Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Just because you can doesn't mean you should!

Another very interesting Planning Commission work session, so I will run down the highlights for you all.

* Item #4 Consider re-zoning the Brewer property located at the corner of Port Royal Road and Duplex Road. This is an 86.40 tract with 54.4 acres in Maury County on Tax Map 28, parcel 6 and 32 acres in Williamson County on Tax Map 167, parcel 21. The owners is requesting that 11.5 acres be rezoned from AG (agricultural district) to B-4 (Central Business District) and the remaining 74.90 acres be rezoned from AG to R-4 Residential District (High Density).

For those of you that do not already know this, the corners of the street that are on the Wyngate Estates side of the street are already zoned commercial. At some point 3 of the 4 corners are going to be some sort of neighborhood commercial. This is the first development to come through the planning commission, and I believe that it has a good chance to set the tone for all of the other developments in the area. It is developed by GBT Realty. They also have done a few other fairly high quality developments in the area, one of them being the Target development on I-31 and Mack Hatcher Parkway. Debate amongst yourselves, but I think that this might be a pretty good thing.

* Item #5 Consider rezoning 2.4 acres located on Buckner Lane from R-2 Residential District (Medium Density) PUD to B-3 (Intermediate Business District). This property is found on Tax Map 166, Parcel 1 in Williamson County. This property is owned by Donnie Cameron.

Some of the most vocal debate of the night! A petition was presented, and citizens came out in force, some even lecturing Donnie Cameron on the second row. It seems to me like there is another shoe that is about to drop on this one. While Mr. Cameron states that he only wants a sub stop and dry cleaners in this “Strip mall,” I can’t get by my feeling that there might be something else in mind. Is it really worth ticking off the surrounding community for a dry cleaner and a sub stop? How far is this site from sub stop, dry cleaning, and pizza central….2 minutes? Very fun debate and it will be interesting to see how the BOMA rules on this one. I have a feeling that the Planning Commission could vote it down, and the BOMA will save it in the end. If you are truly concerned about this, now is the time to light up some phones, attend meetings, and send some email.

* Consider Goodwill Retail Store (site plan). This is a 2.50 acre tract, lot 20 of the Campbell Station Development. This is a 23,794 square foot building.

A few concerns from the Commission, and it looks like there could be a vote to defer this item for a month until a few items are addressed. Overall this looks like a pretty nice building. The one concern from the community seems to be that this will also be a training facility. I don’t know exactly how I feel about this, but after seeing the plans, my concerns have been eased a little bit.

* Consider Port Royal Mini-Storage (Preliminary Plat). This is a 3.25 acre tract with 10 one story buildings and one 3 story building.

Why!? I don’t understand this one. If you were going to build a mini storage that backs up directly with a neighborhood, what would be your building material of choice? I don’t know about you, but I think I would pick metal siding and a chain link fence? Huh? If this is not upgraded in a hurry, it will go down in a blazing fireball by the Planning Commission. And if you were going to build a 3 story climate controlled building that is along the front of the property and Port Royal RD, would you show a large brick box with absolutely no detail or windows?

I don’t understand, and I guess I never will. Some of the developers need to take a little more pride in those things that they choose to develop. Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should. Give me a break!

* Consider Red Top Commercial (Preliminary Plat). This is a 66.822 square foot office retail space with 31,000 square foot of storage buildings.

A few concerns about this one, but overall it seems that most of the Commission’s concerns were addressed. I would assume that this will pass with a few minor adjustments. The cemetery behind this property will have a separate access road and will not have to be accessed through the development.

* Consider Harvest Valley Subdivision (Preliminary Plat). This is a 64 lot, 20.04 acre development located on Denning road.

Absurd. Nothing like putting 64 lots on 20 acres in the middle of a historic neighborhood that only consists of about 10 houses. The citizens came out in force, with a petition, while sitting through a long meeting to stand up in opposition to this one. I wonder if this would have ever happened had that Historic Commission passed a few months ago? Homework:
Before I go into this issue in any more depth, I challenge all of you to go visit a certain historic site on Denning Ln. and tell me if you think that a 64 lot development will fit in with this area. The first one to answer back with a picture and an opinion will win a cookie at the next BOMA meeting.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Goodwill store and training center will bring more crime to this area. It will have the most activity while everyone is at work and all our homes are empty. And as you know, the police already mentioned before that they decrease the patrolling at these hours.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @ 19:37

I agree with your comments regarding the Goodwill store/training center. If it is going to be a training center, I would put that in an office park away from residential areas. Furthermore, I believe a Goodwill store would fit in perfect where the Marathon 2 resided. But if this does in fact pass, I am packing my bags and giving up on Spring Hill. It is just one more thing stating we do not any direction/plan.

Anonymous said...

