FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Diane and James Carothers have opened their Franklin home and land to neighbors since the 1970s. Now, a piece of city-owned property next door is at the center of competing project pitches — and the couple is watching closely.
WATCH: Franklin land caught between housing project and sewage facility
The property off Old Carter's Creek Pike has drawn interest from two directions. In May, the Williamson County Homeless Alliance pitched a plan to build a transitional housing, tiny-home complex called Stable House, led by Pastor Kevin Riggs. Since then, the Stable House project has revised its proposal and reduced the number of beds, among other changes.
The city's water department is now also considering the site for a bio-solids composting and storage facility — a move that could save the city money on hauling sewage to Lewisburg.
The Carothers, who describe their land as a community garden they share with others, have supported the Stable House project despite some community disapproval.
"Having a home would help them. They'd have something to look forward to as opposed to sleeping wherever they can or going to the park," Diane Carothers said.
But concerns about the competing proposal go beyond the project itself. One city official acknowledged the drawbacks of the sewage storage site.
"The cons are that it's proximity to other uses. You know there's other — there's you know residential houses all around there," director of Water Management, Michelle Hatcher said.
Neighbors have been more direct in their opposition.
"We don't need no waste management system out there," James Carothers said. "As soon as Pastor Riggs wanna do something with it, now they wanna do something with it. They could've come up with that idea years ago, but they didn't do it. I think they're just doing it cause they don't want Riggs to put his home alliance over there."
The Carothers say their philosophy has stayed the same through decades of watching county lines and city boundaries shift around their home: take care of your neighbors. They say they hope to keep sharing produce from their garden — squash, tomatoes, peppers, okra and turnip greens — with those around them, rather than seeing the adjacent land become a sewage and compost site.
Both projects are expected to be discussed again in October.
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