Aetna Mountain users have been battling the Black Creek housing development for years. But this weekend, the hiring of a security company added fuel to the fire.
“How can that happen,” said mountain user Joe Blevins. “If I parked on Brainerd Road the Sheriff would have me in jail.”
Over the phone, Black Creek says it hired SEI Security to ensure the safety of its homeowners. But that security is also blocking access to Aetna Mountain Road; a dirt street, but a public one.
“The officer told me the paved road was public,” said Aetna Mountain property owner Jeff Perlaky. “And once the dirt road started that was private property, which is totally contradictory to the court order.”
Perlaky even has a copy of the court order to prove it. He owns property on the mountain. And he says security prevented his access to it. He captured the ordeal on camera.
“They don't want anyone going up the mountain and it is an intimidation tactic,” said Perlaky.
With the help of some off-roaders, WDEF News 12 gained exclusive access to the top of Aetna from the Marion County side.
“It keeps Aetna Mountain alive. Without us it is a dead mountain,” said off-roader Christie Perkins.
Perkins showed News 12 the pink ribbons where Black Creek plans to build bluff-view homes. But she says the developer and the state are leaving mountain users in the dark.
“TWRA won't tell us what they are going to do or when they are going to do it now,” said Perkins.
There's a possibility Black Creek could swap property with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Both are meeting privately Tuesday.
“Nobody that I know knows where the meeting is or where it will be occurring,” said Perkins.
And the meeting outcome could create more access issues for Aetna Mountain users.
News 12 tried to contact the TWRA. We wanted to know a time, place and agenda for Tuesday's meeting. The group did not return our phone calls. But it is Presidents Day.
