FARRAGUT, Tenn. — In a blow to Knox County's Growth Policy Plan, the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted against approval. Though the plan doesn't include Farragut, state law requires Knoxville, Knox County and Farragut to approve the proposal.
Both Knoxville and Knox County already voted in favor of it. Farragut's board voted against the plan, 2-3. Aldermen Drew Burnette, Scott Meyer and David White voted against. Mayor Roan Williams and Vice Mayor Louise Povlin voted in favor.
Knox County Senior Director of Public Works Jim Snowden said leaders wanted to plan for Knox County's growth, avoiding sprawl.
In 2021, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs announced a process to update the county's general plan through 2045. County planners held several public input sessions, throughout the planning stages, before releasing a draft plan in 2023. That draft was again open for public input.
Snowden said Knox County wanted to plan for the thousands of people expected to move in during the next two decades. Planners wanted developers to build housing in areas where the schools and roads could handle it, while leaving rural areas rural, he said.
"We wanted to look at areas where we have infrastructure in place to allow for higher densities, allow for retail and commercial and higher density residential, in areas where we can absorb that growth," Snowden said. "Hopefully this will really isolate the developments around where infrastructure supports it."
In West Knox County, community members have been outspoken against development and growth, specifically in the Choto neighborhood. Snowden said county planners took that concern and planned to do a land study of the area.
"We'll try to find some projects that we can implement over the next 5-10 years to really improve the mobility in that community," Snowden said.
Another concern, Snowden said, was the growth of Hardin Valley. He said planners wanted to add more redundancy to the routes to and from that community, to alleviate the pressure on roads in Farragut.
"Most of the concerns that's come to me is from people who have not read the plan," said Farragut Mayor Ron Williams.
He added, the plan wouldn't affect land use in Farragut.
"It don't concern us. We are a separate entity when it comes to all those things," Williams said.
In 2020, Farragut voted against another growth strategy already passed by Knox County and Knoxville.
Hancen Sale, the government affairs and policy director of the East Tennessee Realtors group, said he was disappointed with Farragut leaders' decision to vote down the growth plan. His full statement is below.
“Tonight was a sad night for Knox County. The Town of Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Alderman has failed each and every resident of Knox County by choosing to reject a reasonable compromise in favor of maintaining an unsustainable and undesirable 'no plan' approach that will perpetuate the status quo of sprawl-style development. Ultimately, those who will suffer the most as a result of tonight’s vote are essential workers — police officers, teachers, and nurses — who will no longer be able to afford to live in the county they serve."
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs also released a statement about the vote. It is available below.
"Tonight the Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman voted for a continuation of an unacceptable status quo when they voted down the growth policy amendments. That status quo has brought us skyrocketing housing prices and unchecked urban sprawl. And it is contributing to our homelessness problem and destroying our beautiful open spaces. But instead of voting for a positive change, three politicians on Farragut's Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted tonight to continue that status quo, in spite of the support of Mayor Ron Williams and Vice Mayor Louise Povlin.
My team and I will consider all possible options before announcing a path forward. Knox County deserves better than the status quo and I’m determined to deliver a growth policy that protects our way of life."