TVA and TDOT Answer Waterfront Questions

In a recent public forum regarding a proposed Waterfront project driven by the Town and Dandridge and EDOC, representatives from Thompson Engineering, the firm hired to spearhead the project, alluded to stakeholders being on board with the project options. TVA Public Relations Representative Jim Hopson stated Friday that “none of the plans or individual elements of the plans have been approved”. He said that Thompson Engineering representatives had received feedback on the types of issues and questions that would be of concern to TVA, should a plan be presented. TVA had preliminary identified two issues of concern with the options that were outlined. Current land usage terms require that the property provided to the Town by TVA be used for public usage and several elements included in the presented Waterfront Project options were for commercial use. Also a source of consideration is the amount of fill and contouring required for the proposed options. According to Hopson, anything below 1,007 ft line requires more intense consideration and changing the shoreline can have impact on the reservoir which, again, requires an “intense look”.

Town officials have attached the proposed project with the potential for the Town to lose its’ lake access on the Town proper side of the lake due to the upcoming replacement of the green bridge. TDOT Public Relations Officer Mark Nagi responded to questions regarding the upcoming bridge project in relation to the proposed Waterfront project via email.

Post-What is the status of the project and timeline?

TDOT-The project was submitted for ROW and appraisals on 8/11/14. Plans are currently scheduled to be turned in for Construction this summer.

Post-It has been insinuated that TDOT will not include the loss of lake access in the mitigation. Is this correct? Has the Town requested anything regarding lake access on the Town side of Douglas?

TDOT-To date the Town of Dandridge has not requested mitigation for loss of lake access.

Post-What is TDOT’s stance on this issue?

TDOT-Thompson Engineering requested representatives from TDOT Region 1 Design to review and provide comments for the Waterfront Development Concept drawings. Design staff reviewed drawings to assure there would be no conflicts with the proposed bridge.

TVA and TDOT both regularly work with the Town of Dandridge and claim that their relationships are good. While the Waterfront project is still in the design phase, TVA Representative Hopson says that TVA has offered no preliminary approval of the project and has not received any formal application and done no formal review. Hopson clarified by stating that “TVA has not even begun the approval process.” He noted that it would be “overstating” to say that TVA approves or disapproves of the project at this time.