Property located at 121 and 133 Culver St. was rezoned for zero lot line townhomes on first reading at the Red Bank Commission meeting Tuesday night. If it is approved on the second and final reading at the next commission meeting, the two lots will be divided into three and three homes will be built on lots that will be less than 50 feet wide.
Owner Greg Jones, who requested the zoning change, lives on Culver Street and also owns two other houses in the area that he has renovated and uses as rental property.
Three people who live on the street expressed their opposition to the rezoning at a public hearing about the change. They fear that the three homes, which are planned to be 1,800-2,000 square feet, three-bedroom, two-baths, with a garage, would not be sold, but would be kept by Mr. Jones and used for rentals. “More rentals aren’t what Red Bank needs,” said the neighbor who lives directly across the street from that property.
The buildings would be modeled after townhomes on Ashmore Avenue, which were described as beautiful, but “right on top of each other,” with no yards. Another speaker said she did not object to use of the property, but zero lot line houses do not fit in with the neighborhood. If Mr. Jones does the development he would do a good job, said one of the residents, but if the property is rezoned, it could be sold and someone else might develop it that would not do it right, she said.
Dana Jones, wife of Greg Jones, said she does not know what is in the future, but the couple now plan to continue to live on the street and their intentions are to take care of their property and not to turn it into a slum. The second vote will take place at the commission meeting Oct. 16.
In cleaning up the city, an agreement between Red Bank and Havron Contraction Corp. was approved for the demolition of condemned property at 3307 Lamar Ave. The cost of the demolition is $11,764.
Interim City Manager Tim Thornbury said that as the world changes, more people are looking at using solar energy, so the city has decided to create an ordinance that would allow its use and establish regulations for it. This ordinance passed on first reading. Commissioner Ed Lecompte noted that it will be reviewed by the planning commission before the next commission meeting to know if they recommend it or not.
The 2019 budget was amended to add a two percent employee cost of living increase that will be retroactive to July 1, 2018. The cost to the city will be $71,101.
Red Bank will be spending $500,000 for repaving in 2018-2019. Another large expense is the purchase of a mowing tractor at $98,000. The commissioners voted to pay one fifth of the total costs in cash.
Another vote appropriated funding in the amount of $36,995 for the 2019 Distracted Driving Reduction Grant. Police Chief Robert Simpson said for the last year, the city has been participating in this program from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
Beginning Oct. 24, detours will be posted around the intersection of Ashland Terrace and Dayton Boulevard for construction. A box culvert that carries water under the road will be replaced. The road closures are already being publicized and detour maps are available at city hall. Mr. Thornbury expects the intersection to be closed for 30-45 days while the work is taking place.
It was also announced that Red Bank will be taking part in “Fire Prevention Week” from Oct. 7-13. This is a national campaign that encourages people to look around buildings to identify potential fire hazards. Other aims are to listen for the sound of smoke alarms and make sure everyone knows where to meet outside the house. It also encourages people to learn two ways out of every room and to clear the paths of clutter.