Again, if any of you out there are running for alderman, feel free to send in your list of objectives and I will personally place them on the website for all to see. I received an email from Ron DeFrancisco, so I will post it for you all to read.
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Greetings,
I would like to take a moment and introduce myself to all of the members of this group and to confirm the rumor about my becoming a candidate for Alderman in Ward 1.
My name is Ron DeFrancisco and I have officially qualified to be on the ballot for Alderman of Ward 1 in April, 2007.
I am 27 years old and originally from the Ft. Lauderdale , FL area. I have worked in government since the age of fourteen when I joined the Police Explorer Program with the City of Plantation, FL. I spent just over six years employed as a Code Enforcement Officer and Code Enforcement Supervisor with the City of Lauderhill, FL. It is this experience with the City of Lauderhill that has driven me to run for Alderman here in Spring Hill.
Background on Lauderhill : Lauderhill was founded in 1959 with about 100 residents. Not many people wanted to live there at the time, because it was considered dairy land and the edge of the Florida Everglades. Over the next few years, Lauderhill began to grow slowly. In the 1970's and 1908's, Lauderhill grew in leaps and bounds. The City Commission gave the green light to the building of many new residences, and the city grew by 30,000 residents from 1970-1980. During this time, Lauderhill was the place to live, boasting a country club lifestyle along with the Inverrary Country Club and Jackie Gleason Inverrary Golf Classic. Today, less than 50 years after its founding, Lauderhill is a city of 8.5 square miles, with a population nearing 75,000. It is completely built out and suffers from high crime and congestion caused by the rapid development of the area.
Based on my experience working for the City of Lauderhill , I have seen first hand what rapid development can do to a city, and have also helped tackle the problems that face a city of nearly 75,000. I hope to use this experience to benefit the City of Spring Hill, and keep it from making some of the same mistakes. My goals if elected are as follows;
1.) Slow the rapid development of new housing to levels that the City of Spring Hill can support on an annual basis. If we continue to build new homes at our current pace, any improvements we make, such as roads, will be outgrown before their completion. This has been a constant battle in South Florida . Part of this is curbing the number of re-zoning approvals given so that more land can be built owewhe we have already outgrown our current infrastructure.
2.) Focus new home construction on lower density projects, for example single family homes built on no less than 1/3 acre lots. Also, for multi-family projects that are given approval by the Board, I hope to set strict requirements for owner occupancy to keep investors from buying multiple units and turning them into rentals. This practice by investors caused many problems for property values and conditions in Lauderhill , as many of these investors are out of town owners who do not visit their properties and do not spend money to maintain them. Their only concern is collecting the rent on the first of the month, and they show no concern for the City itself.
3.) Set clear boundaries for commercial and residential areas, and not mix the two. This was common in South Florida and caused many quality of life issues, including increased crime, noise violations and light pollution from the commercial properties onto the residential ones. I also believe in planned commercial development to bring the businesses that our city needs here, but at the same time not bring in too many of the same thing. We do not need to be in a rush to put a strip mall on every corner and build on every piece of land.
4.) I am for higher impact fees for development. We need to make the developers fully pay for the impact of their developments, including the cost of new schools based on the number of children their development will bring in, the cost of road improvements for the increased traffic, and the cost of new city employees to provide services to these areas without passing this cost onto the residents of our city.
6.) I am also for changing our Occupational License fee schedule to charge license fees based on the size of the business and it's impact on the city and the services required. I do not think it is fair that a small business owner working from home pays $20 per year while major chain stores such as Home Depot, Publix, Kroger, etc pay this same $20 per year, as I was recently advised when I asked at City Hall. I feel that this is another way to continue operating without re-instituting a city property tax.
7.) I believe that we need to increase the pay for our city employees to become competitive at a national level. I want to be able to retain our current employees, as well as attract the most qualified professionals from around the nation to fill vacancies. Spring Hill should not be a training ground for Franklin , Brentwood, Williamson County , etc, and our tax dollars should not be spent training new employees for careers with other government agencies. Finally, our employees should always be able to afford to live in the city that they work for. I want to have the City of Spring Hill providing all of the services within it's limits. This means placing ambulance service in control of the Fire Department and having Ambulances that say 'Spring Hill Fire Rescue' on the side, not Williamson Medical Center , Maury Regional or even Rural Metro. I want to see Spring Hill Police Officers working as School Resource Officers in every school in the city, not Sheriffs Deputies. I do not want our city to have to rely on the county or private companies to provide services that we have the ability to provide.
8.) I want to start a Historical Preservation Board to review properties and areas of the city that have historical significance, and allow them to make recommendations to the BOMA on ways to preserve these properties and areas and keep them from being destroyed by development.
9.) We need to work on improving our relationship with neighboring governments so that problems can be solved regionally, not just locally.
10.) Finally, I want to review all of our City Ordinances and revise them to make them clear and fully enforceable, and make sure that they meet the needs of the city.
I welcome contact from anyone that would like to discuss any issues with me or ask any questions. I can be contacted at jfriday240@bellsouth.net, and I am working on building my website at www.voteronspringhill.com, which I hope to have fully developed by the end of the month.
Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself, and I look forward to communicating with you in the near future.
Ron DeFrancisco
Monday, December 04, 2006
Ron DeFrancisco introduction
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 7:56 AM
Labels: Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Election 2007
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
62 comments:
Thanks for getting involved!
Is there a citizens for spring hill hospital where I can get more information?
