There was a standing room only crowd at
the March Crossville city council meeting in expectation of a
discussion of the property transfer for the Shooting Sports Park to
be located between I-40 and Albert Frye Road.
The controversy is over the city's
approval last month of selling part of the acreage that the city
bought over 20 years ago for use as a landfill to a non-profit
organization hoping to operate a shooting sports park at the
location. Some of the residents and property owners in the area were
not aware of the project until recently and are concerned about the
noise that the shooting will generate and the possible effect on
their property values.
A large crowd attended Crossville city council meeting as they
discuss concerns by residents near the property proposed for
a shooting sports park. Here Harold Stryker speaks on behalf
of property owners in the area of the Albert Frye Rd. property.
There was also a large contingent of
supporters of the project including young people who participate in
shooting sports for several local organizations and so,me of their
parents. A number of members of the board of the newly formed
non-profit group and they also spoke to the council.
Public comments on the topic of the shooting sports park.
After some 45 minutes of public
comments and discussion of the matter the city council approved a
motion to ask the non-profit group to hold a public meeting with the
property owners and area residents to share information about their
plans and the operation and how it might affect the area.
The motion did not make any changes to
the sales contract that calls for a closing on the sale by April 1,
2017 and likely to take place before the meeting can be held. The
biggest issue seems to be that there was no notice to those in the
area about what was planned for the property.
Local businessman Harold Stryker spoke
first on behalf of the concerned property owners who shared petitions
with the council. Said Stryker, “I want to make it very clear.
We are not opposed to a shooting park.” He said their concern was
the location and the effect on neighboring properties. He said he
understood there could be as many as 10,000 shots filed in a single
day. According to Styker, a home he and his son own is estimated to
be only 600 feet from one of the proposed shooting stations.
Stryker concluded asking that the
council reconsider the action on the property.
One of the members of the non-profit
board, James Wattenbarger spoke saying that he had looked at a lot of
locations for the park and he was not aware of an available location
that would impact less citizens then the Albert Frye Rd. location.
He added that some locations that had been studied would increase
traffic through residential areas. Wattenbarger explained they were
looking and making some changes to the plans in order to control
noise from the park.
Greg Cantrell identified himself as the
trustee for the Frank Brown Family trust. The trust owns between 400
and 500 acres from the Bean Pot to Albert Frye Rd. Cantrell said the
trust was interested in economic development, great healthcare and
education. He said that the family had donated the land for Brown
Elementary School.
Cantrell said his concerns were that
until last night neither he nor other family members knew anything
about the project and they are very nearby property owners. In
addition, he said the family had a vision for many years of what the
corridor might become. Development of the family trust property
could be an 80 to 100 bed assisted living facility that would be an
$8 to $10 million investment that may not be compatible with a
shooting park. “I'm asking you to slow down this process if you
can and let us work with you as a significant property owner.
Valorie Cox is a member of the
non-profit board and presented a petition with over 382 signatures in
favor of the shooting park. Cox explained that in the region there
were 25 counties that sought the park location and Cumberland County
was selected. She said one event with 300 shooters would bring at
least some 600 visitors to the county and at a spending of just $50
per person they could leave $30,000 in the county.
Following the public comments the
council quickly agreed to move the item concerning the shooting park
up on the agenda and began to discuss the topic.
City Council discussion on shooting sports park
Councilman J. H. Graham moved that “the
city requires the non-profit organization to have a public hearing
where the property owners are identified and asked to come to a
meeting within the next 30 to 60 days to identify the pros and cons
of the shooting range.” Graham's motion was supported by
councilman Danny Wyatt.
Mayor James Mayberry asked how the
motion would affect the city's current sales contract that says the
sale will be closed by April 1? City attorney Will Ridley explained
that any extension of the contract would have to be agreed to by both
parties.
Councilwoman Pamala Harris said she
felt the park would be a good thing for the community. “I just
want to be fair to all of the parties involved,” added Harris. She
said the council won't make everyone happy no matter what they do but
perhaps not enough due diligence was done on the deal.
Wyatt said that until the end of the
year he thought the project was a joint city county project. He
apologized saying he should have done more homework. “I think
these people need to be given the opportunity to speak and ask
questions and it should have been done a year ago,” said Wyatt.
Crossville attorney Randall Boston
addressed the council. He said he was speaking as a member of the
non-profit board and not as an attorney or as the county attorney.
Boston said the he and a man named Kenneth Carey and not mayor
Kenneth Carey and several others had worked on the project for quite
some time. “I stand here before you to say that we have a contract
and time is of the essence,” Boston continued, “and there is no
law that says we have to notify anyone or put up a sign.” He added
that the conversations have been going on since the middle of 2015
and well documented stories by local media sources. Boston pointed
out that drag strips and race tracks and airports all make noise.
The vote on the motion included 4 votes
in favor from Graham, Wyatt, Harris and Scot Shanks. Mayor Mayberry
voted no after seeking clarification that the proposed public meeting
would not affect the contract.
Following the vote, J. H. Graham
requested a 5 minute recess that was approved by Mayor Mayberry.
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