Red Bank commissioners passed an ordinance on the final reading to allow a zoning change for property at 121 and 133 Culver St. from Single Family Residential to Townhouse / Zero Lot Line. The two lots can now be divided into three narrower ones.
Three nearby residents spoke at a public hearing two weeks ago in opposition because they said zero lot line homes did not fit in with the neighborhood, but all believed that the 1,800-2,000-square-foot, three-bedroom two-bath townhomes with garages would be done well.
Their reluctance was that the owner Greg Jones might rent the houses or sell the rezoned lots to someone who might do a poor job of building them. Mr. Jones already owns rental houses in the area and takes care of the property, it was stated. He told those in opposition that, if rented, these too would be taken care of. The council voted to approve the zoning change on second and final reading at the commission meeting Tuesday night.
Also approved was the acceptance of a grant from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. This is a 100 percent grant of $36,995 and it will pay for a distracted driving reduction program. There is no match required from the city. Interim City Manager Tim Thornbury said the city applies for and receives this grant every year and it pays for police overtime, which will use the extra time patrolling.
After the final audit was received and reviewed, the commissioners voted to put aside $71,101. that will be used for a two percent employee cost of living increase. It will be retroactive to July 1, 2018, the beginning of the city’s fiscal year. The employees do a great job, said Mayor John Roberts.
The city has been warning of the closure at the intersection of Ashland Terrace and Dayton Boulevard for almost a year, said the mayor. It is now 10 days away and the city has started putting up signs to announce the closure and detours to drivers. A box culvert that carries water under the road will be replaced. The intersection is expected to be closed for 30-40 days. Detour maps are available at city hall.
Commissioner Terry Pope said that free yard signs can be picked up at city hall for residents who want to slow down traffic in their neighborhoods. The signs say, “Drive like your kids live here”
Commissioner Carol Rose would like citizens of Red Bank to know that the city codes are now available online at the Red Bank website. The website will direct to the MTAS address where the codes can be seen. They can be read entirely or can be searched by category to find a particular code, she said.
Mayor Roberts said that by the end of this year, the city expects to announce two new developments that are coming to Red Bank. One is a new residential development and the other is a redeveloped commercial project.