City Councilperson Karen Reynolds

Request for Support - Viewmont Drive Varience

December 26, 2022

Good afternoon,

I am sorry to interrupt your holiday, but I would like to ask your support to request that the RPC Commissioners deny S-100-2022, Case V-8-2022 for a subdivision variance that will be voted on by the Regional Planning Commissioners on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. This issue will not come before the City Council. The requested Varience is for the Broomfield Farms Subdivision located at the intersection of Trenton Road and Gibbs Lane. There are several issues with this variance request:

1. On 7 July 2022, the City Council did not approve the Ordinance 08-2022-23 located at the southern terminus of Viewmont Dr. & north of Gibbs Ln. from AG to R-2

2. Viewmont Drive is very narrow and does not currently meet the road requirements.

3. The Montgomery County Subdivision Regulation states that there must an entrance for every 160 Lots.

a. Viewmont subdivision has approximately 145 units.

b. Broomfield Farms Subdivision will have a total of 102 Units.

c. They are requesting to build the subdivision in 3 phases (you can see the lines if you look at the images closely).

d. The first phase will have approximately 60 units and the only entrance will be Viewmont Drive.

e. The width of Viewmont Drive does not meet the required width and the subdivision does not have sidewalks.

f. When this was approved the residents who came to the meetings were told there would be at least two entrances but there is opportunity for three.

g. Initially the street department indicated the subdivision was required to connect via Cross Ridge Drive. It is my understanding this requirement has been withdrawn.

h. I am unable to provide complete details because the full agenda presented at the RPC meetings is not open to the public, we must request them via the freedom of information act.

i. Phase 1 will create approximately 206 lots using only one road, Viewmont Drive, for an entrance and exit.

I see this is bait and switch being pushed during the holiday when people are busy. I am very disappointed in the mayor; he should stand on what was promised to the residents and not allow the builders to build this subdivision in phases and insist they connect to Cross Ridge Drive. The safety of our residents should be centered, and our promises should be kept.

I think it is very important that our residents tell our elected officials and board members that we are watching. This area is not in Ward 9, but is it adjacent to our ward and I have inlcuded other residents that have contacted me, if this is approved it will set the standard for future variences regarding the the street widths and number of lots per entrance and exit.

Link to RPC - Current Cases December 2022

My ask is that you please write an email and send it to the list below this afternoon or first thing in the morning. I plan to address the commissioners and will use the emails at the meeting. I am providing a sample email and you can just cut and paste the list into your To or BCC.

Good afternoon,

I am writing to ask that the Regional Planning Commission and the commissioners deny any variance requests for Case Number S-100-2022, Broomfield Farms Section 1-2. I also request that you not allow the subdivision to be built in phases, this could allow the builder to not make all the required connections.

I am specifically contacting in regards to Case V-8-2022, requesting to build phase 1 of the subdivision utilizing only Viewmont Drive. The Subdivision Regulation requires an entrance for every 160 units, this variance would increase that number to approximately 206 units on a road that does not meet minimum width requirements and does not have sidewalks.

I further request that you do not approve the subdivision to be built unless it is connected to Cross Ridge Drive and Trenton Road. These connections should be made prior to residents living in the community.

In support of full transparency and to avoid the appearance of any wrongdoings or favoritism, I also ask that the full agendas for all committee meetings at the Regional Planning Commission be published.

The approval of this variance (Case V-8-2022) will create an unsafe road in the community. The residents were assured that this subdivision would not be approved without a total of 2 entrances. I ask the RPC and commissioners to not go back on their word, please keep our community safe and respect the regulations as written.

