Most residents probably don’t realize that one of the most influential voices affecting Fairfield Glade today is not an elected board member and is not guaranteed a seat under the Declarant provisions of our governing documents.
The Architectural Control Committee (ACC) Charter (see Section 5.9) states that “one member shall be designated by the developer.” Not the Declarant. The developer. Tom Anderson. And this position is NOT granted by any of our governing documents. The person filling that position on the ACC is JT (Gerald) Smith, the Construction Manager for Tom Anderson’s Fairfield Glade Homes. (Click on the links below to view relevant documents.)
That matters. This individual has played a significant role in:
- Revising the New Home Requirements for Fairfield Glade
- Influencing the recently adopted Sewer Policy
- Representing Fairfield Glade in discussions with Cumberland County regarding roads and road maintenance
- Denying a home owner’s offer to pay for the paving of the road leading to their home
The comparison between the current 2023 New Home Requirements Policy and a proposed 2026 policy update shows just how extensive those changes have been.
But the road issue may be the most concerning.
Fairfield Glade residents make up approximately 16% of Cumberland County’s population, while we contribute roughly 33% of county tax revenue. On top of that, our assessments already fund approximately $750,000 of our own money annually toward road maintenance in our community.
Now discussions are occurring about maintenance agreements that could require Fairfield Glade to assume even more responsibility for road upkeep.
Think about that:
- We pay county taxes.
- We pay for road maintenance through our assessments.
- We could potentially be asked to take on additional maintenance obligations.
How does someone who isn’t elected by the membership and doesn’t live in the community become one of the primary voices representing Fairfield Glade in those discussions?
Even more puzzling, attached is correspondence involving a property owner who wants to chip and seal his own road at his own expense to improve access. Yet under the newly adopted Sewer Policy, homes on roads that are not considered hard-surface roads now, under the revised Sewer Policy, may be denied sewer service.
Those positions seem difficult to reconcile.
The larger question isn’t just about one individual. It’s about governance.
Why is a single appointed ACC representative, who is employed by Tom Anderson, influencing architectural standards, sewer policy, and road negotiations that could affect every property owner in Fairfield Glade?
If transparency and accountability matter, residents should be asking whether this level of influence is appropriate for a position that is neither elected by the membership nor explicitly guaranteed the authority it appears to be exercising.
Fairfield Glade members deserves clear answers.
To view the full documentation, including governing documents, policy changes, tracked revisions, and supporting emails, see below or visit FFGlade.com. Review the information and the documents, and then draw your own conclusions.
Background on Homeowner Offering to Pave Own Road
After Fairfield Glade members rejected the proposed C&R amendments by a 63% vote in 2025, attention turned to revisions of the ACC’s New Home Requirements. A comparison of the 2023 and proposed 2026 versions shows significant additions, including a new section titled “Infrastructure Development & Declarant Rights,” which incorporates language regarding the Declarant’s authority over road construction and improvements that was not included in the 2023 document.
Many of the revisions reflected in the comparison document were drafted through edits attributed to JT Smith, Fairfield Glade Homes’ Construction Manager. Members should carefully review the changes and determine whether these revisions simply clarify existing requirements or introduce policies that resemble provisions previously rejected through the C&R amendment process.
Email Exchange Background:
Two property owners living on a four-lot cul-de-sac in Fairfield Glade approached the Fairfield Glade Community Club about paving their road to Cumberland County specifications, at their own expense. The cul-de-sac contains four lots, two of which are developed and occupied. The owners were not requesting club funding; rather, they were seeking permission to improve the road themselves to county standards. When they contacted the Community Club, they were directed to JT Smith, Fairfield Glade Homes’ Construction Director, who was identified as the community’s representative on road-related matters. The correspondence shows the response they received. It is important to note that Cumberland County Planning Commission officials have not publicly confirmed or sanctioned the statements made in this email. The comments and positions expressed are those of Fairfield Glade Homes’ representative, not an official statement from Cumberland County. The property owner’4s subsequently requested the name and contact information of the county official who allegedly made the determination referenced in the response.
These documents paint an interesting, and concerning, picture of importance to all FCC members.
- The 2022 C&Rs (pages 30-31) which outline provisions for the Architectural Control Committee (ACC)
- The ACC Charter (see Section 5.9)
- The current (2023) New Homes Requirement Policy
- Tracked proposed changes to the current (2023) New Homes Requirement Policy, with many changes made by JT Smith
- A clean copy of the proposed New Homes Requirements Policy
- Email exchange between JT Smith, Construction Manager for Tom Anderson’s Fairfield Glade Homes, telling a FCC home owner that they can not pay for the paving of a road to their developed lot and home