If you will e-mail me your information, I will forward it to Cindy Jobe and have her contact you about the Citizens For Spring Hill Hospital group. My e-mail is jfriday240@bellsouth.net.
Ron DeFrancisco
SO Ron, I have a few questions for you. How do you feel about a city that lets the Fire Marshall go because the Fire Chief is scared that he is going to take his job. The FM being Jose Periut. Here is a little about Jose- Joined the department in around 1998 as a firefighter, brought more knowledge to the fire department than who would know. 2002- Spring Hill hires 5 full time firefighters. Jose is Asst. Chief. He works many many hours helping the new guys make transition from volunteer firefighters to career firefighters. May I mention that Jose is not paid for this. 2003- Jose is Asst Chief, Fire Marshall and Training Officer. Wow. That is a lot for one man to do. Chief Clyde Farmer steps down. Chief Farmer was the chief for 34 years. Jose is offered chiefs job. Declines. Chief David Bell is hired along with a few more firefighters. Chief Bell gets Jose a salary for approx $9.50 hr/ give or take. Some more firefighters are hired. Chief Bell steps down Chief McElvain is hired along with more firefighters. Jose mind you is still doing all of these jobs. Remember how the city is growing. A lot of inspections now, a lot of guys to train, a lot of work for Jose. Still Jose is just getting a small salary. I once got up at 230 am to use the restroom and Jose was there (not getting paid)finishing up classes for us so that we can be a better Fire Dept. Chief McElvains steps down. Guess what? Jose offered job again- declines. Chief Swindle is chief. Keep in mind that Jose has mentored the fire department and helped the FD become a very respected FD in both Maury and Williamson Counties. Bottom Line- Jose did have plans to be the chief on day in about 11 years when he retired from the Franklin Fire Dept. SO who is the Fire Marshall? The Training Officer? The Asst Chief? What I am saying is the City of Spring Hill is at a great loss. Letting someone like Jose go and for what. The city will never find someone with the drive, heart and love for the job as Jose. I am just glad that the City of Franklin and The Franklin Fire Department has a person like him. If elected I hope that you strive to see that things like this do not happen in the City.
anon 12/12 @ 1527
Preach on Brother!
could not have said all ofthat better my self.
be safe all
ole fire fighter
ole firefighter,
You and I are going to get to the bottom of this
Anonymous,
I have read that Jose Periut was offered the job of Fire Marshall, but Spring Hill's salary could not match near what he is making in Franklin. Having worked in government, most specifically in the law enforcement community, and being married to a police officer, I find myself very pro police and fire and truly hate to see a city lose good employees. One of the things I hope to accomplish if elected is making our salary scale competitive on a nationwide level. I think we need to work hard to keep employees that we have invested a lot into and not train them only to lose them to other cities who are offering the better deal... I want Spring Hill to be the better deal. As I have stated before in other posts, our employees should always be able to afford to live in the city they work for. I have not had the privilege of meeting Mr. Periut, but hope that I do sometime. I also hope that in the future, we will be able to bring him back to Spring Hill and pay him what someone of his experience and dedication deserves. Finally, having come from a city of 75,000, I am used to a Fire Department that has a Fire Marshall who supervises additional Fire Inspectors to handle inspections and arson investigations, and think that with all of the new construction our city is seeing and is going to continue to see in addition to existing businesses, this might not be a bad idea for our Fire Department... More Code Officers, Building Inspectors and Police Officers are also needed in my mind, but we'll save that for another time.
I would love to hear from current City employees. Please tell me what you think is right & wrong with the city and individual departments, what the city could do to make it better and what pay increase/benefits are you looking for in order for Spring Hill to be competitive against other cities. Please post here or e-mail me directly at jfriday240@bellsouth.net. I do not need to know who you are, just what the problems are as you see them. Thanks.
Ron, why do you have the presumption that something has to be wrong at city hall????
I am hoping that there is nothing wrong and that city employees will only be saying positive things, but if there are things that the staff is not happy about, I would like to know what they are so that I can develop possible solutions. This is why I asked for the good and the bad. If nothing is broken, then there is nothing to fix, but I believe if there are problems, then they should be brought forward and dealt with, rather than hiding them and allowing the problem to get worse while pretending it does not exist.
The problem with this situation is that this was not a case of being out bid. Jose had been doing the job well for many years. He had also been doing the jobs of asst chief and training officer. THis was politics nothing more. The explaination that the city outgrew jose is so transparent. If this was not politics then maybe someone can answer a couple of questions that I have.
If the city needs a full time fire marshall and Jose could not fill that role, then why was he let go completely from the city? Why could they not hire a fire marshall and keep Jose in the position of training officer or asst chief? I have heard nothing about hiring a full time asst chief or training officer. Who will now fill these postiions with Jose gone? It seems to me that this a conscious decision to no longer have Jose's services not a matter of pay etc not being good enough. So Ron if you want to find out what is going on at city hall you need to ask who at city hall thought it was a good idea to let go a long serving employee that had filled so many roles so well?
be safe all
ole fire fighter
Ole Fire Fighter,
You make excellent points, and I hope that come April I will be able to ask these questions from the inside and from a position where I will have an influence on decisions and policies made at City Hall.
