With the same tired rhetoric, the neighborhood activists with the green-and-yellow signs will be showing up to the next BOMA meeting with their talking points. These will reflect a program that will increase our property taxes in years to come (see previous post about taxes), reduce the inventory of available properties for everyone (see previous post about the housing crisis in Tullahoma), and negatively impact critical infrastructure like roads, sidewalks and utilities. They will do all this because of a false pretext that has perceived benefits to their neighborhood at the expense of the rest of the city.
It is fascinating to see the narrative change in an attempt to bend the truth about their motivations, so let’s break some of that down to get a better understanding of what they mean when they say:
“Tullahoma needs to lay the proper foundation for growth so that it stays in charge and keeps out national developers.”
Translation: Keep our neighborhood in a walled bubble and ignore the majority needs of this community. Also, let’s socially engineer development projects and investment instead of allowing the free market to decide success.
“Keep low-density housing connected to existing neighborhoods.”
Translation: Keep our neighborhoods the same and also let’s use the leverage of city government to limit what property owners can do with land that is next to ours. We like having empty lots behind our houses, so please use the zoning code to keep them that way.
“Place high-density near major streets.”
Translation: Stay out of my backyard; we don’t want affordable housing for retirees, young couples or recent graduates anywhere near our property because they’re riffraff and we don’t like them. Also, let’s force any new development to undesirable areas so that we stay happy. Place everyone else as far away from us as possible so we don’t have to see them on our drive home.
“Rezoning requests should be denied based on infrastructure concerns, the character of the neighborhood around the property, the effect of the value of the property involved, and the location and size of the property.”
Translation: Let’s undo the fundamentals of property ownership in the United States here in Tullahoma. Also, while we’re at it, let’s define the character of our community to align with our property instead of the larger real estate market and then foist the analysis of character and our property value onto the city government so that our assets are protected.
“Create Architectural Design Requirements for construction in Tullahoma.”
Translation: Force everyone else in the community to abide by an architectural overlay that we create. We know best how houses should look, how land should be developed and how people should spend their hard-earned money. Make these design requirements enforceable by the codes department with steep fines for noncompliance.
Please try to show up to these meetings to relay your own feelings about these positions. We’ve heard that some aldermen don’t read their emails or are politically beholden to this group so they’ve been able to eliminate a rational discussion by coordinating their public comments amongst themselves. But having your voice on the public record too is impossible to ignore. You can also watch online, write personal letters to our elected leaders or submit your comment to be read aloud if you can’t make it to the meeting.
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