Thursday, June 28, 2007

Ice Cream Time

Jones’s Middle Tennessee operations will serve as test stores and model franchises for the company, Jones said.


Dippin’ Dots moves could mean jobs for Nashville
By Amy Griffith - The Nashville City Paper
June 28, 2007

These sweet confections planned for sale at new Dippin’ Dots test stores spell good news for ice cream fans. And if the company’s presence in Nashville continues to grow, the Dots could be delicious news for Nashville’s business community as well.

Dippin’ Dots is headquartered in Paducah, Ky., but Curt Jones, the company’s founder and chairman as well as inventor of the Dots, has lived in Brentwood for six years. The company’s president, Tom Leonard, relocated to the Nashville area in the past year.

“There is a chance that certain operations of our business may move to Nashville someday,” Jones said.


Spring Hill Economic Developmnet Committee, are you listening???



He said there are no certain plans for Middle Tennessee other than development of the test stores. Company spokesman Terry Reeves said Dippin’ Dots already has a "substantial investment" in Paducah, primarily in the form of a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

"I think it’s a very safe statement to make that we’re going to continue to manufacture in Paducah for the long haul," Reeves said.

Reeves described Dippin’ Dots as "a $50 million company" in terms of wholesale products — sale of Dots to franchises — and does not include retail sales at individual store locations. Dippin’ Dots employs about 225, mostly in Paducah.

The new Dippin’ Dots stores in Middle Tennessee will technically be franchises owned by Jones. They will be the first stores he has personally operated since he and his wife, Kay, first started selling Dippin’ Dots 20 years ago.

"He’s an official Dippin’ Dots franchisee," Terry said.

The first store, located at a Kroger plaza on Nolensville Pike in Brentwood, opened with no advertising or publicity earlier this month and celebrates its grand opening Friday and Saturday. A location in Spring Hill, near Campbell’s Station, is planned for opening in July. A location will likely open in Lebanon soon, company leaders said, and several other stores may follow in the next 14 months.

Jones’s Middle Tennessee operations will serve as test stores and model franchises for the company, Jones said. Product offerings and marketing techniques will be experimented with for possible application at other locations. The first test store opened is one of Dippin’ Dots’ largest, at more than 1,200 square feet. Company leaders describe the store as an extension of Dippin’ Dots research and development.

"We can really experiment with new products," Jones said. "We’re hoping that it becomes a family destination."

Products to be tested include Fridgets, clusters of dots held together with chocolate. Other products include Dot-ed milkshakes, Dot sundaes, waffle-Dot cones and waffle-Dot sundaes. Dots and cream — Dots blended into regular ice cream — will likely debut this year. The store will also experiment with a party and meeting room concept, as well as party packages.

The store has obtained exclusive rights for ice cream sales in the Kroger center, including the portion of the area that has not been completed.

Despite the lack of advertising and "soft opening" strategy, store manager Amber Cruse said the Brentwood franchise is already in the company’s top 10 ranking in terms of sales.

"We’re going to have a full-scale ice cream store," said Walter England of Brentwood, general manager of Jones’s Middle Tennessee franchises. "We're very fortunate to have the inventor in town."

Jones — a scientist by training — invented Dippin’ Dots when he and his wife, Kay, and their daughter were living in a suburb of Lexington. At the time, Jones was working in a biotechnology lab. Jones and his wife moved to Nashville in 2001 because liked the size of Nashville, and its accessibility to Paducah, Jones said.

Now, Jones also owns a Nashville-based entertainment and music publishing company, Amylase, with offices on 17th Avenue. Amylase manages recording artist Gary Nichols and has produced several films.

Dippin' Dots has offered franchising operations since 2000, and now has approximately 300 stores in the system, including two company-owned stores. Franchises include everything from mall kiosks to full stores. The latter have become more popular in the last few years, and offer a venue for sale of products including floats and cakes. Jones’s franchises aren’t the first Dippin’ Dots locations in the Nashville area.

The newly opened Dippin’ Dots test store is located at 6688 Nolensville Pike in Brentwood.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love some dip n dots. I just hope they do better than the last three ice cream shops that are no longer up and running in Spring Hill.

DRM said...

This will thrill my wife and kids to no end - as Dip n Dots are probably their favorite frozen treat.

I too hope that they will survive where other stores have failed.

SeanM said...

uhhhh, wasn't there a dippin dots that failed in Spring Hills Campbell Station area? Was this the same company?

Anonymous said...

