NOLENVSILLVE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Those who live in Nolensville, Tennessee, know the pains, stresses, even frustrations of navigating this growing community.
We recently visited this popular Williamson County town for our Your Voice tour.
Most everyone we met shared a love for their growing community as well as a common frustration: construction cones and traffic, particularly along Nolensville Road, the two-lane highway that runs through the heart of the city.
In part two of this Nolensville series, we sat down with Town Manager, Victor Lay, who's in his third year on the job, but brings with him decades of municipal management experience.
Lay said he understands those worries and reminds residents that town leaders have a very clear, thoughtful approach to growth—one they keep as transparent as possible.
"Really started, maybe, about three years ago when the town really looked at its zoning Because the issue is well, how big are we going to get and how big is too big?" Victor Lay questioned.
Lay said if all available parcels of land were sold and fully developed, Nolensville's population could hit a peak of up to 35,000 residents.
But that's only if all available land disappears.
In the meantime, the goal is to grow responsibly, while keeping Nolensville's small town soul.
That includes managing the population to justify keeping just one high school in town.
Lay explained why this shared pride for neighbors and families makes such a difference.
"It is that single high school that really is the rallying point and makes Nolensville feel like it's a community," Lay said. "They attend those ball games together in the sporting events and it's just it's amazing place."
Despite those positives, Lay knows that as more people want to call Nolensville home, they drive more cars, which exacerbates the growing traffic issue on Nolensville Road.
"What we want to see is a three lane cross section, so that you have that center turn lane that's continuous that people can get into the middle of and store their vehicle to get out of that the traffic, and then make a turn when it's safe to make a turn," Lay said.
Lay said he's talked with other city leaders, who are convinced that the TDOT-controlled construction isn't at the top of its priority list.
But Lay hopes moving around some funding can help get the ball rolling to make improvements and show the people who live in Nolensville that leaders are committed to making the town a better place to live.
"The state has some programs called a statewide partnership program to where if if the city is willing to be a partner, financially be a partner, then the state might consider accelerating its priority and, so we made an application this year for that program first time they've only had that program for two years," Lay said. "We applied this year and have committed over $10M to it if they will move us up in the priority."
The decision on that won't be made until spring, but Lay said he hopes the state will move quickly and give people the space they need to get around—with fewer headaches.
"I think when you talk to the regular folk around town you're gonna get some some folks who are very proud who are very glad to be living here," Lay said.
One of the best things about Tennessee is its beauty. Reporter, Chris Davis, certainly makes the most of it as an avid hunter and fisherman. When he turned the spotlight on the potential funding shortfall the TWRA is facing - it hit a nerve with many of our viewers. To find out more, make sure to watch this story.
- Carrie Sharp
