News
March 15, 2023 by Alan Sloan
Threat of a lawsuit, which followed a 3-2 vote by Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen against a zoning change that would have allowed construction of a three-story Harmony at Farragut senior living center on 10 acres behind Ingles in Farragut, came from the property owner whose vision to bring Harmony to Town was shot down.
“What this is going to do Mayor (Ron Williams) is we have to have a lawsuit … to resolve it in court,” said owner/developer Doug Horne (also owner of Republic Newspapers, Inc., parent company of farragutpress), just moments after the vote, coming after lengthy discussion highlighting the Thursday evening, March 9, BOMA meeting in an almost full Town Hall boardroom.
Williams, Vice Mayor Louise Povlin and North Ward Alderman Scott Meyer shot down the proposed zoning change, and the development, by voting no, while South Ward Aldermen Drew Burnette and David White voted in favor.
“You all are totally unfair and unethical about this,” Horne said to the three voting no.
The proposal was to go from Office (O-1), General Single-Family Residential (R-2) and Rural Single-Family Residential (R-1) zoning to Community Service (S-1) zoning, which would have allowed construction of the development.
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March 15, 2023 by Alan Sloan
Fifteen citizens spoke, both for and against, a rezoning proposal — from Office (O-1), General Single-Family Residential (R-2) and Rural Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Community Service (S-1) — for 10 acres behind Ingles for a three-story Harmony at Farragut senior living facility. This came during a Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday evening, March 9, in an almost full Town Hall boardroom.
(The following pro re-zoning speakers are listed in order of appearance)
• James Ferrell, a U.S. Navy veteran and a Baldwin Park resident, spoke glowingly of Doug Horne, owner of the 10 acres who is a proponent of the zoning change/new development (also owner of Republic Newspapers, Inc., parent company of farragutpress). “Mr. Horne is a good man; he’s a good, patriotic American,” Ferrrell said. “ … I’m all for” Horne bringing Harmony at Farragut to the property in question.
• Michael Wilson of Farragut. also favoring the development/zoning change, said he wanted “to address the consistency of this proposal with our Town ordinances, plans and past Town decisions.
“Many equate this proposal to high-density residential,” he added. “… This district also is intended as a transitional district by providing for low-impact quasi institutional/residential uses that have minimal traffic demands.
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March 15, 2023 by
Fifteen citizens spoke, both for and against, a rezoning proposal — from Office (O-1), General Single-Family Residential (R-2) and Rural Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Community Service (S-1) — for 10 acres behind Ingles for a three-story Harmony at Farragut senior living facility. This came during a Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday evening, March 9, in an almost full Town Hall boardroom.
(The following anti re-zoning speakers are listed in order of appearance)
• George Cooper of Farragut said he also attended the recent Farragut Municipal Planning Commission meeting, where Commissioners voted 6-3 in favor of recommending the rezoning to BOMA.
But Cooper said this three-story facility “would set a precedent” negatively affecting the Town. “This was the only area that was not updated, inexplicably, in the Land Use Plan to address community input. … At this point, there is no objective, factual basis for approving this rezoning request.”
• Although “not directly impacted by this request,” Diane Hall of Farragut said such developments make it harder “for families to move to Farragut and build homes. Our Town has fewer and fewer undeveloped parcels of land.
“… It makes perfect sense that the folks who bought homes in (Baldwin Park, about 430 feet north of the proposed development) felt confident that they would part of a much larger community,” she added.
Hall also said a Harmony official who spoke during the FMPC meeting “failed to present any factual data showing the immediate need for this in Farragut. She also failed to show why this is the best location for the facility.”
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March 15, 2023 by Alan Sloan
The following is commentary from Farragut Mayor Ron Williams, who voted against allowing 10 acres of property behind Ingles to be re-zoned from Office (O-1), General Single-Family Residential (R-2) and Rural Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Community Service (S-1).
The vote was decisive in a 3-2 Board of Mayor and Aldermen vote against re-zoning, during BOMA’s Thursday, March 9 meeting in Town Hall boardroom, which denied developer Doug Horne (owner of Republic Newspapers, LLC, parent company of farragutpress) to build a three-story Harmony at Farragut senior living community.
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March 15, 2023 by Alan Sloan
The following are comments from the two Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen who voted in favor of allowing 10 acres of property behind Ingles to be re-zoned from Office (O-1), General Single-Family Residential (R-2) and Rural Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Community Service (S-1).
Re-zoning would allow developer Doug Horne (owner of Republic Newspapers, Inc., parent company of farragutpress) to build a three-story Harmony at Farragut senior living community. (See related stories beginning on page 1A)
The comments of those voting in favor are listed in the order in which they were called upon to comment by Mayor Ron Williams:
• Alderman David White: “Yes, I am in favor of this facility for several reasons: and mostly, it is the senior population. I’ve voted — (though) I’ve been here (as an alderman) a short time — on millions of dollars for ballparks, for soccer field, to re-do soccer fields, walking trails — everything for middle-aged people or for people who have good health.
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March 15, 2023 by Michelle Hollenhead
For the second year in a row, Farragut’s Education Relations Committee is looking to show their appreciation for Town school teachers and staff.
The committee, which met Monday, March 6, in Town Hall, will be giving goodie bags to every teacher and support staff member in Farragut Primary, Intermediate, Middle and High schools, along with Concord Christian School, Knoxville Christian School and St. John Neumann Catholic School.
Anyone in the community who would like to contribute is asked to donate items that would fit in a regular-sized sandwich baggie.
“This could include candy, individual sized peanut butter crackers, gum or small bags of treats,” ERC committee member Mary Cook said.
Items may be dropped off at either Town Hall or Farragut Community Center by Friday, March 31. They will then be assembled by ERC members during its regular April 3 meeting in preparation for the April 4 distribution.
March 15, 2023 by
Though farragutpress requested Knox County Sheriff’s Office incident reports, none were received by deadline at 10 a.m., Tuesday morning, March 14. We regret this ommision and will try to have them for our March 22 issue.
March 15, 2023 by
• Curtis Glover is among the team of Tennessee artists who painted murals in the new Condado Tacos for its April 16 opening in Turkey Creek. His name was misspelled in an article in the Business section on Page 3A of the Wednesday, March 8. We regret the error.
• Southeastern Fertility, 11126 Kingston Pike, is expanding with a proposed new medical building on a 1.69-acre vacant lot in Town. The name of the business was incorrect in an story in the Business section in our March 8 issue.
We regret the error.
