Greenways to grow, de-annexation knowledge and tasty new barbecue

GREENWAY EXTENSION: There are a couple of new stretches of the Germantown Greenbelt on the drawing board as the network of trails in the suburb continues to develop.

Reporter Ron Maxey told the tale of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approving the planning of new sections at its meeting a week ago.

One segment is just short of a half-mile. It will run from that spur to nowhere off Nashoba Park — the trail segment skirting the lake behind the old Wal-Mart property — slip behind the medical office buildings and connect to the trail head parking lot on Wolf River Boulevard east of Kimbrough. Another segment of about three-quarters of a mile will stretch the path east from Cameron Brown Park to the eastern end of the trail at Farmington Boulevard.

The trail system had some early hiccups, including a section a bit too near the bluff falling victim to rising waters and dropping to the Wolf River bank below. And certainly, heavy rains and other weather-related events have caused paths to end up underwater. Both problems are natural hazards of having a trail skirting the edge of a riverbank.

But I would bet anyone who has wandered the pathways through Germantown would agree the greenbelt is one of the suburb’s top amenities and well worth the investment.

And those who haven’t spent time of the paths are missing an opportunity. SOUTH CORDOVA REASON FOR NOT KNOWING?: A week or two ago, I made the point that people moving into South Cordova in the years before the 2012 annexation by Memphis — one that was pending in court for decades — or certainly since 2012, should have known their newly purchased property was in the Memphis annexation reserve area.

I was questioned for that position at a recent de-annexation meeting, told that was an unfair portrayal. The counterpoint was the vast majority of states don’t have annexation rules favoring the city’s initiation of the action, so there was no way a new arrival from out of state would consider checking such things.

Wouldn’t even cross their minds. Not done elsewhere, so why should someone moving to South Cordova even think Memphis could absorb their property? And, after all, if someone is on a transfer to the area and looking throughout the metropolitan area for a new home over a weekend or two, there really isn’t time to consider something like annexation.

All of that said — and while the situation is understandable — I still stand by my position.

Granted, I have the benefit of having lived in Shelby County almost my entire life. I have the benefit of having lived in South Cordova since 1988. I have the benefit of having covered the county’s seven cities’ annexation reserve areas and knowing from history that Memphis previously annexed many a growing community from Whitehaven to Frayser to Raleigh to Hickory Hill, Parkway Village, Fox Meadows and Countrywood.

Definitely, a home field advantage for me on annexation trends.

But an outsider researching the area regarding where they are moving routinely does their homework. They know how far it is to their potential church. They study the schools — whether public or private — and determine proximity to the preferred grammar and high school options. How far is the commute to work? They may even look for newer subdivisions in hopes of finding other outsiders moving to the area, and thus, avoid established residents with Southern roots who — their perception — may not be as welcoming to folks from another area of the country.

(So much for that Southern hospitality reputation.)

Seems to me that in all that studying before arriving to look for a house, the question of the government jurisdiction over your property would arise. To which government do you pay your taxes? Who provides fire and police service? What entity picks up the garbage? It looks like the Memphis border is pretty close on the map, is there a possibility that big city could move and engulf our new neighborhood? Or have those officials already tried and were only stopped by a pending lawsuit?

There’s a place called Germantown on the other side of the Wolf River. Is our house in that city? Memphis? Another city? Out in nocity land?

Despite all the reasons not to know, it seems the research about everything else should have at least raised the question of what city you put on your new address labels.

GERMANTOWN PARKWAY CORRIDOR

NEW ‘CUE: We mentioned the opening of Jerry Lawler’s namesake barbecue joint a couple of weeks ago because, well, it’s the King.

A new challenger has stepped up to provide some ‘cue competition.

One & Only BBQ recently opened its new location on Germantown Parkway at Timber Creek across the street from Shelby Showplace Arena.

Early unofficial reviews say the new spot has duplicated the tasty pork process at One & Only’s other locations on Kirby and on Perkins at the east entrance to Oak Court Mall.

One diner called it “outstanding.”

Now, where is Tops Bar-B-Q?