WMC-TV: News, Weather, Traffic, Radar, and Sports for Memphis, TN; WMCTV.com | Collierville neighbors fight against strip mall in neighborhood
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Some residents in Collierville are furious tonight over plans to develop a strip mall in their neighborhood.
They are saying they do not want it connected to their street and they are handing out fluorescent petitions in search of support as they voice concern over what's going to happen on this stretch of land.
Green Oaks Lane is picture perfect. But moms like Jeffe Parrino and Tina Karastamatis hate that their street has become a short cut between two busy streets.
"I just don't want to be the mom that when you come back next time, I'm talking to you because a child as been air evaced to the Med. I don't want to be that mom," Parrino said.
They worry cut through traffic will get worse when 60,000 square feet of retail space is developed on Market Boulevard at Green Oaks.
"It's unrealistic to look at this plan and say we're not going to be affected. It's ludicrous," Parrino said.
The plan puts an entrance to the retail space at Green Oaks.
The moms have been arguing against it with city codes from 1994.
"It does specifically state here as you see that a PDR, which is us, of over 100 acres, may have a commercial area, but it may only be one-point-five acres," concerned neighbor Tina Karastamatis said.
Michael Lichtman Senior owns the land.
He said he plans to build on open land that has been properly zoned "commercial" for the past 15 years. Lichtman said he did not know anyone had traffic concerns until a Thursday night Town Hall meeting.
He said he "won't move forward with the development until everyone's on board."
Parrino and Karastamatis said they will step aboard if Green Oaks Lane is left out of the picture.
Lichtman also said he has been meeting with neighbors and plans to continue meeting with neighbors.
Friday morning he ordered a traffic study be done.
Click here to e-mail Nick Kenney.
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