Published: May 18, 2009 10:45 pm      

Meadow Bridge residents protest name change

FAYETTEVILLE — Laurel Creek Road by any other name does not smell as sweet to some Meadow Bridge residents — especially when the new name is Cow Town Road.

Six Meadow Bridge residents told the Fayette County Commission at the May 8 meeting that Meadow Bridge Council voted to change the name to Cow Town Road, but many residents are dissatisfied with that moniker.

Another new name — Horse Town Road — given to an old road nearby was mentioned, but no residents were present to protest that change.

“I live on Cow Town Road,” Meadow Bridge resident Vernia Jeffries said. “And my friend lives on Horse Town Road.”

Jeffries and Bob Vandall, also of Meadow Bridge, were among those who told Commission President Ken Eskew and Commissioners Jon Lopez and Matt Wender that they don’t like the new names.

The change has also upset delivery of mail, Jeffries added.

Vandall showed commissioners old maps in which “Laurel Creek Road” appeared as the road name.

He said historically, Laurel Creek has been the name old-time residents of Meadow Bridge had given to the route.

Fayette 911 Operations Director Dave Neal said at the meeting that the name change was first requested by 911 in order to eliminate confusion during emergency responses.

There is already a Laurel Creek Road in Fayette County, although not in Meadow Bridge, Neal said.

Meadow Bridge council members voted on the new name at a council meeting Vandall and Jeffries said was not adequately publicized to Cow Town/Laurel Creek residents.

Fayette 911 is following a standard set by EOCs nationwide, but has gotten opposition in many cases when requesting that duplicate road names in the county be changed, Neal said.

Neal said some Meadow Bridge residents are hotly protesting the change and the other side staunchly defends it.

“We have some roads, based on sentimental reasons, that makes it difficult to change,” he said. “Believe me, I would rather not create conflict.

“I’d rather come to a peaceful solution on this,” he told the group at the meeting. “I’m not against you; I’m not against them.

“Wherever the conclusion is, there’s where I want to be, just so we can get this over with and do what needs to be done.”

The Cow Town Road designation is now official on Fayette Emergency Operations records and has been forwarded to the State Department of Highways and the United States Postal Service, according to Neal.

Fayette Prosecuting Attorney Carl Harris said that municipalities have authority under current statutes to name the streets within a town.

“The town votes to keep it Cow Town, but only half (of the road) is in the incorporation limits,” Vandall stated.

Vandall said about eight houses on the road are inside town limits and eight are outside.

They have petitioned since 2007 to maintain “Laurel Creek Road” as the name of the street.

Wender said eight of the 16 residents of Laurel Creek/Cow Town Road signed the petition.

Harris said confusion is created for 911 responders when a road has one name inside town limits, and another name outside town limits.

Residents were passionate that they did not want the older names of the roads in their area changed.

“Meadow Bridge has had these names forever,” said Jeffries. “People come to town, they say where is Patton Cemetery Road?

“There is no such road in Meadow Bridge because, well, now that’s Church Street,” she added. “You just don’t go into a town that has been there forever and start changing the streets.”

One resident suggested keeping both names — Laurel Creek Road and Cow Town Road — on the signs to satisfy 911 requirements and the residents’ wishes.

Neal said he would not oppose the name being changed back to “Laurel Creek Road.”

Harris advised there is a two-year moratorium on making name changes.

“I think we’re beating a dead horse right now,” Harris said.

Attempts by the commission to assist in solving the dilemma were fruitless.

Wender offered to write a letter to Meadow Bridge council members asking them to allow residents to choose the name in upcoming months so the matter will be firmly resolved by 2011.

“That won’t work either, because none of (the council members) cares or knows anything about it,” Vandall said.

Wender then suggested waiting until after the July elections to send the proposed letter to members of the upcoming council.

“The old council are the same ones running,” Vandall replied. “It won’t be any different.”

Wender said the matter may be revisited in two years.

— E-mail: jfarrish@register-herald.com