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Williamson County Strikes a Balance Between Preservation and Growth

When Jay and Marcia Franks bought their historic Thompson’s Station home called Homestead Manor‚ they knew they had acquired one of Williamson County’s great treasures.

The home was built between 1809 and 1819 by Frances Giddens‚ a gunsmith who had been awarded the land for his service in the Revolutionary War.

Considered one of Williamson County’s finest historic homes‚ it was at the center of the Battle of Thompson’s Station in 1863.

Jay‚ a lifelong Franklin resident‚ developer and owner of Enterprise Construction Inc.‚ and Marcia‚ a popular local Realtor‚ knew they wanted to do more than just own this important property – they wanted to make sure their home and its surrounding 47 acres would be there in the future for others to love‚ too.

So‚ they protected Homestead Manor with a conservation easement that would allow them and their heirs to own the property‚ while making it unavailable to future development.

“I feel that growth in this area is inevitable‚ but there are steps we as a community can take to protect the character of Thompson’s Station‚” says Jay Franks‚ well aware of pres­ervation issues as a member of the board of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County. “Marcia and I are thrilled that we are able to save this property for future generations.”

Franks and his wife worked with the Land Trust for Tennessee‚ a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that has so far succeeded in conserving more than 17‚000 acres of property around the state‚ including 3‚540 acres in fast-growing Williamson County.

The land trust’s partnership with Jay and Marcia Franks is part of a growing effort to address perhaps the most pressing question in Williamson County: If beautiful open space is among the county’s biggest appeals‚ how do you accommodate growth without destroying the very thing that prompted it?

“For so long‚ we’ve taken for granted that the character of Tennessee is going to be there for us‚ but I think people are realizing that it is not going to stay that way unless we intentionally set about to make it happen‚” says Jean C. Nelson‚ executive director and president of the Land Trust for Tennessee.

“We’re so used to planning for development‚ we’re only just learning to plan for conservation at the same time‚” she adds. “To me‚ the stars are aligning in Williamson County‚ with private citizens‚ nonprofit partners and governmental voices joining to find ways to achieve this balance.”

Like the Franks‚ Perry Ozburn was concerned about the future of the land he loves. His cousin‚ Lou Osburn Benson‚ had donated a conservation easement on her nearby farm and urged him to do the same for Ozburn Hollow Farm. After a lot of thought‚ Perry Ozburn asked the trust to work with him to craft an easement to protect the historic 480-acre farm that has been in his family for eight generations.

While conservation easements are growing in popularity‚ a number of misconceptions are common‚ Nelson says. For example‚ conservation easements do not involve selling or giving away one’s land. Ownership stays with the owner and his or her heirs‚ or to whoever buys the land in the future; the only thing given away is the right to divide and develop the property.

So why would a landowner want to give away part of what makes his property valuable‚ especially in a county where land is in such demand for development?

“People who choose this route have to do it first and foremost because they love their land and appreciate its historic and natural resources‚” Nelson says. “But there are also charitable tax incentives because they are giving away their development rights for the good of the community – incentives that are significantly improved through December 2007. And conservation easements also help with estate issues.”

More than simply a benefit to landowners‚ land preserva­tion is a boon for the entire community.

“To me‚ what’s at stake here for Franklin and Williamson County is sustainable growth and quality of life‚” says Mary Pearce‚ executive director of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County‚ which works with the Land Trust for Tennessee‚ private individuals and government to help preserve the county’s historic resources. “The things that protect our natural and historic environment are the things that make this a more desirable place to live and do business.”

Story by Laura Hill
Photo by Brian McCord

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