September 17, 2008 - Parcel 77 Rewrite

Re Parcel 77

The Towns County Homeowners Association endorses the request of the County that Parcel 77 be leased to it with the Developed Recreation designation but we do so with significant reservations and some pre conditions. If these are not in substance met, we do not support any change in the present classification.

Towns County has been looking for a place to develop a youth sports facility for years. The County needs one for its growing youth population but has been unable to locate suitable property. Further, with the prices of land in Towns County at an all-time high, purchasing sufficient land to establish such a facility is not within the budgetary reach of the county government. If such land were to be bought on the open market, it would place a large burden on the county taxpayers. The possibility of leasing the TVA Parcel 77 presents an unique opportunity for the County and its citizens.

On the other hand, there are many in the county who argue forcefully that this property should be left in its present category with expanded use discouraged. Some of these are our members which presents our Board with a dilemma.

Towns County has a mixed record in their operation of public facilities. On the one hand, the new county beach has been well put together and is well run. On the other hand, the Chatuge Woods Campground has never been run well and is literally not open to the public because of ‘squatters’ who permanently take up the spaces. The TCHA in 2005 called attention to the many discrepancies in the operation of the Campground both to TVA and to the County. The response to this call on the part of the TVA was minimal and that of the County not much more. This raises questions as to whether the County can or will learn from its mistakes and, first, remedy them, and then apply the lessons learned to a new growth project.

Therefore, the TCHA proposes to both TVA and Towns County a three step process whereby the county will earn the right to its requested lease and the citizens will be assured of their opportunity to review the county proposals with their ability to critique and assist in the creation of a mutually agreeable project with costs that we all can afford.

First, before considering leasing additional property to the county for another park, TVA and the County must get together and remedy the CWCG (Parcel 13) situation. A review prepared in 2005 by TCHA members with engineering and environmental backgrounds together with a remedial action plan was presented to TVA again in our 27 August response to this comment period. These reports can be used as a starting point. TCHA stands ready to assist both parties in planning, developing and executing this effort. Removing the stigma of the CWCG will go a long way towards removing the concerns that Towns County cannot properly manage its public facilities.

Once the Chatuge Woods situation is restored but before any lease to the County is consummated or change to the Parcel 77 designation finalized, the County should be required to draw up a detailed design for the planned use of the property and vet that design with a public hearing in a manner similar to that used by TVA. This plan should include a 100-foot buffer composed of the existing natural vegetation on ALL sides of the property, a layout which identifies all the facilities, ball fields etc. planned for the parcel, parking requirements and traffic patterns, lighting requirements and use rules, operating procedures including open/close times, night use limitations and security plans including a monitored electronic security system and in place county ordinances providing penalties for the violation of the use/prohibited use rules with the management structure and personnel identified. It must also include an Environmental Impact Study and significant involvement of the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition to insure that any development of the parcel will adequately protect the water quality in the lake.

Thirdly, the TVA must require that the county present them and the citizens of the county with a development schedule and funding plan including identified sources of such funding.

Finally, after vetting these plans with the public and considering and incorporating their responses, if TVA and the County can conclude an agreement which generally satisfies the public, the County’s request should be granted. If these or a set of similar conditions cannot be met, the request should be denied and Parcel 77 left in the present classification.

These activities should be required to be completed within not less than 12 or more than 18 months.

The above requirements for the TCHA endorsement are perhaps unusual and certainly strict. However the opinion of our membership on this proposal is clearly mixed although slightly in favor of the County’s request. The Board feels that it is time the citizens of the County put some real thought behind developments in the County in order to balance the preservation of the beauty and culture of the area with public needs. We cannot continue to blandly endorse every requested development without consideration of its impact and its positive and/or negative attributes. Needs can be met but they must be met with forethought, common sense and consideration for the impacted citizens and areas. It is for these same reasons that we are also opposed to the substation sale on Parcel 52.