Ole FF you are correct again. I know why they are not keeping Jose. No more volunteers. That is right. After Jan 1st no more volunteers. So Chief are you going to let the volunteers go the way you let Jose go- An email a copied to email at that. For you all that do not know Jose was let go by email and the email was not even to him it was to the rest of the city employees and copied to him. Swindle did not even tell him face to face. This will also get you. Do you all know the Veterans Day thing that Spring Hill does, all the Police Officers and Firefighters attend, Jose was not invited and he is a vet. By the way if you all are wondering why I am causing such a fuss about this is- Firefighters stick together. It is a brotherhood. Our life is on the line everyday and we depend on each other so much. You can tell that Swindle is a Career Fire Marshall and not a Career Firefighter. Real Firefighters stick together. What do the rest of you all think. I know it is more than just a handful that read this. Oh and I would love to hear what you have to say Ken York. Other alderman what do you think???? I know you read this to.
Someone, Ron, Gorilla, or somebody, look into the death of those children in Spring Hill after one was ran over by a Spring Hill officer. Something is not right there.
Maybe if they were not running from the police none of this would have happen. Just my 2 cts. I am sorry for the loss of 2 young lives but what were 13-16 year olds doing out at 3:45 am, it was already ruled the police followed the guidelines.
I too am sorry for the loss of two young lives, but I have to agree that this was already reviewed by many people, including a grand jury who found that the police followed guidelines. If the decision to run from the police had not been made, then this incident would never have occurred. Police chases are ultimately a double edged sword in that if you chase, people can be hurt, but if you do not chase, then every criminal would run knowing that they could get away, and our society and criminal justice system would suffer. In many cases, officers do not know why someone is running or who the person is. It could be a 16 year old making a bad choice or an escaped murderer who does not want to go back to jail. In any case, I am against no chase policies and have to trust that the city and the court system fully investigated this matter and that there is nothing more to this than a tragic end to a bad decision, and hope that in the future when people see blue lights behind them, they will make the right choice and pull over because getting a ticket or going to jail is not worth risking your life and the lives of your friends over.
So along the same lines, you would agree that people who smoke deserve cancer, or would that be different? Or maybe they deserve to not be able to get insurance, because they know better, right?
There are similarities. I do not believe that people that run from the police deserve to die, only to get caught. However, when you run from the police, you know you are putting your life at risk, as well as the lives of others. When someone smokes cigarettes, they do not deserve to get cancer, but they know that they are at a higher risk for it, and that they are putting others around them at risk for it. I know that everytime I choose a bacon cheeseburger and fries instead of a salad that I am putting myself at a higher risk for high blood pressure or a heart attack someday. As far as insurance, insurance companies pay people to evaluate risks that people take, whether it be smoking, drinking, or jumping out of airplanes and determine how much it will cost to insure that person based on their lifestyle. When you choose a particular risk, you choose it knowing the costs associated with it. Point being, I believe that we all must take responsibility for our own actions and not try to place blame elsewhere because we cannot accept responsibility for our choices.
Anon,17 December, 2006 19:41
Well I do not smoke and really do not care what happens to people that do. Back to the subject at hand- kids running from the police. I am sure you would have a different opinion if they (the kids running from the police) would have hit a school bus and kill 15-20 kids. I know I know I know you can "what if" all day long. I really think that you catch what I am saying. I am sorry Ron that your blog has become a place to argue.
No argument, but we have to understand that kids do stupid things. Does that mean they deserve to die? All of us did stupid things when we were kids.
No apologies necessary. We all have our different points of view, I see your's and I hope that you see mine. You are right, we can "what if" all day long, but it will not change what has occurred. It is a tragedy yes, but I do not believe there is anything else to discuss on the matter, as it has already been thoroughly investigated by the city and outside agenices as well.
On the other topic, I would like to applaud Alderman Mitchell for bringing the Jose Periut issue into the open at last night's BOMA meeting. It did prove that we still need Jose (at least until we hire a full-time Fire Marshall, and there should still be a place for him after that) and that the City Administration is looking to eliminate the volunteer program which I think would be a disservice to the city, the residents and the volunteers. If we have people interested in volunteering their time to the city, I think we should utilize them in every way we can. I also think that we should have a Reserve Police Officer Program in this city, just like Williamson County, Maury County and the City of Columbia. Volunteers are an asset to any city at all times, but especially in times of understaffing or disasters, as they know the city and are trained to immeditely respond to the city's needs and assist the full time employees. With the current rate of growth of the city, I think we should take all the help we can get.
Ron,
You are getting involved. Good deal. Do your homework and you will be even better. Also yes the Spring Hill Fire Dept is understaffed. From the top down. No Asst Chief, no training officer, no Firemarshall. Then you have guys that are the leaders in the fire dept (Capts) that are not qualified for the position. I know one is and good on you but the other 2 are not and 1 is not even basic firefighter II, for those of you who do not know what that is- it is a qualification you get when you are a rookie- (yeah Garza I am talking to you) What? 2 years with the FD and you are not FF II. You are a Capt- What a joke. People trust you with their lives, get on the ball. Wow Swindle you are allowing this to go on. Have a merry x-mas.
Just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope you all stay safe and enjoy the holiday.
Ron,
This is the single most important reason why major traffic relief in our area is on the horizon (Tennessee Senate Transportation Committee).
But then again, you probably don't even know what I'm referring to, and that is what scares the heck out of me about your campaign of "doom and gloom".
