News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Monterey approved moving forward with negotiations to purchase seven acres of land to expand Meadow Creek Park, during Monday nights Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
During the meeting Mayor JJ Reels said he thinks the town can get all the purchasing costs covered for around $46,000. Reels said moving quickly on this property will be in the best interest of Monterey.
“It’s one of those generational purchases, someone buys it and builds a house on that property then we wouldn’t have access to that bluff line,” Reels said. “It’s a prime area for rock climbers.”
During Monday night’s meeting, a point was made that there is already some preexisting infrastructure in the lot. Reels said there is a flattened area for parking, and trails.
“There’s already a Volunteer Electric right-a-way through there, so it’s already got nothing on it, so all we could do is go out and put some gravel on it and make it a parking lot,” Reels said. “There’s already trails there, so we put a trail head marker up that goes to the waterfall and goes down along the bluff line and around our property.”
Reels said the property owners operate under a lease-to-buy business model. Reels said that is why moving on the property before someone puts a down payment on the lot is important.
“It’s available now, nobody has that lock on it, with that down payment,” Reels said. “Now is the time to do it, before somebody else comes in and says, ‘hey, I want to lease it.”
This purchase would be made from the Standing Stone Health Care Fund. This lot is to the east of a lot already controlled by Monterey and south of Connor Drive.
