By QUINT QUALLS

Spring Hill residents have rallied around an old silo off Main Street on the north side of the city after a developer proposed to remove the tower in plans for a new commercial development with space for retail and two drive-thru restaurants.

For many area residents, the silo represents an important landmark, an emblem of the city’s origins as a small farming community.

The applicant, Arnold Consulting Engineering Services Inc., has requested sketch plan approval for two multi-tenant buildings comprised of 20,400 square feet of retail space and 5,700 square feet of restaurant area with two drive-thru spaces.

As indicated on the sketch plan, the applicant proposes to remove the silo from the property.

In response to the news that the developer has proposed to remove the silo, many area residents expressed criticism of the plan and concern that the plan sacrifices a historic landmark to make way for development.

Some community members have proposed the silo tower be donated and reconstructed in a city park – possibly even Rippavilla Plantation.

“It is a very familiar landmark from my childhood which, when returning from a trip to Franklin, signaled ‘almost home now,’” said Judge Blair Morgan. “It certainly speaks to our city’s history as a rural, agrarian community in our origins.”

Morgan, herself a lifelong Spring Hill resident, said a volunteer reconstruction effort of the silo would help preserve a “great, unique, irreplaceable part of our heritage to pass down to our children, grandchildren and the future.”

“I think it’s a landmark for Spring Hill,” said Mayor Rick Graham. “We went around one day, and I forgot how many silos Spring Hill has; something like 15 to 18 of them. My thoughts are I’d like to see it even expand into some new architecture. The silo is a remembrance of our agricultural past, and I think it’s something we need to keep.”

One issue, according to Graham, is that the property already has the proper zoning to allow for the new commercial development, leaving city officials with few options in halting the development. The property was rezoned to B-4 Central Business District long ago, likely more than a decade, he added.

“We try now not to zone things like that until we know what’s coming and what it affects,” Graham said. “Years ago they zoned things just because people asked. For instance, we never got to vote on Walmart.”

“We can ask them to put the silo back. They may refuse. There’s not much we can do when it’s already zoned. That was done a long time ago.”

Graham said the silo still stood in the first drawings he saw for the proposal. So it came as a surprise, he said, upon learning that the applicant has removed the silo in the latest plans.

The Spring Hill Municipal Planning Commission will consider the sketch plan for the proposed commercial development for the first time at Monday’s non-voting work session at 5:30 p.m.

Quint Qualls covers Spring Hill for Home Page Media Group. Reach him at quint@springhillhomepage.com.