Silverback,
I understand that the Tennessee Senate Transportation Committee is one of the main reasons that major traffic relief is on the horizon. I also understand that in our situation the "horizon" may not be completely visible until we are into the 2020's. Having dealt with state road projects, I understand the dynamics involved and know that prior to making improvements, traffic studies will be completed to determine the road needs today and make accomodations for some additional growth. What scares me is that the city is projecting our population of 25,000 today to double to nearly 50,000 within the next five years, and that is only accounting for projects already approved. If you add in other projects on the horizon, such as the proposed mixed use development on R.C. Alexanders 907 acres on Buckner Lane and other 1,000+ home projects, there is no way that road improvements made in the near future will support growth of this magnitude. We need to control our growth and properly plan our infrastructure improvements to support it. Re-evaluating impact fees and using them to partner with the state for continuous road improvements into the 2020's is necessary, as it is these new developments causing this impact on our roads, and the developers should have to fully cover the cost of their project's impact. Finally, I do not wish for "gloom and doom" but I truly believe that if you do not learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it. I learned from my history in South Florida what rapid development can do to an area, and I do not want to see us repeat that history here.
Ron,
Thanks for the reply. Take a closer look at the recently named members of the committee itself. Recognize anybody? That's how change is going to happen in our area, by local representation in key positions.
Keep your head up. You are not afraid to share your ideas and opinions, and that is respectable. Realize, though, that it is those ideas and opinions which will cause people to either vote for you or for your opponent.
Silverback,
That is what makes our country what it is... the ability to vote for the person that we feel will best represent us based upon our opinion of them. I am putting myself out there and making my positions very clear so that the voters of this city can form their own opinion of me. If in the end, they vote for my opponent, then it will be clear that my opinions and goals were not the most popular among the residents of the city that voted in this election. On the other hand, if they agree with me and go to the polls, then I will represent Ward 1 for the next four years. In either case, I fully intend to remain involved in the politics of this city whether it be sitting on the BOMA or remaining in constant contact with our elected officials and speaking my mind as a concerned citizen at BOMA and Planning Commission meetings.
Finally, we need all of the help we can get, so local people in key places can't hurt, but we need to do our part to help them on our local level.
Ron,
This is what I am talking about:
Initial work could start this year on widening I-65 from Franklin to 840
Silverback,
That is wonderful to read, but I hold firm that we need to do our part on the local level and allow the time for these projects to be completed, instead of running full speed ahead to continue the rapid development of our area.
Quoting the article;
“The Nashville Planning organization has given the green light on this project, and pre-engineering work should begin this year. I expect it will take 2-5 years to complete the widening of I-65”. If the project takes five years, our population is expected to be nearly 50,000 residents, or double what it is currently. Yes the situation would get better upon completion, but until then were are only compounding our problems by adding more residents too quickly and having them commute through a construction zone.
Quoting again,
Two other projects that are being proposed involve the I-65 widening from Franklin to SR 840, an I-65 interchange at Duplex Road, and the widening of Highway 31 from SR 840 through Spring Hill. Representative Casada asked if TDOT would seek funding for the widening of Duplex Road in this upcoming legislative session, and Cole said he felt the Duplex Road project should get top priority this year. “We are concerned that Tennessee may lose from $42 million to $100 million in Federal Highway funding this year. If this happens there will be very few, if any, new road projects,” he said. These proposals are not even in the 2-5 year plan for completion and may not see the light of day if the state loses $42-$100 million in highway funding as Cole explains. Again, this is why we need a more comprehensive development plan to account for projects such as these when they are approved and in progress, and then allow development to match what these improvements can support annually as the improvements are made.
My goal is to allow us an opportunity to enjoy these improvements, rather than outgrow them as soon as they are completed.
As always, this is my opinion, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of all of the residents of Spring Hill, but election day will show how many share this opinion.
Silverback, Thank you for all of your input and useful comments. I appreciate all of those on this site that engage me in productive conversations on issues affecting our city, rather than simply making negative comments with no supporting facts which only distract from the issues we must deal with.
Ron, I really like what you have to say. I think Spring Hill is growing way too fast and something needs to be done about it. I agree with you completely that we need to find someway to stop this growth completely before it's too late. Hopefully you can nip this "second intersate exit" business in the bud because that's just going to congest this entire city for years. Keep up the good work.
Me too. I say we have a lottery to determine who will be the lucky one to buy the last house when you decide enough is enough.
What happened to point #5?
That's a good question, and I am impressed that you were the first to notice that since several people here carefully scrutinize everything that I say. I will check on that tonight and let you know if there was ever a number 5 or if that was a typo.
Anonymous,
It was a typo... there is no #5, but let's make this point #5...
#5 - More citizen involvement in government. Remove the Mayor and Alderman from all other Boards/Commissions (ie. Planning, BOZA, Economic Development) and make each of these boards nine members, one appointed by the Mayor and each Alderman. This limits the Mayor and Alderman to one vote (the final one) and allows our residents to have more input on what happens in this city.
I like it. I like it. I haven't seen many posts from you lately. Have you run out of steam? You need to keep up the talk to keep your name out there and get such a big jump on these other guys that they'll never catch you.
Anonymous,
Thanks for the support. I have been posting here regularly still, just on other forum topics. Definitely not out of steam. I am working on finishing my website at www.VoteRonSpringHill.com, my signs will be going up Feb. 22 (to comply with the city ordinance), I have vehicle signs already moving around the area and I am working on some other things to get my name out there. I was also surprised to see an article that I wrote to the editor published on the back page of today's Williamson A.M. So, do not worry, I have not run out of steam, and you will be hearing plenty from me over the next few months.
