Landrum City Council considers improvements to public parks at recent meeting

Published 12:23 pm Monday, February 19, 2024

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City administrator also shares information about potential expansion at Ingles 

 

LANDRUM—At its meeting on February 13, Landrum City Council discussed possible upgrades and improvements to Brookwood Park, as well as the park on Simmons St.

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The council heard pricing estimates to add fencing to the children’s play area at Brookwood Park, citing the need to keep children from wandering up towards Rutherford St. City Administrator Rich Caplan also mentioned a potential need for one or two parking spaces at the park on Simmons. St.

“The cost estimate for a 4-ft. wood picket fence around that area would be $9,800, and for an aluminum fence, which would be nicer, would be around $17,000,” Caplan said.

Councilmember Shannon Dotson added that he felt the entire park should be fenced in, not just the play area.

“I feel like we need to put the fence around the perimeter of the park,” said Dotson. “I’d be more in favor of the black aluminum fencing, it would last longer. And if we never need to move the fence we would be able to do so.”

Caplan also explained to the council that various additions to playground equipment at different pricing levels are available for both parks. He said that a small, triangular sliver of land was recently sold to the property owners of The Stubborn Mule for $22,000, so he thought it might be appropriate for some of those funds to go towards upgrades at the park on Simmons St. since it is in the same neighborhood. The council said it would continue the discussion in future meetings and would try to get a better idea of the costs for the different options for park improvements.

Caplan also said the Architectural Design Review Board received an application from Ingles Markets proposing an expansion to its building, an additional building and other changes. 

“Ingles wants to expand their existing store by 20 or 30,000 square feet, an addition to the existing grocery store, and then add a building next to the store that would accommodate up to six businesses, depending on the configuration and leasing,” said Caplan. “They’re also planning on relocating the gas station and adding a small convenience store associated with the store that would be moved from its current location closer to Interstate 26.”

He said the Architectural Design Review Board was scheduled to meet on February 21 to review the application.