Following months of contentious meetings with opposing residents, the city council passed a resolution last week to annex 235 acres of land, along with a resolution for a plan of services. Both are moving forward with a vote of 5-2.
The property is located east of Lock 4 Road and north of Peach Valley Road. Preliminary plans for the land are to build a
new subdivision – The Banks at Lock 4 to include 876 homes – some detached single- family homes and the remaining to be attached condos.
 

Residents in the area have repeatedly spoken out against the project in the past few months, citing increased traffic issues as one of the biggest concerns and adding as many as 2,000 more vehicles to an already crowded intersection at Lock 4 Road and Main Street. More than a dozen spoke prior to last week’s vote, including longtime resident Bryant Milligan. “Our city is strained to the point the roads are in terrible shape and we all heard about the water issues and nothing is being done to correct that, but we can build more houses and bring more people into this city,”
Milligan said. “This is growth that’s unrestricted without any plan – it’s just rampant and runaway.
“I hope that something that is said here will weigh on your mind and you’ll vote no, although I do highly believe the votes are already in and you have made up your mind. I understand change is inevitable but change without a plan is bad change.”

The two dissenting votes on the resolutions were Councilman Pascal Jouvence and Vice Mayor Lynda Bradley Love.
 

“We need first to improve Lock 4 and make sure we have a good (infra) structure plan before we develop something,”
Jouvence said. “I agree this land is going to be developed but I don’t think now is the time.”
In addition to infrastructure, Jouvence cited an already understaff ed city police department and an at-capacity student situation at Gallatin High School. “We are two students away from being fully maxed out at Gallatin High,” Jouvence
said. “The classroom capacity is 1,700 and the county has no plans to build more schools. What are we going to do?”