Thank god someone else feels that Jonathan Duda needs to be removed from the planning commission! That's the best idea that I have heard from you Ron. I have been saying that since when he almost scared off Home Depot when he insisted that it be brick. To him, everything is about power and control.
Too bad that Mr. Duda cannot be removed...by law that is.
Also, sorry to burst your bubble Ron, but the BOMA gets an appointee that cannot be removed (Mr. Duda) and the mayor gets 3 other appointees (and they can also be aldermen if the mayor so chooses, but the appointees can be removed if need be by the mayor)
It only makes sense to have at least one Alderman on each city commission. I understand not loading the commission with aldermen, but one makes sense to me, and it is the only LEGAL way to do it.
You might want to change your item #5 again.
Hey C.W.
The Home Depot is the cheapest looking building in Spring Hill---I am sure it was not Jonathan Duda that would have scared them off...they saw a gullable group of Planning Commissioners that would not challenge them. Home Depot was coming with or without brick....Take it from a person who travels extensively---I have seen a lot of Home Depots in suburbs similar to Spring Hill----we have by far the worst one they have built.
Good for people, like Jonathan, who actually takes pride in the look of the city. C.W., but if you are Charles Raines, but why not take a stand on something rather than being cheap and selfish.....also, quit trying to pick alley way fights with people...I have my eyes on you...
Wasn't Home Depot approved under the last administration BEFORE Duda got elected?
Ron, you are probably going to win this by a landslide. I think there are a LOT of people who just want the growth to stop. Running on a "no growth" platform was very smart of you. It will probably get you the young people who don't like the good ole boys who are only out for money.
m.g.,
I understand that is the law as it is currently written, but that does not mean that I could not work to have the law changed. I feel that an Alderman on the boards along with three mayoral appointees does not necessarily give the citizens proper representation. It is my belief that since the Board of Mayor and Alderman has the final decision in all matters, it's members should not sit on other boards which decide on the same issues. I also believe that each member of the BOMA should be entitled to appoint a member to each board to ensure proper representation of each ward on each board and allow a higher probability to differing opinions and more input on all issues.
so you are now advocating a change to state law for over 300 cities in the state of tennessee because of an idea that you have come up with?
good luck
For those that missed the Williamson AM letter to the editor that Ron wrote, here it is in its entirety...
"The song ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ by the Counting Crows best describes what is happening in Spring Hill today, with lyrics like, “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot. Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
Granted, I doubt we will see a pink hotel on R.C. Alexander’s 907 acres of lovely countryside on Buckner Lane, but what exactly is the rush to build anything there? Large lots of open land like this are becoming rare in Spring Hill and what was once a paradise is quickly being turned into a parking lot – see Main Street or I-65 during rush hour.
Realtor Mamie McArthur says that building an upscale mixed use development on this property “will be Spring Hill’s finest hour.” In reality, this will be just another nail in the coffin of a rural and scenic Spring Hill. Our city is already grappling with traffic issues and infrastructure problems trying to support the developments already completed and in progress, and we are now proposing single family homes, townhouses, condos and commercial business on this property. This will only add to the traffic concerns on Duplex Road, Main Street and I-65.
But wait, according to Spring Hill Building Official Ferrell White, “It doesn’t hurt to ask them” to put an interstate exchange onto I-65. That will be great, we will have one more interchange to bottleneck traffic during rush hour and we can all meet up for morning coffee when we park at I-65 and the 840 since that area has yet to be widened.
Adding to this logic, White states “That’s a pretty good site for this (Traditional Neighborhood Development) zoning.” “It allows a little higher density in exchange for open land and amenities.” Right now, the property is all beautiful open land and has no need for amenities, so why build anything? The Traditional Neighborhood Development zoning that is currently under consideration by the Planning Commission allows for 18-24 units per acre and will introduce the once foreign concept of zero lot lines to Spring Hill. We have already populated Spring Hill beyond its capacity to support this population, have approved developments which will double our population again, and plans like this show that there is no intention of stopping, but rather allowing developers to cram more people into smaller areas in the name of progress and profit.
I think it is time for the Planning Commission and the Board of Mayor and Alderman to take a stand and realize that they are allowing paradise to be paved, and if this is not done soon, we will not know what we’ve got ‘til it’s gone. We have plenty of developments already in progress and land that is already zoned for residential or commercial development; we should be using that land first. Re-zoning approvals need to stop being handed out like candy on Halloween night and we need to preserve our open land and rural background while gradually building into the future at a pace that our city and region can fully support."
Oh boy....
This is who you could have representing you on the Board. Yikes...
Ron, I am very pleased with what I have read of your views & opinions. I hope that your "slow the growth" idea is aimed at the entire city of Spring Hill - not just the RC Alexander property. For instance, the Denning Lane development that has been proposed...
I would also like to add that I am a supporter of Jonathan Duda because he does take pride in the city unlike those in office that profit from the growth and seem to use their position for their own personal gain rather than the good of the people.
"Slow the growth"??? This guy wants to STOP the growth.
First, I am not nor will I be anybody's pawn. If I happen to agree with someone on an issue, then I will support it, and if I disagree with them on an issue, then I will fight against it. As I have stated many times, my goal is to keep our city a beautiful place to live, work and play. I have nothing to gain by becoming an alderman (I am not a developer, builder, mortgage broker, real estate agent, etc.) other than being able to enjoy the home that I have purchased in Spring Hill without having to deal with the issues of over development that I moved here to escape. My idea for slowing the growth of our city is aimed citywide, the R.C. Alexander property just happens to be a prime example of what I am talking about and one that is currently in the news. As far as my idea of removing the Mayor and Alderman from other boards, that is not aimed at any particular person, but rather is intended to get our residents more actively involved in the issues of their city and allow a wider range of voices to influence policy in this city, and yes I do feel that this would benefit other cities in the State of Tennessee by allowing their citizens to have more representation in local government.