No, there was a an ice cream shop where you could also race remote control cars in the back. This was one of the three that failed. This is Dip n Dots first go around and I believe it might make it in Spring Hill.

DRM said...

There was a place called "Dip'n Station" I believe in small building where the new smoke shop is located.

We actually liked that place - the cooked their own waffle cones in there and it smelled AWESOME.

I guess lack of business in the slow months killed them like it seems to do to every other ice cream shop.

Anonymous said...

Miss Molly's Dip'n Station was shut down by the State due to non-payment of taxes. They also closed down the original Miss Molly's in the Factory for the same reason.

Anonymous said...

Ding Dong the Witch is dead. It looks like the slanted springhillalternate site is dead.

Anonymous said...

wow, someone has some issues with the site.. or is it because it doesn't "slant" in your favor? amazing how adolescent some people can be when you put them in front of a keyboard.

as to Miss Molly's, didn't think it was due to non-payment of taxes, thought that was another local restaurant...

DRM said...

The "non-payment of taxes" issue does ring a bell now that you mention it for both Tavern on the Right and Miss Molly's.

Most small businesses fail in the first few years, so I guess with our city growing like it is we will see a lot of new ones pop up then fade out. i guess that is just part of the game.

Anonymous said...

Anyone home? Is this site dead?

DRM said...

Are you expecting daily updates or something?


As soon as the blogger has something new to post about, I'm sure he will... and then we can all chew on it ourselves.

RunnerBoyMOG said...

So...

Now that Walmart has ditched Thompson's Station...

No WallyWorld for Thompson's Station

Do you think we will see the familiar blue signs going up somewhere on Saturn Parkway in the near future?

Anonymous said...

Screw Wal-Mart....they only attract the trash...We're going to have a SUPER TARGET....that's a million times better than Wallyworld.

SeanM said...

That is good for Thompsons Station and bad for Spring Hill because our fearless leaders let companies like Home Depot build huge generic orange buildings right in the middle of town center and leave giant piles of dirt around. Looks great, gotta love our beautiful town center!

I'll bet my next pay check WalMart will target, no pun intended, Spring Hill now. Hopefully Spring Hill will hold them to the same standards Thompsons Station did as far as appearance and signage and not just let them build another cruddy looking WalMart.

Personally I don't want a WalMart in Spring Hill. They only prevent local competition and put people out of jobs. WalMart and city officials may say they create jobs (may be true locally, and yes they do create low paying local jobs, yippe!) but that is what they want you to think. They really only encourage overseas manufacturing because of their "falling prices". The people that used to make $25 at manfacturing positions are now out of work because the company they used to work for cannot meet the prices overseas companies can and that WalMart demands for companies to do business with them. But they have jobs at WalMart making $10 an hour, oh joy!!

Anonymous said...

SeanM,
If WalMart puts higher-paid American manufacturing workers out of work then the blame falls on those who shop at WalMart. It isn't WalMart's fault that the American consumer chooses lower-cost items, regardless of nation of manufacture. Demonizing WalMart is a waste of energy. The problem, if you see it as a problem, is that the American consumer, your neighbors and friends, are not willing to pay the difference for American-manufactured goods. If the market doesn't support "people that used to make $25 at manfacturing positions", then those displaced workers will need to find other means of earning wages. It's a sad reality but it is reality. To be clear, I have no connection to WalMart in any way. I very rarely shop there, too.

SDesforges

Jonathan Hopson said...

So what do you think about the new school site on Cleburne?

Anonymous said...

I think the new school on Cleburne is the Maury County School board thumbing their noses at Spring Hill. I wonder if the Maury County School board and county commission will ever have the people of Sping Hill's best interest in mind. It's time for them to stop looking at their relationship with our BOMA as a tug-of-war for power do what is truly best for our city's children.

Anonymous said...

So... should we not waive the fees? I'm of the opinion that this is our only real leverage in the situation at this point.

RunnerBoyMOG said...

Good news for those of us who live in South-East Spring Hill: The site plan for the Port Royal Kroger passed unanimously last night. Finally... a store that is convenient to the interstate. So, when do the bulldozers move in?

Anonymous said...

I don't think we should waive the fees if the county isn't going to improve the roads. A school on Cleburne is going to cost Spring Hill so much more than a school on Jim Warren would have from the sound of things. Apparently there are no utility services in place to the cleburne site AND the traffic is going to be terrible on Beechcroft because of it. If its bad on Beechcroft it will be worse on Main Street. Make the Maury County pay for their bad decisions.

Anonymous said...

