G

Franklin County has experienced an explosion of growth over the past several years.

Communities have a propensity to grow larger over time. Growth can and should be a good thing for a community, but it must be managed well.

Community members need to decide what type of community they want to live in going forward and what they want to leave for their posterity. Will their community be predominantly agricultural? Will it feature industry and provide thousands of high-paying jobs for residents? Will it have a balance between industry, agriculture, and possibly other focuses?

Will this community offer their children and grandchildren top-notch educational opportunities? Will there be a large selection of popular retail outlets and ample shopping options? Will there be a large selection of restaurants for community members to enjoy? 

Franklin County currently relies on a Planning and Zoning Department to determine what complies with the zoning regulations adopted in 1974.

Those regulations are essentially unchanged from when they were enacted almost 50 years ago. Part of this process requires a Planning and Zoning Department with a clear mandate from the community.

From what I have seen, there is not a very clear direction for Franklin County, and the Planning Commission often ignores the will of the people.

While I was a county commissioner, the Planning Commission unanimously approved a subdivision plan with the possibility of 80-100 houses in what was essentially a swamp!

The residents in that area were well aware of the drainage issues such a development would cause, not to mention the infrastructure and logistical challenges it would entail, and were vehemently opposed to the development.

The County Commission listened to the people in that area. The rezoning was denied due to their very valid concerns.

One of my fellow commissioners had inquired as to how this rezoning even got to the County Commission in the first place. The answer was, to say the least, disappointing. 

To paraphrase what was relayed to me as coming from a Planning Commission member: “We figured it wouldn’t pass the County Commission, and we didn’t want to be the bad guys.”

I do not know if that attitude is pervasive on the Planning Commission, but I fear there is little will in the current County Commission to exert any controls on growth.

The fear of the county getting sued for denying rezoning is used as a coward’s way out of such discussions.  Yes, if the county was to deny rezoning without any valid reason and all proper steps had been followed, then there is the potential for liability.

A neighbor not wanting something to be built is not valid, but adding more congestion in an area with poor visibility and a propensity for high-speed collisions is irresponsible at best.

The vast majority of Franklin County residents expressed opposition to massive solar farms taking over our arable farmland, residential areas and potential industrial sites.

I authored a resolution to place a moratorium on commercial solar, wind and other commercial renewable energy sites in Franklin County.

Now, there is suddenly a push to get rid of the Southern Middle Tennessee Pavilion, also known as the “Ag Building”.

The Ag Building was built by the farmers of this county and donated to the county government for public use. The stated impetus for this sale is a purported offer from an undisclosed entity of $1 million for the property.

The building does cost money to operate and maintain. There does not seem to be any public support for this sale, but who knows what will happen?

So how do we proceed?  The County Commission has a Long Range Planning Committee. The current chairman, Michelle Earle, is trying very hard to help develop a vision.

I have previously served on that committee with Mrs. Earle and can say firsthand that there is very little community input even when it was asked for.

Franklin County needs to have a discussion of what we want our county to look like in the next 10 to 20 years and even further out. A clear vision seems to be lacking. This discussion is overdue.

In the meantime, reach out to your commissioners. Let them know where you would like Franklin County to go in the future. Make your feelings known. 

Don’t wait for events to be in motion before you say something. Governmental inertia is a notoriously difficult thing to change. 

Lastly, keep in mind that if your representatives no longer represent your interests, you have the power to change them at the ballot box.

Greg King is a Decherd police sergeant investigator and a former county commissioner.