FEMA Link; How to help!

Shanna McCoy, Franklin flood control, says this link below details what can be  developed in the floodplain-floodway. 

The permitted uses can be found in the City of Franklin Zoning Ordinance in Chapter 3.4.4 Floodway and 3.4.5 Floodplain. 

The  Zoning Ordinance can be accessed  from this link; http://www.franklintn.gov/home/showdocument?id=22062 .  

This ordinance is a PDF and will not copy and paste to this news blog.

The hatched line designates floodway, the dark gray is 100 year floodplain and the lighter gray is 500 year floodplain.

Amy Miller is with State of Tennessee Economic Development.  She is in charge of Flood Monitoring for the state of Tennessee.  The proposed paved greenway/trail with lights is legal and acceptable within a flood plain.  The addition of bathrooms and parking lots are also acceptable.

Shanna McCoy states, “parks, trails, open space are approved and appropriate uses for areas of floodplain.  As this area is further down the road in the Parks Department’s Master Plan, it may be several years before you see any progress.  However, be assured that when/if the plan moves forward, all State and Federal regulations will be met and followed.”

It has been learned that trees may not be taken down to build the trail. 

The observation is that the trail behind Ewingville will be closer to homes.  Amy Miller also stated walkway with lights and bathrooms are allowed in a flood plain.  She also stated no trees are allowed to be removed.

It is imperative that our letters and calls arrive to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, BOMA, before their December 8, 2015 work session meeting.  These are the deciders of the trail and the placement behind Ewingville.

You might state that Ewingville does not object to trails or connectivity of parks.  Placement of the walking trail through Ewingville is the concern.  We are not oppossing a public utility but are opposed to a non-essential that compromises the quality of life on Ewingville.

All of the concerns of invasion of privacy, safety and security are now the only appeal we seem to have. 

Please write or call the BOMA members.  Take nothing for granted.

If you have written or called, do it again. Voting by BOMA will likely be in January of 2016.

Strongly suggest that the trail be placed along Lewisburg Pike.  Along Lewisburg none of the concerns we have will be a factor. 

To write or call BOMA members 

see the TAB at the top of our blog:  BOMA contact info.

Parks Plan and Ewingville Drive

The Master Parks Plan was presented to BOMA and the public on November 5, 2015 in the Training Room of City Hall.  

The crowd size was an estimated 200.  Folks came from Ewingville, Sturbridge, Yorktown, and Harpeth Meadows to register the opposition to the trail on our side of the river.  There were a few supporters who wanted the trail for their own biking and running.

The parks planners briefly presented an overview of the entire parks plan.  The majority of the two hours concerned trail placement.  There was much audience participation with anyone who wished speaking at least once.  This was not a time for BOMA decision.  

The vast majority of those speaking voiced concerns of privacy, loss of property value, policing and the impact on the environment and wildlife.

No one was totally against the entire trail system.  Stated was that the study was done considering the trail user and not the property owners.

Questioned by two in attendance.... if the study had begun by contacting FEMA concerning flood restrictions on this property.  The company designing the plan had NOT contacted FEMA.

The final vote will likely be in January 2016. 

A BOMA work session will be on December 8, 2015 at 5:00 PM.  This is generally a time when the public speaks little.   

Come to listen and then recontact BOMA with concerns or appreciation for their position to remove Ewingville.  Getting Ewingville removed benefits all subdivisions up the road.

It should be noted that the Ewingville side of the trail was first taken out of the plan and put back in.  The trail is on both sides of the river currently.

Several BOMA members were in attendance.  The decision of the trails is solely with BOMA.

Meanwhile our proactive plan is to contact each BOMA member.  They will likely take a vote on the trails and parks plan in January 2016.  So, making a contact before January is imperative.

Please see the TAB at the top of this blog for BOMA names and contact information.  How you contact is your decision….but..contact!   Maybe you have once contacted…it is time to do it again.