Just a few responses and comments...
I agree, Wal-Mart does attract the less desireables which low prices will all ways attract. I do agree it is the American consumer that keeps these cheap retail stores in business. Unfortunately I think it is now beyond what those few americans, that beleive in supporting american made products, can do. We have remained passive too long. Places like Wal-Mart also generate additional cheap retail stores like privetly owned (usually Asian owned) retail stores like .99 cents only or low budget and trashy filthy nail salons. We can at least come together as citizens of Spring Hill and boycott any of these trashy retail shops that might come into town and support those who take an effort to represent themselves with class. They may be a little more expensive, but remember you usually get what you pay for.
As for Dip n Dots...I went into the new one in S.H. the first week of opening and was so unimpressed with everythng. Mostly the cost of what you actually get. There is nothing impressive about eating little balls of ice cream that has almost no flavor until it melts in your mouth. Who wants that? Ice cream should have full flavor the minute you put it in your mouth. It tried to make it in CA and never did. There are a couple of kiosk's left in a mall or two in CA, but it never got off the ground there and CA has how many more people than TN? You would think with as many diverse people there it would have been somewhat of a success....not. I don't think it will last here either. It is too much of a novelty and noveties are always here and then gone.
One more thing...how many of you tax paying citizens are aware of the TN law that states no fees are to be charged to any parent that has a child that attends public school? Ha! Look it up. I did after I couln't beleive the amount of fees I was paying for my children to attend school. Not only do they charge a general fee, up to $95 for high school, up to $55. for middle school and up to $25. for elementery school, then each class has their own additional fee for classroom used materials. Amazing at best! I could go on and on about this and shed additional light on the subject. If any of you out there are interested, just ask your questions and I'll be happy to tell you what I know. Thanks for reading. :)

RunnerBoyMOG said...

If Wal-Mart only attracts “the trash” and the “less desireables,” my question is what makes a person trash or less desirable? I went to the Super Wal-Mart in Cool Springs today and looked around, and I didn’t see anyone that I would consider trash or less desirable. In fact the people that I saw at Wal-Mart looked a lot like the people that live in Spring Hill – the people that will frequent our beloved Super Target. And why is it that Wal-Mart gets all the hatred and Target doesn’t? Is it because of Target’s slick advertising that positions them as a more desirable trendy store? If you take the time to look, you will find that the items sold in Target are manufactured in China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, etc. as well. A Super Target store is no different than a Super Wal-Mart store, save the higher prices, slick advertising, and (according to our anonymous friends) apparently less trashy, more desirable clientele. We in Spring Hill get upset when the Maury County School Board “thumbs their noses” at us, yet we don’t mind thumbing our noses at those that shop at Wal-Mart, or Big Lots, or a 99 cents store just because they need to save a little money.

Anonymous said...

RunnerboyMOG,

I hope you don't think I'm the anonymous who wrote about Walmart. I totally understand your point and, as a Christian I have fundamental beliefs that don't allow me to think of anyone as "trash." In the past, however, I did write in protest of a Big Lots close to my neighborhood because Big Lots seems to have a problem keeping a tidy appearance with their stores. I do shop at Walmart, Big Lots, and the dollar stores for their low priced items to be thrifty with our family budget. I simply do not want a shop in my neighborhood who will allow the shopping center to become run down. I haven't got any issues with the shoppers nor do most of the people who would like to see something better where the Kroger is. Personally I'd rather have a Whole Foods type of store there so I don't have to go to Cool Springs to Wild Oats anymore. As long as Wal-mart can be as nice as the one in Franklin, I say bring it on.

I am having trouble seeing how this is related to the school issue. I don't think the Maury County School Board or the Maury County Commission really value the residents who are their constituents as much as they value having control over what happens in our city. If they did, they would be going out of their way to do the absolute best for Spring Hill's children in Maury County. Is a school on Cleburne the absolute best for the children and their families?

Anyway, I wasn't the nose thumber to any shoppers. I'd be a hypocrite if I was.

RunnerBoyMOG said...

Tammy,

I was not directing my comments directly at you; and no, my comments had nothing to do with your remarks about the current Middle School situation in Maury County, except for the fact that your response communicated a sentiment that is quite common in Spring Hill. Many in our city feel that Spring Hill is treated like the proverbial "red-headed stepchild" as our two counties go about their county related politicking. That general city-wide sentiment has led Spring Hill to develop somewhat of a self-esteem issue - to the point that we as a city are tempted to try and prove our worth to our sister cities and counties: that we are not just as good as them, but are better than them... which leads to exclusivity. What I was attempting to speak to is the attitude that says, "Maury County, you have to listen to us now, because now we are a respectable city," but then turns around and says, "Wal-Mart is ok for a Franklin or a Thompson's Station, but we in Spring Hill don't want to stoop so low as to have a Wal-Mart here."

