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Home Edition Special Section Find tips for home protection, home decoration, home repair and more in “My Place.” See the special section inside
The day the King came to town Forty years ago, on April 8, 1972, a king named Elvis Presley came to Stokely Athletic Center as the headliner for that year’s Dogwood Arts Festival. Dave Macon, who was the treasurer for the Festival that year, said organizers wanted ’72 to be a big year for the still-new event. Who bigger, then, than The King of Rock and Roll?
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‘Trae Golden to the foul line’ A longtime fan who follows Tennessee basketball from afar was trying to guess how many times he heard Bob Kesling say “Trae Golden to the foul line.”
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See Marvin West on page A-5
Big wins in the Big Apple They performed onstage in New York City and walked away with a pile of hardware. Two choirs from West Valley Middle School competed at the Heritage Music Festival March 15-18. The girls choir, conducted by Cody Boling, received a Gold rating, and the mixed choir, conducted by Seth Maples, received a Festival of Gold rating, which earned them the opportunity to return for a performance at Carnegie Hall. The mixed choir also placed first among competing middle schools.
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April 2, 2012
New blooms on the boulevard By Wendy Smith They may not look like much when compared to their mature neighbors, but the 357 new trees on Cherokee Boulevard will ultimately make the popular recreation area cooler, healthier and even more beautiful. “In 10 years, when the canopy trees get some size on them, they’ll really change the boulevard,” says Tom Callcott. He and his wife, Ann, serve as tree chairs on the Kingston Pike Sequoyah Hills Association (KPSHA). Seven trees planted in March were the culmination of a landscaping project that began in 2009. The project received grants from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDOA) as well as funds from the city, the Sequoyah Hills Preservation Society and a private foundation, but most of the money came from individual donors. More than $62,000 of the $146,350 total cost was raised through a neighborhood campaign. Trees have always been an important part of Sequoyah Hills. For several years, the Callcotts have overseen the association’s memorial tree program, which provided 10 to 20 new trees each year. They got nervous, Tom says, because there was no particular plan for the new additions. So they applied for a grant from TDOA’s urban forestry division to help pay for a master landscaping plan. TDOA matched funds from KPSHA, and Michael Versen and Associates was hired to create an inventory of existing trees and a plan for new trees, as well as removal of damaged and misplaced trees. There were many things to consider during the design stage. Versen recommended that similar trees be grouped together for
Tom Callcott, Nancy Bills and Sandy Gillespie of the Kingston Pike Sequoyah Hills Association show off some the 357 trees that have been planted since the group used funds from several sources to implement a long-term landscaping plan. Photo by Wendy Smith
maximum impact and chosen to provide color and interest during each season. TDOA provided an additional grant for new trees, but the money could only be used for canopy trees. Some homeowners didn’t want large trees that might block their view of the water, says KPSHA fundraising chair Nancy Bills. Utility lines in the median posed another challenge. Maintenance was also a consideration. Versen’s plan called for 75 shrub beds, but the number was reduced to 16 for easier upkeep. Funding the project was the biggest challenge of all. Bills and Sallie Namey solicited funds in 2010 and 2011 with a “red letter” campaign. A letter asking for a
household contribution of at least $20 was tied to each mailbox in the Sequoyah Hills neighborhood. The envelopes were red, Bills says, so they wouldn’t get lost. The city of Knoxville provided $13,750 from annual tree funds for the project, as well as $4,000 from the parks and recreation department for more trees and stone benches. Director of Public Service David Brace says the project is a great example of what can happen if a neighborhood group is proactive with planning for a public space. “It was educational for us,” he says. “The project helped me see what it looks like to be more strategic.” The things he’s learned about planning will help with future median projects on Island
Home and Emoriland boulevards. The city mulches and mows along the 2.5-mile boulevard and will water the young trees, which will require watering bags for the first two years. Pedestrian use of Cherokee Boulevard has increased significantly in the past 10 years, says Sandy Gillespie, past president of KPSHA. The new trees will make outdoor recreation in the area more enjoyable for residents and visitors alike. “In a subdivision like this, people expect nice, big trees. Since it was developed in the ’20s and ’30s, we’ve been losing trees from age and disease,” says Bills. “The new trees will provide cooler air and make the environment better.”
Bigger not always better By Wendy Smith
Index Community Wendy Smith Government/Politics Marvin West Jake Mabe Faith Schools Business Health/Lifestyles
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VOL. 6 NO. 14
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Chick-fil-A intends to proceed with installation of a 50-foot pole sign at its new Bearden location April 9 in spite of opposition by 2nd District City Council member Duane Grieve and members of the community. Grieve has asked neighborhood groups to make their opposition to the sign known by emailing Gerta Thomason, who works in Chick-fil-A’s development office: getra.thomason@ chick-fil-a.com/. “Tall pole signs for businesses, in areas where the norm is shorter, more compact signs, send this message: we are not concerned about a community’s aesthetic, nor that we may be creating an eyesore and unnecessary visual blight,” he says. The sign has been ap-
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proved by the city of Knoxville. According to city sign inspector Scott Brenneman, the new Chick-fil-A site is zoned C-3, which only limits the number of signs and the square footage of signs beyond the general regulation of a maximum height of 50 feet. “The Chick-fil-A sign was permitted because there was nothing in the ordinance to prevent me from giving it to them,” he says. But the city is in the process of revamping the sign ordinance after recent turmoil over proposed 50foot pole signs at the Sherrill Hill development in West Knoxville. Residents of nearby residential areas opposed the signs, and two of the businesses, Aldi and Gordon Foods, voluntarily agreed to use monument signs. The developers of
Margot Kline, president of the Council of West Knox County Homeowners, created this digital depiction of the sign that is scheduled to be installed April 9 at the new Bearden Chick-fil-A. Sherrill Hill lowered their sign to 35 feet. In November, City Council approved on first reading an amendment to the sign code that would change the height limit for signs from 50 feet to 25 feet. A task force is currently examining the entire sign code and plans to make recommendations to businesses within six months, says Grieve. Eddie Holliday is the operator of the new Chick-
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fil-A. The corporate office controls the design of all stores, and once permits are in place, it’s very difficult to make any changes, he says. He regrets that the sign is a source of controversy. “We definitely don’t want anybody to be upset with us. We definitely want to have a positive impact on the people of the community.” Grieve contacted Thomason to ask that the sign
height be reconsidered. Thomason responded in an email on Wednesday: “Chick-fil-A is careful to always follow the laws and codes in the communities and municipalities where we do business, which we have done here, and because in this case this sign has already been fabricated and is to be installed next week – we will be proceeding with installing the current sign that has been fully approved by the city.” Thomason did not return a phone call from the Shopper-News before publication deadline. Joyce Feld, president of Scenic Knoxville and a Sequoyah Hills resident, thinks the tall sign is unnecessary, since it will be far above eye level. The sign is particularly frustrating given that the Bearden area has worked so hard to beautify itself, she says. “It’s not in keeping with the neighborhood, and it’s not in line with its goals. It just shows disrespect to the community if that’s not what the community wants.”
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