October 25, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Is Infrastructure Keeping Pace with Residential Growth in DeKalb County?
DeKalb County has grown in recent years with new residential developments, especially around the lake but with it has come rising concerns about adequate infrastructure access to these subdivisions.
County Fire Chief Donny Green addressed the county commission about these concerns during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting. He has also met with the planning commission to discuss the matter.
Among the issues is fire truck and ambulance access to these developments in the event of a fire or some other emergency because of many narrow and steep county roads leading to them. Water line infrastructure is also an issue in some places causing concerns about sufficient water pressure to fight a fire.
Chief Green said his intention in raising this matter is not to point fingers at anyone, any developer, or any public official but to merely bring awareness to what appears to be a growing public service and public safety concern and to find ways to mitigate it going forward working with the planning commission and county commission.
First District County Commissioner Tom Chandler, former member of the County Planning Commission also expressed his concerns.
“Donny talked to us the other night about a development with 38 lots, all of which have been sold, with road access that is pretty bad. I have property on Caplinger Hollow and as far as county roads go, its actually a pretty good road but I wouldn’t want to see 38 homes built at the end of it. One of the things that has happened in the planning committee is there has been a discussion and action taken to put a warning on the deeds and property descriptions that tells the buyer, for example that there is no power on this property. My concern for the county is that maybe we already have some situations where we (planning commission) have approved what they were going to do on that piece of property but we really didn’t think through, particularly the access to that property for fire and emergency services that could put us at liability if something happens and then the homeowner or landowner comes back and says you approved this and yet my house burned down or somebody died because you didn’t provide proper access. That would be my concern from a county perspective,” said Commissioner Chandler.
The following are Chief Green’s talking points from the meeting with the County Commission Monday night:
Rural Access for Lake Developments
Purpose
• To bring awareness to access challenges for emergency service providers for responding to emergencies.
• The concerns that I am sharing are absolutely NOT directed at any certain development or project, or anyone currently or previously involved with infrastructure management. And, I certainly am not opposed to growth and prosperity for our county.
• However, we must be aware of the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead of us so that we can plan to address public safety concerns.
Background
• Prior to the recent surge of lake developments on Center Hill Lake, access issues were fairly limited because these areas were sparsely populated.
• Most residents understood that access to their property was limited by one-lane roads and roads that had steep grades. That has traditionally been the trade-off for privacy.
• I have met with the Planning Commission and the Health, Education, and Public Safety Committee and expressed my concerns and suggestion for open communications so that we can move forward with a proactive plan to do everything possible to promote public safety.
Issue
• In recent years, we have seen a surge of residential developments/subdivisions particularly in areas around the lake.
• I have recently toured some specific subdivision development areas that have given me cause of serious public safety concern.
• Let me be clear, not all of my concerns lie with what I’ve seen inside these developments.
• A lot of my concern is the roadway access and water supply limitations that connect these developments and is part of infrastructure that has worked for many years.
• Even though the Regional Planning Commission has rules that address access and water supply inside such areas of development, it seems the current process does not consider access and infrastructure considerations that connect these areas.
• For example, you have a development that meets roadway specifications but there could be miles of roadway that leads to this development that does not meet the same requirements or specifications. Or, you might have fire hydrants on a 6” water line that is supplied by a 2” or 4” water main from outside the development.
• In essence, we are not accomplishing anything if our infrastructure outside the developments do not match what we are requiring inside these developments.
• As with anything else, “We are only as strong as our weakest link in the chain.”
Recommendation
• As our county grows, we must consider the priorities of infrastructure considerations for public safety measures that provide emergency responses to these areas. Not only must we consider safety for the public, but we must consider safety for the emergency responders who are trying to make someone’s worst day better.
• I would like to see the Planning Commission, the Health, Education, and Public Safety Committee, and the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) collaborate to work towards a plan to address the critical infrastructure needs that must take place prior to continued development of such areas.
• My background is public safety. I think public safety is certainly an element of planning considerations that must be taken to make sure our growth is restrained by the capabilities we have to provide public safety.