I agree with you, Tammy, that run-down shopping centers are not good for our city, but I wonder where the responsibility for the run-down shopping centers lies. Yes, the Big Lots in Franklin is a bit run down, but is that the fault of Big Lots, or the fault of the owners and managers of Alexander Plaza? If I were to take an objective look at it, I would have to honestly say that the Big Lots is actually kept up better than the majority of the shops in Alexander Plaza. So, do we become exclusive and cease to be business friendly, or do we instead remain open and friendly to the business community and hold property owners and managers accountable for their property? I believe that if a business is willing to comply with our laws, standards, and expectations, then they should be welcome to be a member of our city.

Tammy, I know that you champion family friendliness. For that, I applaud you. I think that is one of our most valuable assets: our family friendliness. The fact that KFC is shucking their status quo to build a new type of family-friendly restaurant in our city speaks volumes. If we stay away from an exclusive spirit and instead focus on being a clean, inviting, family friendly city; we will be well on our way to being the type of city that people want to move to and live in.

Anonymous said...

RunnerBoyMOG said...
Good news for those of us who live in South-East Spring Hill: The site plan for the Port Royal Kroger passed unanimously last night. Finally... a store that is convenient to the interstate. So, when do the bulldozers move in?

Hopefully not for a while... I am already over listening to the construction near the entrance to Haynes Crossing... nothing better as an alarm clock that loud construction at 7 am or earier...

Way to go, obviously Campbell Station taught us nothing. Let's keep building lots of commercial near the residential areas and ruin everyones quaility of life. But hey, at least we won't have to drive three minutes to the store, that will be helpful when the lights and noise are keeping us awake.

Anonymous said...

Ron DeFrancisco, aka Ron DeDowner said:

"Let's keep building lots of commercial near the residential areas and ruin everyones quaility of life."

Ron... Psst. If you didn't want to live so close to commercial, why would you fricking buy a house in a subdivision that was next to commercial???? Duh!

Anonymous said...

RunnerboyMog,

Sorry for my quick defensiveness. I see what you're saying. Yes, I'd have to agree the shopping center should be responsible for the appearance. I would also like to see better relationships between the counties and our city government. It doesn't seem to be as much a power struggle between Williamson and Spring Hill as it does with Maury and Spring Hill, at least when it comes to schools. The question is, How do we get there without being a doormat? Spring Hill really did shell out way more money than any other city in Williamson County to get a rec center. It will be good for the community but, its stuff like that that spurs the attitudes you are pointing out when it comes to things other than the kinds of businesses we want in our city.

Anonymous said...

By the way, I don't think Wal-Mart will be building anything new for now. Their earnings were way below projections for the quarter and they are backing off any new stores anywhere for now.

RunnerBoyMOG said...

Ron DeFrancisco has made the insinuation that the planned Kroger on Port Royal Rd is going to ruin everyone's quality of life: "Let's keep building lots of commercial near the residential areas and ruin everyones quaility of life." I can't personally speak for everyone in Spring Hill, but I can speak for myself.

Let's see... I work in Cool Springs, and will often grocery shop after I get off work. Currently, I drive to Wal-Mart and do the majority of my shopping there. I then have to back-track up Mallory Ln to Cool Springs Blvd. in order to get onto I-65 south. Because I want to contribute to Spring Hill's tax base, I go to the Kroger in Spring Hill instead of the one in Cool Springs for any items that Wal-Mart doesn't carry. That takes me onto 840, then down Hwy 31/Main Street to the Kroger. Once leaving Kroger, I then drive down Main Street, take a left on Duplex, and head home. Once the Kroger on Port Royal is built, this will be my routine: I will run by Wal-Mart, easily get onto I-65 via the new McEwen Drive interchange, head south to Saturn Pkwy, get off on Port Royal, swing by Kroger on my way home. Wow! That looks like it will improve my quality of life. And it also looks like it will help improve the quality of life for others, because I won't be contributing to the traffic on Main Street and Duplex Rd.

