Durham Farms Development
From: Tom Evans, January 05, 2006 9:30 AM
Subject: Drake's Creek
Committee & Advisors,
Last night I watched the Planning Commission discuss a HUGE development at Drake’s Creek, just north of the By-pass. If you are a biker, you know this area is special for all of us. Also, if you are familiar with the 2000 Master Plan for Bike/Pedestrian Greenways, you know we have a “Greenway” on the plan to run from the By-pass to Long Hollow Pike along Drake’s Creek. It is WRITTEN into the overall Sumner County Master Plan to connect Greenways in Gallatin and Hendersonville.
I heard the Developers (and citizen comments) talk “pocket parks”, “green space”, and “buffer zones”, but at no time did I hear mention of this LONG planned Greenway. But then I will admit, I haven’t seen the entire plan. Regardless, I sure hope WE don’t intend to sit “on our hands” without getting this Greenway, which many of you who participated on the writing of the Master Plan and on its “review,” designed into the planning for our city.
From: Jamie Clary, January 05, 2006
Tom, Toward the end of the 3-hour discussion on the Durham Farm, we discussed greenways. The developer will have to build internal paths as well as a 10-foot wide path through the development, much of it along Drakes Creek, as part of a connection from Hendersonville to Long hollow Pike. We are not finished deciding on the overall development. So there is still time to give thoughts on it, actually a lot of time.
From: Bruce Day, January 05, 2006
Tom, I watched part of the Drakes Creek Conversation. The good part is that Jamie, Planning, and Public works were standing up for us. The bad was that there was no citizen presences to counter the developer's view. The Mayor specifically suggested that since the current Greenway about the soccer fields is 10 feet that should be adequate. No knowledgeable person was there to dispute that. First, the ten feet is inadequate and only works now because there is a parallel road for cyclist and the trail is yet to be connect to Wessington. It is currently a blind loop. When it eventually gets connected, the part without a parallel road will not be sufficient. Second, I was at public works meeting defending changing the Indian Lake Bike Route because of increased traffic on East Drive when the Mayor stated "This plan was done by engineers, perhaps we should not change it without the input of engineers." I assume the path along Drakes Creek they were discussing at the last planning meeting would be part of the long connector from Stop Thirty to Long Hollow Pike. Engineers specialized in multi use paths have recommended 14 feet with 2 foot shoulders as needed. Any change from that would simply accommodate the developers desire to not go to the expense "So that a couple of bikes can pass each other once and a while."
This issue is to be raised again at the Jan 17th, non televised, meeting. Unfortunately I am scheduled to work at Skyline that day 2pm to 2 am and will be unable t attend, but someone should be there to present our view. In fact, someone of us should have had some input into to the project plan before it went to this meeting.
From: FRANK BOWYER, January 05, 2006 4:54 PM
Tom, I talked with Southeastern Builders last night and discussed greenways, particularly in their Kennesaw development in Gallatin. The comments I heard from this developer is that they left "easement space along the creek" to allow for the "city to build the greenway" in that community. Further discussion led me to believe that this developer is not aware that he should be the one building the greenway. He did comment that he's for having greenways in communities, but he also commented that most users of greenways like them but don't want them passing through their back yard. He's open to ideas, though and volunteered to keep an open dialogue with me concerning greenways whenever I have any questions or concerns or just need his advice. I'll present more later, I have a function to go to tonight so my time is limited. Talk to you soon.
