Holding apartment complex owners more accountable for traffic and nuisance problems created by high-density growth was among the topics discussed at a Murfreesboro City Council community meeting Sunday, May 7th.
Nearly 25 residents took part in the Q&A session with nearly a dozen city officials, including Mayor Shane McFarland and City Councilmen Bill Shacklett and Kirt Wade, at Olive Branch Church on Minerva Drive.
Mary Vaughn asked city officials if more could be done to limit construction of multi-family units along roads already overburdened with traffic, or at least find a way to make them pay more to mitigate the problems they create.
"We are extremely frustrated in Murfreesboro about the traffic," said Vaughn, who added that it takes 30 minutes or more to get down New Salem Highway to I-24. "I know we've had a lot of growth, but in terms of planning I am trying to figure out how we got to this point where it is so ridiculous.
"It seems like the citizenry gets hit every time. Instead of taxing us...I think we need to put the burden on people coming into the city ...who want to build these big apartments -- some of them with more than 1,000 units -- on two-lane highways," she said. "
McFarland said one of the challenges is that major thoroughfares in the city, including New Salem, are state highways. But he said the city is spending as much as it can up front to help move projects along, including doing engineering work. He said the widening of New Salem is expected to enter the bid process in December.
Other residents spoke about the violence and disturbances created at some apartment complexes around the city, especially near Middle Tennessee State University.
The council passed an Unruly Gatherings ordinance in November 2016. It imposes a civil penalty of $250 for the first violation, and $500 for the second violation, on owners of properties where unruly gatherings are held. McFarland said hitting owners "where it hurts -- in the pocketbook" should help the situation.
Read the entire story in the Murfreesboro Post HERE