You moved here in February 2006 to escape development? The last time I checked Spring Hill was one of the fastest growing communities in the country during February 2006.
Why didn't you move to an area with little to no growth? Ron, stop with all the anti-growth gibberish. Contributing to a plan for smart growth will get you much further.
You have and continue to isolate those of us who love our community.
Hohenwald, TN. has lots of cheap land and miniscule growth check it out.
My position has been avoiding over development and having a smart plan for growth. If you look at all of my plans, they involve being proactive to allow proper infrastructure to be built before we add more population to the area, and only building to the capacity that we can support on an annual basis.
Finally, as I have posted in another thread, the fact that Spring Hill is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States in only a statistic. If you add 2,500 new residents to a city of 7,500 and one of 75,000, they each have experienced the same amount of growth, but one had a higher percentage of growth and therefore received the title. The issue is being able to support that growth, which at this point, I do not believe we are going to be able to do much longer.
The statistics you speak of have brought us Home Depot, Lowe's, Publix, a second Kroger, Super Target, Spring Hill Hospital, restaurants, an Ambulance Service, and many more nationally known retailers on the way.
So quit trying to downplay statistics and answer the question.
How did Ron's due diligence in February 2006 support his decision to move to one of the fastest growing communities in the country? Now that Ron is here, only 11 months into his residency, you suddenly claim to have made a terrible mistake in your decision process and want to fix the problem.
You attempt at disguising your "anti-growth" platform for the betterment of Ron Defrancisco is very transparent.
I have never said that I made a mistake moving to Spring Hill, I think it is a great city and my hope is to see it not be ruined by overdevelopment in order to put more money into the pockets of builders and developers who will not care about what they leave behind once they have made their last dollar in Spring Hill and moved on to the next "Fastest Growing City". Planned growth and moderation in building within the confines of our infrastructure's ability to support that growth are the main issues here, and frankly I firmly believe that we are developing beyond our ability to support the development, and if we do not do something now, we will be paying the price later.
Now, please answer three questions for me;
1. Did we not have an ambulance service when the city was only 7,500 residents? I know we just got Rural Metro (Spring Hill Fire Rescue would be a better option), but I am pretty sure there were ambulances running in the city before Rural Metro.
2. Exactly how does my plan for reducing growth better me. What exactly do I have to gain by making sure that our city can support what we build before we build it. It would be different if I were a builder and running on the "Let's Build Everything" platform and then used my company to build many of the new projects, but I have nothing to gain from being elected other than doing what I feel is right for the city. But wait, Alderman make $450 a month... I could make more than that taking a second job at Home Depot, Lowes or Publix and spend less time doing that. So no, it is not for the betterment of Ron DeFrancisco, it is for the betterment of Spring Hill.
3. What does "Anonymous" stand to lose if my plan for reduced development should gain popularity and become reality?
Alderman make $450 a month... I could make more than that taking a second job at Home Depot, Lowes or Publix and spend less time doing that.
Your absolute best idea thusfar.
And as long as this site allows anonymous postings, we'll continue to get garbage like the post right above this one.
If that's the best you have against Ron, then your position can't be very solid.
DRM,
Thank you for the last post. Hopefully anonymous will answer my questions next...
Rooooon, you still didn't answer my question. Quit deflecting by asking more questions. Answer the below question.
How did Ron's due diligence in February 2006 support his decision to move to one of the fastest growing communities in the country? Now that Ron is here, only 11 months into his residency, ...........
Anoooonymous,
My due diligence occurred in August, 2005 when I signed the contract to buy my house. When I did that, I observed a city that appeared to be growing sensibly. When I drove down the roads, I did not encounter the traffic that we all do now. I did not see all of the things being built that are now being built. I saw a city that appeared to be doing things the right way, keeping residential areas residential and commercial areas commercial, and not mixing the two as I had seen in Florida. I saw clean streets, nice schools and a great place to move to be able to raise a family.
In 11 months, I have seen an explosion of new construction, increased traffic on all of our main roads, schools that are becoming crowded, and more of a willingness to mix commerical and residential uses.
I wish I had my crystal ball in August 2005 so that I could tell you I saw all of this coming, but I did not.
Hope this answers your question.
Ron,
Do you know what happened in 2005 to cause these changes that you are talking about? D&D - Danny & Duda. I could see in my crystal ball in April 2005 when Danny got elected and appointed someone with zilcho experience to the planning commission that this was going to happen. Blame them.
He moved here AFTER they got elected. All this growth did not magically appear over the past 11 months. That property that he's talking about by his house was zoned for industrial not long ago. Then it was zoned commercial. It was zoned commercial at the time he bought the house. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that commercial buildings are going to be built on commercially zoned land. So, to answer the question - no due diligence was done (driving around the city looking at the land is NOT due diligence...)
OK Anonymous,
Let's talk due diligence. I researched the area prior to buying by looking at the properties, and then going to what I knew from my Code Enforcement experience... the county website. There I found properties along Port Royal road being shown as residential uses from 4858-4904 Port Royal Road. If you would like to check, as I did again today, these properties are still showing residential use. Visit http://maps.maurycounty-tn.gov.
