Clarksville City Councilperson Karen Reynolds – Ward 9 Newsletter, October 17th

Clarksville, TN – Our meeting last week was very long, we had a lot to talk about.

I addressed concerns regarding the capacity of our schools. The mayor has agreed to have staff from Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) address the city council at our next session to provide an overview of the long-range plans for the school system and their plans to ensure our school system is prepared for the growth.

I have asked that the city council be provided the Traffic Assessment before the meetings, we currently have to request them individually. I am also researching the current sidewalk requirements in our community, more to follow.

On October 5th, the city council approved the settlement of the Robinsons and/or Franklin Street Corporation (FSC) v. City State Court and Federal Court lawsuits. This is only a partial settlement.

The city council has a special session scheduled for October 20th; the mayor will present the proposed rezoning of the Wards based on the 2021 Census.

Ward Wide Clean Up

Wards 8, 9, and 11 along Needmore Road.

We will meet at Glenellen Elementary School at 9:00am.

All supplies will be provided.

Bring friends, we will be splitting into groups to tackle the entire road!

 
12-2021-22 Postponed August 5th, Public Hearing held August 5th) property located at the intersection of Fort Campbell Boulevard and Millswood Drive from C-5 and R-2 to R-4.

Failed I vote No

Annexed Territory Along Hwy 76 And Little Hope Road

RESOLUTION 20-2021-22 Annexing territory along Highway 76 and Little Hope Road

RESOLUTION 21-2021-22 Approving a Plan of Service for annexed territory along Highway 76 and Little Hope Road

ORD 31-2021-22 Amending the Official Code Of The City Of Clarksville Reapportioning The City Of Clarksville For The Purpose Of Electing Persons For The Office Of City Council Member.

RESOLUTION 22-2021-22 Approving the abandonment of an unimproved right-of-way, located south of Peterson lane, north of Warren Drive and west of Faye Drive; RPC: Disapproval

Failed I vote No

RESOLUTION 23-2021-22 Approving the abandonment of an unimproved alleyway located south of Hyman Street, north of Arctic Street and west of Red River Street;

Passed I Voted NO – The city should preserve green spaces when possible, this was not a buildable lot.

ORD 33-2021– property located at the intersection of Tiny Town Road and Needmore Road from C-5 to C-2.

Failed I vote No-Concerns addressed is there was no traffic study, and this is a congested area.

ORD 34-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Tiny Town Road and Allen Road from AG to C-5/R-4

I voted yes but I have additional questions regarding this zoning request. I was not able to obtain the Traffic assessment before I voted. I will review before the next vote.

ORD 35-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Golf Club Lane and Old Ashland City Road from O-1 to C-2

ORD 36-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Fort Campbell Boulevard and West Bel Air Boulevard from C-5/R-1 to C-2 RPC: Disapproval

Passed I vote NO

ORD 37-2021-22 located at a tract east of Warfield Boulevard, west of Roanoke Road, north of Rossview Road from O-1 to C-2

ORD 38-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Old Russellville Pike Road and Hickory Trace Road from R-1 to R-6

ORD 39-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Richardson Street and Crossland Avenue from R-3 to R-4

ORD 40-2021-22 Property located at the intersection of Tiny Town Road and Heritage Pointe Drive from AG to C-2

ORD 41-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Needmore Road and Bell Road from AG to R-4

ORD 42-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Oak Lane and Lucas Lane from R-3 to R-6

ORD 43-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and Kleeman Drive

Passed I vote NO
Several residents reached out to address concerns of drainage and this property was filled in after the tornado. I asked for more information and was told the site plan would be reviewed before construction is allowed to move forward

ORD 44-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Needmore Road and Turner Lane from R-3 to R-4

Consent Agenda

All Items Passed unless noted

ORD 16-2021-22 Amending the Zoning ordinance relative to breweries, micro breweries, and brewpubs

ORD 19-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Madison Street and Tanglewood Drive from R-1 to C-2

Passed-I voted NO

September 16th Mr. Reda was gracious enough to meet with the residents of the Eastern Hills neighborhood. The residents addressed concerns for drainage, the environment including erosion control and drainage.

There were concerns for the Sewer Capacity and the odor. I addressed the residents’ concerns with the Director for Gas and Water. He indicated that he would look into improving the odor, but the project would not affect the current capacity.

Mr. Reda was very clear with the neighborhood group that he had no immediate plans to do anything differently with the property (it currently has homes on it that he rents out) but instead wants it rezoned simply to increase its value for use as collateral for other building projects.

It is important that we consider the voices of the community and I appreciate the residents and Mr. Reda for reaching out and having the conversations.

ORD 20-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Darnell Place and Cedar Crest Drive from R-3 to R-4

ORD 21-2021-22 property located at the southern terminus of Rufus Johnson Road from M-3 to C-5

ORD 21-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Ishee Drive and Ringgold Road from AG to R-6 and R-2

ORD 23-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Needmore Road and E. Boy Scout Rd. from AG to R-1

ORD 24-2021-22 property located at the southern frontage of Cave Springs Road east of Danko Lane from R-3 to R-6

ORD 26-2021-22 property located at the intersection of Fairview Lane & W. Rossview Road from R-1 to R-6

RESOLUTION 19-2021-22 Approving appointments to the Clarksville Housing Authority Board, Fair Housing Board, Human Relations Commission and Parking Commission

Human Relations Commission: Lillian Vazquez through October 2021 through September 2024; Garrett Rye (Partial term replacing Dipika Patel) October 2021 through June 2022

I respect that residents volunteer and donate their own time to work on boards and committees. I voted to not reelect Ms. Vazquez but I appreciate that she was willing to serve in this capacity.

