Introduction
Howdy, y'all! Thanks for stopping by to read for a while! I hope that you have a cool glass of water with you, not coffee. It's hot and humid enough around here, at least. I'll get to the meat and potatoes of this article in a minute. First, I'll unload a bit of “life, such as it is.”
Bravely this morning, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman took our '08 Honda Civic (her car) to the fix-it shop. The air conditioner isn't working. Do you remember when cars didn't have air conditioners? How did we survive? She came back. We will decide what to do. I know the estimated cost to fix the air conditioning system and the value of her car. Afterward, we hauled trash in my '06 Frontier, whose air conditioner continues to work fine. Then, we helped her cousin. One side of his double garage door was off track. Using her cousin's tools, I put the door back on track.
Now, are you ready for this fourth article in the “Advance Knox Update” series? I need to change the series title from “Advance Knox Update” to “McMansion Subdivision War Update,” but I've already started this theme. It's another “poly-ticks” article. I may change the series title later.
To readers, both national and international, I apologize for another local “poly-ticks” article. To local Knox County, Tennessee, readers, please join the fight against more “McMansion” subdivisions by any means at your disposal!
Spiderweb of Bureaucratic Websites
The article from Wednesday, 5/18/2022, was the third in this series. It referenced a number of websites. It concluded, “I will email several folks after I publish this article. My email will reference this article.” I emailed those folks. So far, I have received three replies (including one reply to my reply). In total, I have sent five email replies so far. I am saving all the emails for my records.
Since 5/18/2022, I have done more research on the following websites:
Knox County (TN) Commission (https://commission.knoxcountytn.gov/);
Advance Knox (TN), who are my friends now (https://advanceknox.org/about);
Knox County (TN) Board of Zoning Appeals (a member from each of the nine county districts, https://www.knoxcounty.org/codes/bza.php);
Knox County (TN) Planning Alliance (KCPA), established in 2018 (https://www.kcpa.us/about-us);
and Knoxville-Knox County Planning, established in 1956 (https://knoxplanning.org/about).
The previous three articles in this series include details about each of the above entities, except for the Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals. I had been preparing for the upcoming Knox County Commission meeting in two days on Monday, 5/23/2022, at 7 PM. It would include discussion of 4–M-22-RZ/4-G-22-SP. Unfortunately, now I am starting to write about “policy-wonk psychobabble!” See the 5/18/2022 article for all that “fun.”
I was getting lost in the spiderweb of bureaucratic websites! I downloaded several PDF files, but I grew tired of trying to brush my way through all the spiderwebs! I almost gave up!
Rescued by Gibbs Planning Advocates (GPA)!
Yesterday, my friends at Gibbs Planning Advocates - GPA (their Facebook page) informed everyone who follows their page of the following: “The rezoning for 7921 Thompson School Rd. has been deferred to June at the request of the applicant, so it will NOT be heard Monday at County Commission.” The Knox County Commission meeting, scheduled for Monday, 5/23/2022, at 7 PM, has been postponed until June.
That was a bit of good news. I wish Gibbs Planning Advocates (GPA) would create their own website. It's easy to do! They could link website articles to their social media platform, as I do.
Early this morning, on their previously mentioned Facebook page, Gibbs Planning Advocates (GPA) referenced an article that I was glad to find and read: “'This is becoming a crisis in Knox County:’ Residents fight to stop Dry Hollow development,” WATE News, by Wes Cooper, 5/20/2022.
The article mentions the same developer (that I know is I-75 Land Partners, LLC), which has “McMansion” subdivision plans in the Dry Hollow area. The developer has similar plans for 7921 Thompson School Road in the Gibbs community, which is near our neck of the woods.
By the way, from Dun & Bradstreet, I found information about I-75 Land Partners LLC. It is in La Follette, Tennessee, and started in 2021. That's all I know for now.
Great Article from Knox TN Today!
This morning, I decided to avoid further efforts to untangle the spiderweb of bureaucratic websites. I happened to find a Knox TN Today article. Growing up, I became familiar with the crude expression, “Don't piss down my leg and tell me it's raining!” I'm sorry, Mom, I had to write that crude expression for taking a leak!
The article is “Just don’t trickle down my leg,” Knox TN Today, by Betty Bean, 5/19/2022. To Knox County, Tennessee, readers, you may want to sip some ice water and read this article! I downloaded it and saved it on my computer. Betty Bean used “trickle” instead of the rather crude word.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs wants to prevent Knox County citizens from being able to appeal Knoxville-Knox County Planning (established in 1956) decisions on “McMansion” subdivisions to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Instead, Mayor Jacobs wants citizens to “get a lawyer” and “take it to court.”
In other words, Mayor Glenn Jacobs takes a leak down the legs of Knox County citizens and tells us it's raining.
Conclusion
The broad context of this discussion involves several factors. First, folks from “blue” states are moving to “red” states, such as Tennessee, including Knox County. Next, property values are increasing exponentially, as are rental costs. Third, inflation is setting records not seen since the Jimmy Carter “stagflation” days. “This country is about gone, boys.” (Dad said that for years before he passed away on 1/25/2008.) Fourth, owners of large tracts of land, which were once farms, want to sell to the highest bidder. Finally, developers, who come a dime a dozen, are eager to buy and build as many “McMansion” subdivisions as they can.
For decades, the “rubber stamp” machine has been hard at work! Owners sell farmland to developers. Developers build “McMansion” subdivisions. Folks from “blue” states buy the “McMansions.” The cycle repeats.
Or does it? Earlier today, I helped my wife's cousin place his garage door back on track. I'm trying to help Knox County stop the “McMansion” subdivision insanity. The “mushrooms” need to stop popping up after all the “green” money has rained down. On Monday, 5/23/2022, I plan to send an email to Mayor Jacobs, with copies to several folks, to help put Knox County back on track! We will see what happens.
Until then, it's almost suppertime. I'm hungry. Let's eat, dear!
2 comments:
Although this article was released some time ago, I figure the Irish are still out there..
So we have an endorsement fm Jimmy Duncan - to see GJ to the governorship. So what do you think of his chances? Doesn’t the endorsement insult every elected official in the state, who wants the job?
Thank you, Anonymous, for your comment on this 5/21/2022 article. Two years later, this Appalachian Irishman is still here. I assume you heard that former congressman Jimmy Duncan endorsed Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs to run for Tennessee governor in 2026. I missed that news. The focus has now shifted from the “McMansion” subdivision battles of two years ago to the next governor. Apparently, the election cycles are drawing out longer and longer. Glenn Jacobs will not garner my vote. Jimmy Duncan's apparent endorsement of him means beans to me. Thank you for stopping by. Any future comments will be welcomed.
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