02/09/2025
After 30 years of maintaining the empty field to the left of our home it pains me to tell my neighbors that the field and bed area that runs along the side of the home will no longer be taken care of.
The property line runs a few feet off the side of our house - why the previous owner ran it that close is beyond me - but it’s done now. If you are a long term resident of Travelers Rest you may remember back in the early 90’s the field was 3’ high and our home was being inundated with mice and water. The basement flooded every time it rained and the worry was that it would also at some point start washing the soil from out around the piers. We installed a foundation drain that was about 7’ deep at one point. As part of the drainage solution we built up the bed area to create a berm and installed all the plant material to hold it in place.
We began regular maintenance of the field, finish mowing and bush hogging to tamp down the mice population. We did all of this and were happy we could make not only our house, but make the street more attractive for our neighbors.
In 2010 our landscape business downsized to a point that it was possible to move to Mr. Smith’s old blacksmith building. Before doing so we asked the pastor at TRFBC if that was going to be a problem. He assured us it wasn’t that the church had no intention of selling or developing it.
TRFBC decided in 2019, out of the blue and without notice that they no longer wanted to continue this arrangement. The first letter sent threatened legal action if we didn’t “get off” within 30 days. Hence, the cattle gate and the threat to install fencing which will necessitate cutting down all the plants, which is probably for the best since they have no intention of maintaining them.
I tell you all this to explain why there is about to be a dramatic change to the look of this property and I want you to know that it is not what we wanted for us or our neighbors. It has been a very emotional journey, and the fact that this is coming from a church I will admit makes it so much worse.
This was litigated since repeated request to have a meeting with the church deacons were flatly rejected time and time again. So, to all of my friends and neighbors please know we tried our best to not have this outcome and I apologize that apparently one side of my home will now be unmaintainable as we have been told that if we step foot on “their property” we will be arrested. I sincerely hope this doesn’t affect your home’s value as much as it is going to impact mine.