Now that I have had the time to do some more due diligence, I can answer your question in even greater detail as I now have all of the facts available. Two properties in the area that I speak of were re-zoned from Agricultural to B-4 after I purchased my house... signs for the Planning Commission hearing were not even up when I closed, guess my crystal ball missed that one too....
1. The property of John L Davis located at 4858 Port Royal Road was re-zoned after application on 5/22/06 and approved by the BOMA on 6/19/06.
2. The property of Ty Hasey at 4878 Port Royal Road was re-zoned after the sign was posted on 3/23/06, approved by the Planning Commission on 4/10/06 and approved by the BOMA on 5/15/06.
This is all in the minutes of the BOMA if you would like to check me on this.
The property behind my house that I refer to is not where the nice quiet offices were already under construction when I bought my house, but rather the property at 4914 Port Royal Road where the old house was recently moved to make way for more commercial development.
Now anonymous, I have thoroughly answered your questions, so will you please answer mine. My cards are on the table, so I call, let's see what's in your hand...
My three questions... Again,
1. Did we not have an ambulance service when the city was only 7,500 residents? I know we just got Rural Metro (Spring Hill Fire Rescue would be a better option), but I am pretty sure there were ambulances running in the city before Rural Metro.
2. Exactly how does my plan for reducing growth better me. What exactly do I have to gain by making sure that our city can support what we build before we build it. It would be different if I were a builder and running on the "Let's Build Everything" platform and then used my company to build many of the new projects, but I have nothing to gain from being elected other than doing what I feel is right for the city. But wait, Alderman make $450 a month... I could make more than that taking a second job at Home Depot, Lowes or Publix and spend less time doing that. So no, it is not for the betterment of Ron DeFrancisco, it is for the betterment of Spring Hill.
3. What does "Anonymous" stand to lose if my plan for reduced development should gain popularity and become reality?
Boy Ron, you are dumber than I thought. Are you being serious, you relied on county Tax Assessment data for zoning information????
The Shin property at the entrance to Haynes Crossing was rezoned from Industrial to Commercial in 2005, but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known that.
The 'nice office condos' you refer to have been the biggest disaster and headache for your neighbors, but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known that. In your mind, these are empty because there is too much office space available in Spring Hill (as I have heard you say on more than one occasion). You have no clue as to why these are empty. You would not know that the sprinklers that are required in these buildings have still not been installed. That's why the space is empty, not because there is too much office inventory in Spring Hill, but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known that.
Answers to your questions which reveal more about what you do not know:
1. Williamson ambulance response times from Thompson Station averaged less then 6 minutes per call. Maury ambulance response times from Neapolis averaged over 14 minutes. Neither where statiioned in our city. Now, you and your Williamson County neighbor down the street in Haynes Crossing each call EMS for an emergency. Do you think it would be alright for your neighbor to be picked up and transported before Maury EMS even got to your home??? Call that Ambulance Service??? It took Maury EMS 30 minutes to get to Mayor Ray, but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known that.
2. Your selfish reasons for reducing growth surely doesn't benefit the young couple from Lauderhill that might be looking to move into Spring Hill after you get elected, does it?? What would have happened to Ron if a group of candidates had run for aldermen and won in 2005 with the 'close the door behing me' platform that you now have?? It's pretty simple, really. Ron wouldn't be able to move here in 2006, now would he?? That's what you have to gain, Ron. You want to be able to tell people that they can't have what you have. But wait, candidates did run with that platform in 2005 and they received about 25 votes total, but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known that.
3. What do we have to lose if you get elected?? The hard work and legacy of a mayor who dared to do things different and refused to run this city like any other!!
....but then again, you weren't here yet and wouldn't have known him.
Ron said:
"My due diligence occurred in August, 2005 when I signed the contract to buy my house. When I did that, I observed a city that appeared to be growing sensibly."
Ron, I have appreciated all that you have contributed in the last few days, but I definately disagree with your statement above. You observed a city that appeared to be growing sensibly?
I provide the following as references that should dispute what you have said. Should you want to follow-up on these articles, you can find them all in their entirety from the Tennessean.com archives. You can get an all-day pass and go to town...
When I drove down the roads, I did not encounter the traffic that we all do now.
No Traffic in 2005?
Duplex Road and Interstate 65
September 28, 2004 - Spring Hill I-65 work considered 'priority'
Local officials are telling the state road chiefs what many commuters here already believe: Interstate 65 needs to be widened between Highway 96 and State Route 840. Same goes for Duplex Road on the Williamson/Maury County line.
June 1, 2005 - Proliferation of commercial entrances prompting calls to redesign road
Watching cars whiz by in a steady stream, Melinda Brock shook her head in dismay. "Rush hour is impossible," she said. "And at 6 p.m., when I get off work, I sit there for 20 minutes just trying to turn left. By the time you're able to pull out, there are three or four cars behind you, waiting."
June 1, 2005 - Good luck turning left onto Highway 31
You've finished your grocery shopping and you're trying to turn left onto Highway 31 - praying for a teensy, little opening into which you can squeeze your SUV without incurring road rage. No luck. Trucks and cars are whizzing by in both directions. No one lets you in and you imagine drivers who pass by grinning at poor, pathetic you - stuck.
I did not see all of the things being built that are now being built.