People being against a Goodwill Store due to crime is a telling sign that citizens of Spring Hill need to live in the real world. Goodwill stores don't cause crime. Criminals cause crime. It sounds like to me that Spring Hill citizens are scared of the poor. The funny thing is that I live in a 3000 sq ft home in Spring Hill, me and my wife both have degrees and we shop at Goodwill stores. I guess we are criminals because we try to save a dollar whenever we can.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous @ 13:44:

I agree completely.


Where's the common sense?

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you are educated with a fair amount of square footage---since you are a scholar with a bigger than normal house, can you explain to us the difference between appreciation and depreciation? If a city does not have a plan in place and allows whatever, wherever, in your very well educated opinion, what will happen to the value of homes in the area? Education and square footage of homes has nothing to do with shopping at Goodwill. You shop at Goodwill to save money. I invite you to drive to Berry Hill in Nashville and visit the Goodwill stores in the area. Is this what you would like Spring Hill to look like in 10-15 years?

I am not afraid of the poor (absurd comment)....I would like to think ahead of the curve where Spring Hill maintians high standards. You standards must have been high considering your education and square footage of home.

Anonymous said...

What does education and a 3000 sq ft. house have to do with anything? I doubt you really need to scrape for pennies. If you can afford to live in a 3000 sq foot house, you can afford to the gas to drive the extra few miles to a Goodwill in a location other than in Spring Hill. Have you seen the locations of the Thrift stores in Franklin...yeah...not the greatest area, but also not in a residential area. At least they are smart enought to put it in the dumpiest part of town. Spring Hill might as well bring in the Pawn Shops as well. Good luck selling your 3000sq foot house when it backs up to Goodwill, hey but at least you can get save some money on clothes. Come on Spring Hill, lets be smart!!!

Anonymous said...

Where is the people from Campbell Station on this issue? They paid tons of money for their houses, and all that is going to the trash with the Goodwill Store. I cannot imagine that someone is going to pay 300K and up for a house near this store.

Anonymous said...

This has got to be the biggest case of NIMBY I have ever seen.

Come on people, it's Goodwill for cry'n out loud!!!!!!!

Silverback said...

NIMBY

Not In My Back Yard

Anonymous said...

That's right---NOT IN MY BACKYARD!!
I don't care if it is Goodwill---we do not need a junk store right now---just visit more garage sales if you want to save a little extra cash.

Silverback said...

Someone please give me a good reason instead of NIMBY...

If this building is built to compliment the design of the area, and we all agree that the business can do good things for the community, is it really appropriate for the city to determine which specific businesses go here or there?

I have a hard time believing that everyone in Spring Hill is against this.

Anonymous said...

So according to what Silverback says, as long as the building is built to compliment the design of the area, and can do good things for the community, we can also open a couple of pawn shops and beer and cigarrettes stores. Lets put them in nice buildings, and they will generate a lot of tax revenue that will benefit the community. Never mind the crime that they will atract, because we will have more money for more poice officers. As long as everything looks good, we don't care if the prices of our houses go down, because we would not want to sell anyway, we will be happy living in this wonderful neighborhood.
Sorry for being too sarcastic, but the value and quality of life of a community is based on the people and the kind of bussines that is conducted in it.

Anonymous said...

Well, the people against Goodwill certainly sound more persuasive than the ones for it by a LONG stretch. By the way, our current mayor ran on ONE thing - a master land use plan. Anyone remember that mantra? He's had an entire year to get one. Where is it? And how does Goodwill fit into it?

Anonymous said...

Maybe people that live in these $300k + homes should poke their heads out the window and look around Spring Hill a little more. If they did they would realize that everyone does not live in a brand new 3000 square foot home and buy homes just because they will have a good resale value. There are still many low income families around the area that may benefit from a Goodwill store. Saying crime follows a Goodwill store is completely ignorant. Goodwill does not cause crime, frustrated people unable to live in the city they grew up in because developers have ruined the housing market and driven housing costs above what the average family can afford does.

Anonymous said...

I live in Campbell Station. I really don't want the GW store here and neither do my neighbors whom I've spoken with. I just think it's a done deal and we don't have a say. I'm new to city politics and I'm trying to learn. Any suggeestions?

Anonymous said...

I live in Campbell Station and I look forward to having a Goodwill Store............

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why this is such a problem for everyone. The neighborhood is already surrounded by big buildings blocking your view. You mean to tell me that looking at the back of Lowes and 7-11 is beautiful. To everyone who is complaining: It could be worse. Think of all of the millions of other choices of buildings to have there. As I'm hoping most of you have noticed, Spring Hill is building many new stores. Why get upset when the store that is put there is one that helps. Would you rather a huge department store? What does that help? Sure, you can get new fashions and new furniture, but please explain to me how that helps the community. Also as much as you are complaining about it, I know most of you have or will stop in there to see what they have. Why must so many look for the bad in things, why not look for the good. You'll notice life is much better that way.

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