New Business

All Items Passed unless noted

ORD 27-2021-22 Authorizing a utility and ingress and egress easement to Bellsouth Telecommunications, LLC/D/B/A AT&T Tennessee at the intersection of Whitfield Road, and Needmore Road.

ORD 32-2021-22 Authorizing the sale of property located at 803 Howard Street to Marlon Placid Finance

The owner of the property built his driveway on city property and THEN said he would buy it. I could understand a piece of the driveway, but the whole driveway is on city property. Are we setting a precedent, just build on it and the city will sell it to you without any other repercussions.

Passed I voted No

RESOLUTION 26-2021-22 Authorizing a name change from Office of Housing and Community Development to Neighborhood and Community Services Housing & Community Development Committee:

Postponed Indefinitely – This must be accomplished by an ordinance.

RESOLUTION 27- 2021-22 Authorizing a request from Housing and Community Development to amend its Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action Plan/2020-2024 consolidated plan Housing & Community Development Committee:

ORD 28-2021-22 Amending the official code pertaining to hours for consumption of alcoholic beverages, beer and wine in the entertainment district “premises” as described in Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) § 57-4-102(28)(D) Amended Version Passed – I voted YES

ORD 29-2021-22 Amending the official code of the City of Clarksville Title 4 (Building, Utility and Housing Codes) relative to non-single family housing

RESOLUTION 59-2020-21 (Postponed August 5th) Requesting the Tennessee General Assembly to amend the Official Charter of the City of Clarksville according to Exhibit A Councilperson Butler. Amended and moved to Special Council

RESOLUTION 65-2020-21 (Postponed August 5th) Requesting the Mayor call a special session of the City Council as a Committee of the Whole to study and make recommendations pertaining to the City Code of Ethics Councilperson Allen – Postponed until December Meeting

RESOLUTION 4-2021-22 (Postponed August 5th) Requesting the Regional Planning Commission Director and Staff to perform an area-wide study of the R-3 residential neighborhood in the Red River District Councilperson Smith

RESOLUTION 24-2021-22 Resolution of the City Council of Clarksville, TN expressing opposition to the Presidential COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Councilperson Butler

RESOLUTION 25-2021-22 Requesting Lt. Governor Randy McNally to call a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly to address state constitutional concerns due to COVID-19 Councilperson Redd

The sponsors of these bills indicated they were not being divisive; this was disingenuous, and the resolutions were grandstanding. Several of the city council members abstained, indicating that this resolution was only serving to divide our community. I agree, we were elected to build sidewalks and provide resolutions to traffic.

Failed, I voted NO

Nationwide, we have lost over 707,000 innocent souls due to COVID-19 Coronavirus and we are still counting. The CDC indicates that masks and vaccines are the two most powerful tools to fight the pandemic

ORD 30-2021-2022 Amending the official code Title 1, Chapter 2, Section 204 relative to presenting legislation and deliberation of city council members to maximize efficiency Councilperson Holleman

Postponed

DISCUSSION: ORD 6-2021-22 (Disapproved 9/2 Second Reading) and CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 28-2021-22 Authorizing reapplication for zone change on property located at the intersection of Twin Rivers Road and Nolen Road; request of Rick Reda Home Builders Councilperson Richmond (requires ¾ majority approval of members present and voting)

Passed AGAIN I voted NO

This resolution will be the 3rd time to allow the rezoning of the property for a 3rd time since I have been on city council. The council will address this rezoning for at least the 4th time in several years. The rezoning failed in September because the traffic assessment did not address the 174 apartment units built on Old Trenton affecting the traffic in the neighborhood.

What was most disturbing was that Richmond indicated that voting against this rezoning could result in a lawsuit because we haven’t passed this rezoning while others in the area have passed. Mr. Reda was in the audience with his lawyer, it felt very orchestrated and was unsettling at the least.

I was elected to represent the residents of Ward 9, not a handful of contractors and builders. I respect some of the residents fall into this category, but they are not the majority. Reach out if you have questons.

Second Reading

ORD 14-2021-22 Amending the Official Code relative to purchasing (discrimination)

ORD 15-2021-22 Amending the Official Code relative to equal employment opportunity (discrimination)

ORD 46-2021-22 Authorizing the City of Clarksville to convey the sidewalks contained within the Downtown Commons parcel of real property to Montgomery County Tennessee

ORD 80-2020-21 Amending the Official Code relative to the Internal Service Fund

ORD 17-2021-22 Waiving credit card processing fees for Clarksville Transit System Finance Committee

ORD 18-2021-22 Amending the FY22 Operating and Capital Budget to carry forward prior year appropriations and amend for newly identified items Finance Committee