Neighborhood votes to back water‑wise update at Freedom Monument

Daniel Friend, a Franklin South neighborhood representative, asked district members to support a matching‑grant application to replace thin, shaded grass around the Freedom Monument on Freedom Boulevard with a water‑wise rock and fabric landscaping plan. He estimated the project could cost about $6,000–$7,000 and said the neighborhood intends to apply next fiscal year to take advantage of discounted landscaping services.

Neighbors asked about preserving the flag (existing flag and lighting), whether the city would replace aging floodlights, bench or seating options and whether rock landscaping would raise local temperatures compared with planting drought‑tolerant vegetation. Daniel said the plan would retain mature trees, move or remove sprinkler heads to avoid watering sidewalks and that maintenance would be handled by the neighborhood HOA; he said the team expects to rely on matching‑grant funds and not require a special assessment this time.

A show‑of‑hands vote of district attendees recorded 31 in favor and 3 opposed to moving the application forward; the meeting lead clarified that the neighborhood vote expresses local support but that the application still requires board and council director approvals and permission from the property owner before work would start.

The presentation and neighborhood vote were recorded at the Central District meeting.