Ed. Note and update: Reports from the meeting in comments by Rikki [1] and Lisa Starbuck [2]. As the meeting to discuss the South Knox watertower blight approaches, I would like to encourage everyone to attend whether or not you live in South Knoxville or care about the view from downtown, because ridgetop protection is something we must all fight for, and the developers won't give in easily. Below are just two examples of ridgetop desecration that is happening right now in the Ritta community. The first photo is a "barrow" operation that is located right next door to the brand new $2 million New Harvest Park on Washington Pike. This is the view from the road. Anyone who visits the new shopping center or the park can't help but see this ugliness. The ridge is being dug out by the landscaping company (Eastwood Landscaping) and most of the dirt was sold to fill in the wetlands beside the Walmart for their expanded parking lot. The Walmart project is finished but the digging continues. If I owned the other side of this ridge, I'd also be concerned as to what happens when they dig so deep that the ridgeline collapses. This is mining activity in my opinion - no different than a strip mine, except they are mining dirt instead of coal. Knox County Codes Dept. says it has no authority to regulate this because it is an agricultural activity. I'm not sure that the photo conveys the enormity and the destructive nature of what is being done there. The second photo is the neighboring ridgeline that is being developed by Saddlebrook Homes. Again, I'm not sure that the photo conveys the enormity of what is being done to the ridgeline and how many acres this encompasses, but the total destruction of trees and the steep, denuded bluffs that are left are terribly ugly. Since the land that is easily developed in Knox County is almost gone, developers are turning their attention more and more to the ridges. That is why we must demand a strong ridge protection policy before any more barrow operations or water tanks or denuded ridges show up in Knox County. Please come express your opinion tomorrow night at the meeting Joe Hultquist is hosting at South Doyle Middle School at 7:00 pm.