Thank you,

Contact Emails

mayorgolden@mcgtn.net; Joe.pitts@cityofclarksville.com; Ward1@cityofclarksville.com; Ward2@cityofclarksville.com; ward3@cityofclarksville.com; Ward4@cityofclarksville.com; Ward5@cityofclarksville.com; Ward6@cityofclarksville.com; Ward7@cityofclarksville.com; Ward8@cityofclarksville.com; Ward9@cityofclarksville.com; Ward10@cityofclarksville.com; Ward11@cityofclarksville.com;

Ward12@cityofclarksville.com; rpc@cityofclarksville.com; district1@mcgtn.net; district2@mcgtn.net; district3@mcgtn.net; district4@mcgtn.net; district5@mcgtn.net; district6@mcgtn.net; district7@mcgtn.net; district8@mcgtn.net; district9@mcgtn.net; district10@mcgtn.net; district11@mcgtn.net; district12@mcgtn.net; district13@mcgtn.net; district14@mcgtn.net; district15@mcgtn.net; district16@mcgtn.net; district17@mcgtn.net; district18@mcgtn.net; district19@mcgtn.net; district20@mcgtn.net; district21@mcgtn.net

Unless requested, the letters recieved pertaining to zoning ordiances may be published on the agenda.

For those interested in additional details as to why I reached out directly about this issue.

I shared this information in my December Newsletter. My amendment was directly related to this cluster subdivision.

4. Referred to Planning Commission-I voted to Refer- ORD 55-2021-22 An Ord amending the city zoning Ord of the City of Clarksville, Tennessee, as it pertains to lot coverage and cluster subdivision regulations.

I submitted two amendments for this ordinance, one passed, and it was referred to the planning commission because the change was considered substantive.

Definition: The intent of the cluster ordinance is to facilitate the development of tracts with environmental constraints at densities comparable to tracts without environmental limitations, and/or to permit greater flexibility for creative design and/or to achieve superior scenic quality and recreational opportunities close to home, by providing for residential subdivisions which incorporate permanent local open space accessible to all residential lots within the subject tract.

Passed I voted Yes: Amendment 1: Remove Agriculture lots from cluster ordinance.

On 7 July we voted against rezoning from AG to R2. The property has steep Topo and a floodplain. The total units approved would be 40 units., ORDINANCE 08-2022-23. At the November 2022 RPC meeting, the builders submitted a Cluster Development for the same area. This is the first time that a builder has included AG in a cluster, when builders use the loopholes, we need to close them.

Definition: Open space must be for common use of all residents with a residential area and is 15% of entire master plan. The new Cluster Subdivision plat for the area we voted against rezoning now has a total of 100 units using the flood plain and non-buildable areas as 35% of their open space.

Notice in the image there are no walkways, trails, bikeways etc…

Failed I voted YES-Amendment 2: The Regional Planning Commission is proposing to allow 2 flag lots in cluster developments. My amendment would not allow them to build flag lots.

Definition: A flag lot generally contains a narrow strip of property leading from a right-of-way to the building site which is generally located to the rear of other lot(s) fronting along the same right-of-way.

The homes in cluster developments are already condensed infill, I do not think we should allow shared driveways or lots that do not front on the streets. They are required to have 15% open space; the design could include these areas as open spaces.

The Images above from left to right.

1. This is the subdivision area for the Broomfield Farms.

2. Viewmont Subdivision - note there is only one entrace to Trention Road for 147 Units.

3. The proposed Broomfield Farms Subdivision. If you down load and reveiw the map you can see the proposed phases.

The Images are of Viewmont Drive. The road width at the entrance meets the requirements but the end that will connect to the new subdivision is narrower than the entrance.

The above images are of Cross Ridge Drive. This connection was blocked by a homeowner several years ago. This connection would decrease the traffic on Viewmont and serve as a third connection to the neighborhood. It is my understanding that the streets department initially required this connection and recently withdrew this requirement. The safety of the residents in this area require 3 connections, Cross Ridge, Viewmont Drive, and Trenton Road. The connections should be built and available prior to occupancy of the subdivision. If this is not required up front, the additional traffic is a risk to the current residents and/or the builder could abandon the project and the taxpayers would be required to complete the roads.

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