WHITE HOUSE, Tenn. (WTVF) — So many small towns outside of Nashville have seen rapid growth in recent years, and White House, just north of the city, is no exception.
But has it grown too much, too fast? The mayor has put a temporary pause on development until the city’s infrastructure can catch up.
White House Mayor John Corbitt is working to address long-standing flooding issues.
“It clogged up with debris, and unless it’s cleaned up, the water running in doesn’t have anywhere to go,” Corbitt said.
Flooding has been a problem in new residential developments, including Dorris Farms.
“That’s damage from water,” Corbitt said.
Last week’s heavy rain caused significant issues for homeowners.
“The board, mayor and aldermen at the time — that’s something they should’ve looked at — and some of these infrastructure projects we’re now having to do, they should’ve said, ‘Hey developer, if you want to come, that’s fine, but we’ll have to take care of these things first on the front hand,’” Mayor Corbitt said.
Runoff from new developments has led to flooding in nearby homes.
One homeowner pleaded with the planning commission for help, saying their yard and garage flood constantly.
“Where do we need to go from here? We’re to the point where we’re so frustrated,” the homeowner said during a recent meeting.
Mayor Corbitt said he understands their frustration.
“We’re not happy about it. The expectations are set, and when they’re not met, it’s not good,” he said.
Before becoming mayor two years ago, Corbitt voted against some of these projects when he was an alderman. He was concerned the city was growing too fast.
“We’re trying to recover from all those developments that were previously approved. We’ve got roadwork, a new sewer plant, and stormwater projects to help mitigate some of the issues caused by the big developers,” he said.
To prevent further issues, Corbitt recently issued a stop-work order on construction.
“Where the deficiencies are … get them to fix those things, and then we can let them come back to work,” he said.
Corbitt, who has lived in White House for 20 years, said he wants to make sure both people and property are protected.
“We understand the issues, and we’re working very hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
The mayor said developers have been following the work order. Right now, they are only allowed to work on stormwater runoff solutions.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel 5.com
It takes a village! Hats off to the Wilson County Rotary clubs for investing in our kids in such a tangible way. Putting 100,000 books in the hands of little learners is something to celebrate. I love that they store the books in a bank vault — they truly are priceless!
-Carrie Sharp
