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Riverview-area residents press Smyrna officials over trash, traffic and industrial activity
Summary
Multiple Riverview neighborhood residents told the Smyrna Mayor and Council they feel neglected by city responses to trash, signage, lighting, speeding and potential industrial changes; city officials pledged a follow-up meeting to review outstanding 311 requests and zoning concerns.
Dozens of residents from Smyrna’s Riverview area urged city officials Oct. 20 to address persistent neighborhood problems including trash, poor lighting, speeding, unclear signage and industrial activity adjacent to homes.
Residents who spoke during the council’s public-comment period described repeated, unresolved issues and inconsistent staff responses. Cody Hugley, who said he has worked in municipal government and lives on Flint River Place, said Riverview residents feel "neglected despite repeated concerns," citing uncontrolled speeding, minimal street lighting, industrial activity next to homes and what he described as a lack of timely city responses to emails and requests.
Mayor Derek Newington and council members responded directly during the meeting, saying staff want to address the problems and recommending use of the city’s 311 system for documented service requests. The mayor and Councilmember Oglesby committed to convening a meeting of neighborhood residents, the city administrator and relevant staff to review specific tickets and outstanding items.
Speakers described several recurring problems. Pam Barton said she had coordinated submissions documenting litter and public-rights-of-way conditions; James McKay asked the council to sustain the city’s earlier investments in the Riverview area and stressed that neighbors had done due diligence and expected continued public investment. Resident Tina Gory raised safety concerns at the Riverview–Veterans Memorial intersection and urged the city to revisit traffic-control options as the neighborhood’s population increases.
Residents also raised a zoning/permit issue involving Arrow Waste; council members said an application related to an above-ground tank or similar equipment was in process and that it would go through the appropriate review and public-notice channels. Staff said some sign-code enforcement and permitting matters had been routed incorrectly and promised to review ticket histories and reopen any unresolved 311 requests.
Council members asked for specific contact information and encouraged residents to continue documenting problems through the city’s 311 portal to create a clear record for staff action. Councilmember Oglesby said he already had contact information for many neighbors and asked residents to meet after the session to schedule the follow-up meeting. Mayor Newington said staff would work to identify and fix communication breakdowns so outstanding enforcement and infrastructure issues are addressed.
No formal council action or vote resulted from the public comments; the matter was referred to staff for follow-up.
