater ordinance.

“They can use the permeable pavers toward that as well,” he added.

However, Grant Berry, engineering manager with SITE, Incorporated, and Philip Cox, CEO and co-founder of Cox Universal Group, questioned the need for more detention.

“Why do we need stormwater detention?” Berry asked. “It’s 99 percent paved as it is, and we’re actually going to be putting less (pavement) in areas than what’s there now.”

Cox said his company already is planning on improving the property.

Berry added, in City of Knoxville, 96 (percent) is its ruling.

Cain-‘Kane’ a Town-County water relief tandem

October 9, 2024 by Alan Sloan

From Alex Cain, new Town of Farragut Alderman representing the North Ward, to Knox County Mayor Glenn “Kane” Jacobs — with help from Town officials — Farragut and the county each contributed big-time with water bottle drives to help Hurricane Helene victims in Upper East Tennessee late last week.

While Jacobs helped lead the county’s effort in a Knoxville-based water drive Saturday, Oct. 5, from the Town side of things came a water donation drive spearheaded by Cain and Town administrator David Smoak — along with help from several Town employees and at least one local business — in the parking lot of Faith Promise Church, West End Avenue, from early morning to early afternoon, Friday, Oct. 4.

The result, according to Cain, was roughly 12,000 cases (each case having from 40 to 48 bottles ranging from 16 to 20 ounces) collected, which was “two full dump trucks plus a Town of Farragut pick-up truck equivalent of water collected today. … And that doesn’t count three extra vans full” from Protech Automotive Solutions/Caliber Collision.

As for what prompted the Town’s response, “Monday, (a local radio station) and The Sports Animal (radio), they were doing a supply drive at their radio station, and they had a company bring them a semi-truck trailer, and their goal was to fill the trailer,” Cain said.

KCSO reports

October 9, 2024 by

• At 12:33 p.m., Monday, Oct. 7, a complainant/victim called Knox County Sheriff’s Office East Precinct to make an identity theft report. Victim “said she received a bill from Comenity Bank stating she owed over $400 from a credit card that had been taken out in her name,” the report stated. Victim said the card “had one purchase on it for $80, but had acquired late fees and interest, adding up to $400. ...Victim did not have any suspect information.”