January 14, 2005 - Records and Near-Records in 2004 Building Permits, Even Census Bureau astounded by Spring Hill's growth.
Officials with the U.S. Census Bureau had a Holy Cow moment last week when they made a random check on Spring Hill's population growth figures, officials said. "They came in to do a field check and chose to look at October's figures," Spring Hill City Administrator Ken York said.
I saw a city that appeared to be doing things the right way, keeping residential areas residential and commercial areas commercial, and not mixing the two as I had seen in Florida.
Harmonious Commercial and Residential Development in 2005?
January 23, 2005 - No Auto Zone! That was the resounding message residents of Tanyard Springs subdivision gave the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday night. "We purchased our house thinking a medical office building would be built," said Joe Ahler, who lives in the new subdivision just off Columbia Highway.
March 23, 2005 - Auto Zone gets green light despite neighborhood opposition
The Spring Hill Planning Commission last week voted 3-2 to approve a site plan for a controversial Auto Zone store off Columbia Highway which will be in front of the Tanyard Springs subdivision. Commissioners Danny Leverette and Bruce Hull voted against the site plan.
June 29, 2005 - Historic home staying in one piece but not staying put
First she fell in love with the Pointer House. Then she had to figure out where to put it. And now, after weeks of planning, fretting and scouring the county for suitable land, Susan Brooks is prepping for the next leg of her mini-odyssey of homeownership. In the next few weeks the Belden, Miss., resident will have the Pointer House -- constructed in 1885 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, moved to make room for a new Lowes in Spring Hill.
I saw clean streets, nice schools and a great place to move to be able to raise a family.
Nice Schools in 2005?
December 29, 2004 - Development OK'd despite overcrowded school, Venture geared toward empty nesters, builder counters
Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved plans Monday for a 100-acre residential and commercial venture on Port Royal Road, despite concerns from some board members that the development would put a strain both on the city's infrastructure and on the already overcrowded Spring Hill Elementary School. Aldermen Eliot Mitchell voted against the measure.
December 13, 2004 - Parents say they'll fight decision to rezone kids midyear, Officials: Spring Hill Elementary too full to handle rest of year
A group of parents is trying to keep the Maury County school board from sending 129 Spring Hill Elementary students to E.A. Cox Middle School when the new semester starts Jan. 3. Huntly Gordon, a Spring Hill attorney, said he will file a lawsuit Monday in Maury County Chancery Court asking for an injunction until the court can decide if adequate notice was given for the rezoning.
Parks and Recreation in 2005?
April 17, 2005 - Park chief may be first hire of new Spring Hill mayor
After campaigning successfully on a platform of "experience matters," Spring Hill's new mayor, Danny Leverette, says he'll hit the ground running. "I'm going to get started Monday and look at bringing someone in to manage parks and recreation for the city," Leverette said, citing one of his top goals.
And finally, there was no secret that the land at the Port Royal Road and Saturn interchange was 'the most sought-after land in the Midstate'
Commercial on Port Royal Road?
September 13, 2005 - Port Royal residents mining their time, Many know property is worth its weight in gold, but some unsure on selling
Jimmy Woodall knows he's sitting on a gold mine. Woodall, owner of Jimmy's Automotive Honda Specialists on Port Royal Road, knows a lot about transmissions, engines and the price of land. And he's sitting on 5-1/2 acres of some of the most sought-after land in the Midstate.
Anonymous,
You said "Boy Ron, you are dumber than I thought. Are you being serious, you relied on county Tax Assessment data for zoning information????" First, is there really a need to be rude. If you are going to start with name calling, at least be man or woman enough to sign your name to your post rather than hiding behind "Anonymous". Second, where I came from, the property appraiser data was a valuable resource to the public that provided accurate information, I assumed it would be here too, so I will say that was my mistake.
Next you said "Your selfish reasons for reducing growth surely doesn't benefit the young couple from Lauderhill that might be looking to move into Spring Hill after you get elected, does it?? What would have happened to Ron if a group of candidates had run for aldermen and won in 2005 with the 'close the door behing me' platform that you now have??" You continue to try and paint the picture that I wish to close the door behind me, when I merely want to remodel our 2 bedroom 1 bath infrastructure into a 4 bedroom 2 1/2 bath infrastructure before we try to move more people into the house so that we are not tripping all over eachother. Furthermore, if there were no new homes available, I would have done what many people in South Florida are doing now that the area is almost completely built out, I would a purchased a USED home. Check the MLS, there are plenty available.
Silverback,
Thank you as always for taking the high ground and being a gentleman in the delivery of your posts. Obviously I was naive in my belief that there were not those type of problems here in Spring Hill at the time. I was working off of what I saw and experienced then compared to now, and the as I am now being advised, lack of quality information from the Maury County website. This only goes to prove my position further though, in that these problems have existed for 2+ years, and rather than slow down the development and repair the problems, our elected officials have chosen to develop full speed ahead in hopes that the state will move quickly and fix the problems for them and compounded the problems over that two year period.
So Anonymous,
Even though I know you are going to have a field day with this, I will admit that my due diligence was clouded by my first impressions of Spring Hill and was incomplete at best. But let's be honest, you can Monday morning quarterback any decision and find ways to do things better. Nobody is perfect, and if you look at some of the decisions the current BOMA have made, one could argue that there is a lack of due diligence in those decisions as well. At least I am willing to come out and admit my mistakes. Either way, I would still have moved to Spring Hill to be close to my family, and would still work to better Spring Hill for the current and future residents.
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