The dream of Smyrna seems to be a well trimmed yard, a quiet neighbor dog, and a sedan car in every driveway all in a Leave it to Beaver setting. Well June Cleaver never existed, the beaver was an actor, and this isn’t Hollywood. A set piece neighborhood that only exists in the dreams of the TV viewers or the Town planners that are seeing our future, and it is all I cannot bare.
If you want straight lines, clean areas, and a life of no variety then you would be the type to work well in a cubicle based office structure. Where each office is the same size, the same lighting, and the same color. All regulated and prone to be soul sucking.
Just one problem with those who live in the cubicle hive. They not only want you to join them, they will force you to by hook or crook. "They" are the town government and all that is wrong with the path that is being taken.
Smyrna is at that awkward stage of development. The growth that is happening is glorious to behold.. A new building going up every week it seems, and new people being hired. The future of Smyrna is being decided today, but is it in the interest of you the resident of Smyrna, or the perceived needs of the town and its future?
You might be surprised that I feel some laws are good. My views do not fall into the anti-government camp on all issues, but in a restricted view of government. Laws are for those who cannot. The one who cannot understand why 30 wrecked cars in his backyard is bad, or the one who cannot understand that parties every night until 3Am is a nuisance. The problem is that most, if not all government so easily slide from the "laws to assist the people" to "laws needed to control the people". When this occurs we end up with rules on the height of bushes, the length and type of fences and the type of material your driveway can be made out of.
Smyrna has slipped over that line in the past and damned if I will sit back and quietly go into that well regulated and organized future that they are deciding for me one committee meeting at a time.
The people in the area that the historic district wish to expand, or infect in my view, have spoken out that they do not wish it. The meeting Tuesday night was to get their input and from what I saw it was anti-expansion. The problem is that the town has an idea that this is needed because the land need protecting from the people. You might disagree, but this view is held by more then just myself.
We will see in the next few months how well the town listens to the people, or if the people speak, but are not heard. The people of Smyrna are about to get a lesson in their future. Will they decide it, or will it be rammed down their throats one ordinance at a time?
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3 comments:
I'd rather not have my house be from a cookie cutter mold, same for the rest of my town. Let Smyrna expand on its own. Don't try to control every last detail.
Great article, Gunner.
Anyone looked at a Rutherford County tax map lately? I find it interesting there are two lots on Front on the side of the street opposite the Bellsouth building owned by Johnson & Spivey that are included in the historic district expansion plans. Who is Johnson and Spivey? That wouldn't be Mayor Bob Spivey, would it? And why would we need a storage facility to be included in a historic district?
Not sure. The people normally involved in politics have a power base and sometimes that is real estate. Unless it seemed to be gerrymandered in, then it likely is just property owned by him and nothing more.
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