Appendix 3:
Questionnaire and Public Input

Participant Questionnaire Responses: June 19, 2003 Meeting

Question #1 – When asked about what features should be conserved when redeveloping the site, most people (70%) responded that the market area/shed for produce was the most important. Pedestrian connections (58%) and ridge protection (54%) also received high ratings. (NOTE: These do not total 100 because we encouraged participants to check all that apply)

Question #2 – At least half of our participants selected the Ritta Elementary area as being a good location for future recreation facilities. Love’s Creek Headwaters and Beverly Park improvements were split evenly. Participants also suggested the Pinehurst/Greenmeadows area, the Farmers Market and Maloneyville Road near Three Ridges Golf Course.

Question #3 – When asked about where public facilities such as a library or senior citizen center should be located (in a park settling, as part of a retail development, or inside the mall) a slight majority preferred a freestanding facility in a park setting.

Question #4 - Of the revenue-generating activities “community commercial” (grocery, retail stores, restaurants) and “mixed use” (a combination of shopping, entertainment, restaurant, office and residential) both received favorable responses, mixed use was ranked slightly higher. One respondent preferred industrial/manufacturing.

Question #5 - When asked “What kind of shopping area do you prefer?” “Small shops, cafes, and stores planned to give us places to gather and socialize” was selected most often, followed by “I’d appreciate some amenities” including restaurants, entertainment and greenery.

Question #6 - Other types of uses needed in the area – the things suggested are listed below.

  • Senior housing below the ridge line
  • Community gardens/Botanical gardens tie in
  • Drivers Education facility
  • Senior Citizen Center
  • County Activities
  • Grocery Store
  • Community meeting space/community center
  • Library
  • Restaurant/cafeteria style restaurant
  • Specialty stores/cloth goods – hobbies, sewing
  • Target
  • Marble Slab Ice Cream
  • FFA clubs/Non profit education groups –esp. agricultural education
  • Boy scouts, girl scouts
  • Sports facilities
  • Miniature Golf
  • Swimming Pool
  • Accessible for people w/Disabilities
  • Concert and picnic area
  • Community bonding/involvement
  • Natural Area/birdwatching
  • Parkers Brothers Hardware
  • McKays Books
  • Craft Vendors
  • Pharmacy such as Walgreens or CVS
  • Festival and shows – Fall pumpkin festival, antique tractor show, car shows

Question #7 In order for this project to enhance our community

  • I’d like to see a portion of the property set aside for farmers market sheds like in Asheville with music, bands, festive atmosphere – the rest of the property can be retail outlets – hardware stores, etc – one will compliment the other. Don’t charge the Farmers – more will come from Claiborn Co. and all around if they aren’t charged. It doesn’t take expensive buildings for a farmers market – it’s not necessary to spend much money – all the farmers need is a stall to stick their truck in – they can sell it right off the truck.
  • It should be mixed use, include a farmers market, be pedestrian friendly, include public spaces.
  • Remember our community. Not retail, not revenue, not business. Preserve the community/farming aspect. Don’t turn this area into the shop-to-shop, no traffic flow otherwise known as west Knoxville.
  • We need to be able to get on Washington Pike. There are no lights to make this possible and I’m surprised someone hasn’t been killed. Dotson should not be paid to leave. No industrial activity, please.
  • I would prefer that this property all be used for community, retail and commercial use, no industrial. No relocation of existing stores.
  • We need to mitigate damages – sell the market and use compensation to buy land and develop it for the community. We don’t need anymore large retail stores.
  • Parking lots will not help. Do not allow stores to relocate but look for stores and shops that are not common in the area. Relocating only creates gray areas somewhere else and does nothing the create jobs.
  • Maintain as much open space as possible, minimize big box stores.
  • Transplant Fountain City Park to the Farmers Market site. Put in some restaurants and shopping on a walkable site – keep the good produce from the local farmers. Need a library and community meeting building. No big boxes!
  • Keep the market and shed.
  • Pleasing to the environment and eye, not all concrete and asphalt. Unique and different, inviting to all ages, productive – positive growth and enhancement, cooperative w/schools, organizations seniors to help them. Long term plan including roads and zoning.
  • Turn it over to parks and recreation to develop this into what it was supposed to be – a place for the public.
  • Proper management, utilizing advertising to bring families together to participation in activities such as Easter egg hunts, picnics with kids activities – Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween parties. Picnic tables with covers so that families can get together, shop and spend time in a relaxed atmosphere.
  • Widen Beverly Road to Greenway to Broadway instead of wideing Washington Pike – to take traffic away from Millertown and the traffic of Home Depot and Lowes. This would bring traffic to this site and improve the flow of traffic we now have.
  • We need to keep much of the greenway that exits now. No industrial, no big boxes. This is public land, it belongs to the community. It should serve community interests, not commercial interests.
  • It should be mixed use with an emphasis on much needed community facilities. Small shops and cafes are Ok but we need a meeting place room for 100+ people for community groups, volunteer activities, etc.
  • It needs to generate sales tax and property tax revenue. Once this area is developed the revenues could build parks and ballfields in more appropriate locations throughout the county.
  • Follow the sector plan and MPC recommendations.
  • We need to use it for what the market was put here for – the community.
  • People depend on us at crop time. This is a community farmers shed. New and able management for farmers shed.
  • We need more convenient shopping for seniors. In this area (Valley View) there are no young children that would use parks and soccer.
  • Keep the commercial businesses ‘small’
  • Consider all the needs of the community, not just commercial developers.
  • Community friendly
  • Keep facilities for farmers like it was designed for originally.
  • Develop it with the community in mind, along with commercial development leave space for public use both recreation (walking trail) and meeting, keep open air market space – manage it well.
  • Mixed use, not industrial or distribution
  • Keep it all public

Public Comments from the July 17, 2003Meeting

  • How can we preserve the ability of smaller merchants to afford doing business in a attractive, landscaped upscale retail – can subsidies be considered?
  • Somebody needs to manage the Farmers Market – a guard had to control traffic when it first opened it was working so well.
  • We are all partly at fault for driving away small business because people go to these big stores.
  • Place to have a good time
  • The pow-wow people may need to go to Anderson County/Oak Ridge because they can’t get a space to have it in Knox County.
  • Permanent space for TN crafts, perishable foods
  • Existing building can be renovated – part of it can have a welcome center – and part of it can be a mini exhibition hall
  • Use the land on the ridge to extend the walking trail
  • It will be an insult to them to dispose of this property without replacing it with property somewhere
  • If businesses relocate – do everything possible to fill the existing building that they vacate
  • Need something unique – not just shops