Watertown explosive-storage facility plans called off
Sep. 17—An explosive-product storage facility request in Watertown was withdrawn from consideration at the Wilson County Planning Commission meeting on Friday.
The request concerned property at 100 Taylor Road and would have seen it rezoned from A-1 agricultural district to I-2 industrial zoning. The property contains approximately 18.77 acres. Trammel Lane, Old Trammel Lane, and Beech Log Road also surround the property.
Wilson County Planning Director Tom Brashear read a letter from a representative with Quick Supply, the company that initially made the rezoning request.
"We'd like to formally withdraw our request for a rezoning application for this property," the letter read. "If you have any questions regarding this request, please feel free to contact us at our office at 615-890-7901."
A specific reason for the withdrawal was not mentioned.
While neighboring residents breathed a sigh of relief, it was not as cut and dry as it may have seemed.
One neighbor, Donald Nuessle, said the feeling was not all celebratory.
"I can tell you it was immediately a load off our minds," Nuessle said. "It was a night-and-day distraction. As we met with the community, the universal feeling that we heard was breathing a sigh of relief and that they would sleep more comfortably."
Nuessle indicated that he struggled with the implication that the community's request to prevent Quick Supply from developing the land infringed upon the property owner's right to do with their land as they pleased.
"The feeling is a bit double-edged," Nuessle said. "We stood up and opposed a neighbor's plan with what they wanted to do with their land. I wrestle with how to handle that and want to make contact with the homeowner to request forgiveness for disrupting his plans."
The property in question is in Wilson County commissioner Terry Scruggs' district. Last month, Scruggs joined the chorus of those speaking out against the proposal during the planning commission meeting.
At that time, concerns from the community ranged from various elements of safety impacts, between the increased traffic volumes that would inevitably follow the construction of a business out there to the prospect of something going wrong with the explosive stored on site.
"The general feeling from the community was that it extended property lines, could compromise safety for the community and the environment, and the loss of property values," Nuessle said. "I don't know that I would have objections to a lot of things that person might propose, but I would not like to see industrial zoning in this corridor. The appeal and charm of the area are that we don't have big trucks and regular business coming in and out."