Ok... let's try another scenario. Currently, if I head out to work in the morning and realize that I don't have enough gas to make it to Cool Springs, I now have to drive all the way into town, because the only gas stations are on Main Street, then I have to fight all of the traffic to get back to I-65... probably adding about 30 mins to my commute time. Once the Kroger on Port Royal is built, I will be able to swing by the Kroger filling station on my way to Saturn Pkwy. Once again, I see an improved quality of life. Not the ruined quality of life that Mr. DeFrancisco suggests will occur. It looks as if Mr. DeFrancisco has exaggerated a bit in his statement.

Here's another exaggeration that he made: "But hey, at least we won't have to drive three minutes to the store, that will be helpful when the lights and noise are keeping us awake." By my calculations, the Kroger on Main Street is 4.89 miles from my house... which translates into a 10 minute trip on a good day. Since I live a little North of Mr. DeFrancisco, I'm probably a little closer to the Kroger than he is. I would be interested in finding out how he is able to get to Kroger in 3 minutes. Let's just say for argument's sake that Mr. DeFrancisco lives about 5 miles from the Kroger. He would have to average 100 mph to get there in three minutes. Now, the new Kroger on Port Royal will be approximately .75 mile from my house (a little closer for Mr. DeFrancisco). If I drive a constant speed of 20 mph (the posted speed limit in our subdivisions) it will take me just a little over 2 minutes to get to the new Kroger. If I factor in the 2 stop signs on my way... it will probably then take me 3 minutes. 10 minutes on a good day vs 3 minutes... again I see an improved quality of life.

Granted, the Kroger won't be in my back yard... but it's not in the back yard of the majority of Spring Hillians either. So, to that, I say to Mr. DeFrancisco: Thanks for taking one for the team. It's unfortunate that you will be able to see and hear the new Kroger from your back yard... but your loss is many people's gain. But this could turn out to be a win-win situation for all of us. I'm sure that your property value has increased, despite the news of the impending Kroger... and I'm sure that there is someone out there who would love to buy and live in your house, and wouldn't be bothered by having a Kroger less than a mile away. You could actually make some money on this. It's not all doom and gloom. Cheer up.

Anonymous said...

First, the short reply to Anonymous... When I bought my house, the only commercial property was the office condos at the entrance to Haynes Crossing. The properties that are now commercial were re-zoned after I closed. The plans for these new businesses were approved after I closed. Even the new Kroger is just now before the Planning Commission...

Now on to RunnerBoy...
Glad my neighbors and I could take one for the team so that you can save a few minutes on your shopping trips. Covenience does not equal quality of life, it is only one aspect. My concerns lie with the other aspects including noise pollution, light pollution and crime. Since it is not in your back yard, I am sure that you do not care about the first two... tell me how you would feel if it were. At our last Homeowners Association meeting, one of my neighbors asked the Police Chief how our area compared to the rest of the city in regards to crime. The chief advised us that crime was low in our area. When asked where the most crime was occurring, we were told in the Campbell Station area. Now, logically this makes perfect sense. More traffic in the area equals more vehicles to burglarize, more people in the area equals more victims for crime are available and more people to suspect, and transient traffic allows suspects to survey an area to commit crime with less chance of being detected or appearing suspicious. But again, it will all be worth it to save a few minutes, because we are too lazy to spend an extra few minutes to maintain a quality of life in the city for EVERYONE, rather than being selfish and worrying about only yourself. As far as my property value is concerned, I do not think the new commercial properties being so close are going to help me, but if you think it is a great investment and something you would want to live next to, we can always discuss your buying my house at a handsome profit to me since it is becoming so valauble already, because just think how the value is going to skyrocket once Kroger is built... now that would be taking one for the team, and just think how fast you could get home from the store. As for me, I will continue to drive to Publix and patronize our existing businesses that are not deteriorating our quality of life.

RunnerBoyMOG said...

Hmmm… selfish… OK. Selfish: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself; seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.

Ron, I’ll give that to you: my anticipation of having a Kroger that is convenient may be rooted in a bit of selfishness. But, who is the more selfish. Having a Kroger that is convenient to one of our only interstate access points, and that will relieve some of the traffic strain on Main Street benefits me… but it also benefits the entire city. Leaving things the way they are so that you can sleep past 7:00 in the morning benefits you and the few families that live near you.

Is it your desire to keep all future development away from you so that you can maintain your life as you know it today? If that is your desire, then your desire is in vain. You chose to purchase a home within the Saturn Parkway corridor and within viewing distance of an Industrial Park. As our city grows, things are going to change. The view from your windows is going to change. The sounds that you hear outside are going to change. Should we stop all progress within a mile from your home so that you can have the peace and quiet that you want? Can we look forward to you coming on this board and bemoaning every new project that is built within sight of your back yard?

