Land-use planning is the hot topic on the minds of candidates in the Franklin aldermen election.

The town hired a full-time planner for the first time last year and is now considering embarking on a comprehensive land-plan to overhaul the town’s 50-year-old zoning ordinances.

“I am for land-use planning. I think that it is imperative that we have some control over the reasonable uses of land, not to take people’s rights away, but to have some ability to plan the overall growth of the area,” said Mayor Joe Collins. Collins, who was an alderman for six years before becoming mayor, said those in favor of land-use planning were in the minority on the board until power shifted in the 2003 election,

Collins called the current zoning ordinance ancient. For example, the town just added the concept of mixed-use to its planning repertoire which was previously dominated by a separation of residential and commercial uses, an old form of zoning that today’s planners say fueled an automobile dependent society.

Collins faces competition from Alderman Verlin Curtis, but Curtis shares Collins’ opinion on planning.

“We need some land-use planning. There are things we need to do. We have ordinances that are outdated that we are trying to update,” Curtis said. Curtis said hiring the town planner last year was “the best move we’ve made.”

Curtis’ beef with Collins is over what to do about town hall (see related article below.)

Most aldermen candidates say they support the concept of land-use planning, but four of those candidates have years under their belt as aldermen and made little effort in the planning department during their tenures.

One is Billy Mashburn, who has been on the town board for 15 years.

“We’ve got zoning now but the town and the county are growing at such a rapid rate here, it’s making it hard to keep up and we need to get ahead of it, not trying to catch up,” said Mashburn.

When asked why he hasn’t tackled it in the past 15 years, Mashburn said it is a long process.

“We’ve been trying to address it. It’s a small town and you’ve got limited resources,” Mashburn said.

Alderman Jim Williamson, who has been on the board eight years, said he too supports planning.

“I think we need to go slow and use some common sense and be sure to hear from the people that will be affected,” Williamson said of a land-use plan. “I think it is good. There is a need.”

Another candidate is Tom Woodlee, who served eight years on the board previously with little in terms of a planning track record, but said he supports planning.

“That’s alright to have a town use planner and everything, but the town board has always got the final say,” Woodlee said on the decision to hire the town’s first staff planner.

Like Woodlee, Jerry Evans served as alderman for eight years but lost his seat two years ago and is trying to get it back. He said the town’s ordinances could use updating, but isn’t sure about a major land-use plan.

“Inside the town it’s either commercial, residential or industrial. So it is pretty much zoned. With it already zoned, I don’t really know what they are talking about really,” Evans said.

Alderman Edwin Hall, who is running for re-election, said he is unsure where he stands on land-use planning or growth issues.

“I’d have to meet with the other fellows and see what we are going to do for this next term if I’m elected,” said Hall. Hall was on the planning board in the mid-1990s but said “there wasn’t that much going on back then.”

On the other end of the spectrum is Sissy Pattillo, a candidate for alderman, who said growth and planning is her primary platform.

“We are at a crossroads with growth, and I think those issues are something we definitely have to face,” said Pattillo. “I think when you speak of land-use planning and zoning, everything raises its ugly head, the big Z. But you have to look at the total picture.”

Pattillo spoke more openly about her views on land-use planning than any of the other aldermen candidates.

“We have to do some land-use planning. We are growing so quickly and so fast if we don’t reach some type of consensus, we are going to be sitting there and it will pass right by us and we will wonder what happened,” Pattillo said. “We have reached a point where we have to be accountable. We need some action.”