CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – There is big news for small spaces as the City Council recently approved an ordinance that would allow for the construction of Clarksville’s first tiny home community for the general public.

At their Sept. 5 meeting, the council heard from Chris Blackwell, owner and operator of C. Blackwell Construction, who presented his proposal for tiny living in north Clarksville.

“This is the perfect sized property to try something new that we feel is a need in the community,” Blackwell said.

The tiny home community would be built on a 3-acre plot on Pembroke Road, just off of Tiny Town road, directly across from the Rooms for Less Warehouse and Trusted Choice Storage. Blackwell told Clarksville Now his company is still in the early phases on designing and planning, but they’ve already created four to seven floor plans, with some having a loft for a second bedroom. They plan to build about 40 homes, each about 400-700 square feet.

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Blackwell explained that with the market fluctuating, a price on the sale or rent value of the homes isn’t concrete right now, but they expect the rent could run between $500 to $800 a month.

“It’s going to be a very clean looking community in this parcel itself,” Blackwell said. “It’s going to be a clean environment with some outdoor themes. They (residents) can sit outside around fire pits, and more. It’s going to be a really nice community there.”

Blackwell said the homes could start popping up in January.

Traffic congestion and homeless

There was some confusion among council members as to what exactly a tiny home community is and who is able to live there.

“Do you realize that if homeless people are out there, the traffic is so bad out there they could get run over?” Councilperson Wanda Smith told Blackwell. “Because some of them just walk.”

Smith said the city already has a tiny home community, citing Judy’s Hope, which provides housing for displaced women and children coming from hard situations while they get back on their feet.

Councilperson Stacey Streetman offered some clarification. “I think there’s just a little bit of confusion. … I don’t recall the agent about it (the tiny homes) being for the homeless. These are very small homes. A mother of five isn’t going to be looking this home. Yes, we do have Judy’s Hope, but this is a different situation.”

Blackwell told Clarksville Now his project isn’t restrictive to any certain population and could be great starter homes for those who are seeking a simpler lifestyle and are a great option for single soldiers looking to leave the barracks as well as veterans.

Rezoning approval

Building the community will require rezoning the land from R-1 to R-4, and there is adjacent R-4 zoning.

Councilperson Brian Zacharias offered that the area could be a traffic risk. He said many soldiers running late for PT will take Pembroke Road to avoid the traffic congestion on Tiny Town Road, citing that a child was struck and killed a few years ago walking down that same road heading to a convenience store.

Councilperson Karen Reynolds agreed that the codes and zoning don’t promote sustainability there, and she expressed concerns that there would be a severe lack of green space in that area if they moved ahead with construction.

The council voted 8-4 to approve the zone change. Voting yes were Wanda Allen, Streetman, Joe Shakeenab, Keri Lovato, Dajuan Little, Wallace Redd, Ambar Marquis and Mayor Joe Pitts. Voting no were Smith, Reynolds, Zacharias and Deanna McLaughlin.

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