Anonymous said...

lol

Anonymous said...

I am just a visitor, for now, to this site...just checking things out and seeing how issues are addressed. I thought I had read somewhere within the site that the comments posted were to be of sound concern on a particular subject with an effort to inform and perhaps come to some agreeable resolution without arguing or belittle someone elses thoughts or ideas. I would like to see the people that post comments get back to what this site was intended for and quit the bickering like grade school kids on who has the better idea for the same science project. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Runnerboy,
Have you ever lived behind or in very close proximity to a supermarket or a 24 hour store? If not, I don't see how you can make the type of comments that you are making as it's only going to affect you in the # of turns you need to make on your local shopping trips. You will not have to deal with the loading trucks, the stench that normally comes with the garbage bins that are kept out back of the store, the sound of diesel trucks idling while delivering or filling up the proposed gas tanks for the station located there, etc. If I were in Ron's or his neighbors shoes I would've fought like hell to keep that store from being built in that location as well. This is a continued case of the developer pushing the city around and the city not looking at the greater picture of everyone involved.

Anonymous said...

The issue at hand is whether Port Royal Rd with access to Saturn Parkway is the appropriate location for this type of commercial use. Clearly it is.

The five acre lots in this area were zoned for industrial long before Haynes Crossing existed and the properties were rezoned to commercial. They were zoned industrial because of the proximity to Saturn Parkway.

Now, one could make an argument that industrial might be a more compatible use for this property next to a residential subdivision, OR one could make an argument that convenience commercial might be a more compatible use.

The kicker in all of this is that Harris Teeter announces that they are coming to Westhaven and the residents throw a fireworks show. Kroger announces that they are coming to Port Royal Road and residents throw a fit..... Go figure!

Is it possible that the residents of Westhaven view their neighborhood grocer as an ammentity? Not according to our poster from Haynes Crossing.....

RunnerBoyMOG said...

DerekB,
I can’t say that I have ever lived in a situation as you describe it. If that is truly how it will be for the residents there near the Kroger, then that is truly unfortunate, and I apologize for trivializing the situation. So educate me. Is it really going to be as bad as you describe? Do we not have buffering standards? Is the parking lot/dumpsters/loading dock going to be completely exposed to the residential homes?

Anonymous said...

Runnerboy,

Most of the commercial areas in the city are zoned B-4. Per current regulations, B-4 has no restrictions. Now, buffering standards were revised just a month ago. I don't know if the Planning Commission requested those buffering standards to be applied for the Kroger project or they grandfather them. If the new standards are not applied, it means...a nightmare for he homeowners close to it.

I'm not against Kroger and I see the benefits you have mentioned. However, there is a big difference between a well planned development and something without regulations and the most square footage per acre.

Anonymous said...

Consider this....It is hard to compare the residents of Westhaven vs. the residents of Spring Hill. Westhaven and Tollgate Village are both livable, walkable communities. Residents moved into the neighborhood knowing that it was residential/commercial. There was a well thought out plan on how to blend commercial and residentialin these neighborhoods. It is unfortunate that Spring Hill does not have a plan. If you are planning on moving to Spring Hill...do your homework. There is no telling if another storage unit will pop up in your backyard.

Anonymous said...

gee md, nice to see you think so highly of the community you represent

Anonymous said...

If, by "md", you are referring to me, I have not posted anything on this site in months and really don't intend on making it a habit. Thanks for keeping me in mind though.

While Mr. DeFrancisco's concerns may have some validity, I, personally, have no problem with Kroger's location and I've stated so previously. I am glad to see the zoning ordinance revisions become finalized. Those revisions will allow our Planning Commission to better serve the residents.

I think the Saturn Pkwy/I-65 area of town is the logical location for continued development. This development is going to financially sustain the city as we move forward. Will all of that development decrease property values? I don't think so. When it's all said and done, the residents of Haynes Crossing will be within 1 - 2 miles of interstate access, a grocery store, fuel station, ball park, fire station, YMCA and, God-willing, a hospital - all of which are extremely good selling points and should make Haynes Crossing a fairly sought-after subdivision to be in.

For those who are new, I will be sending out August's newsletter shortly. If you do not currently receive it and you want to, simply email me and let me know.

As always, I welcome your comments and look forward to serving you and this great city.

Michael Dinwiddie
Alderman, Ward 1

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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.

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