[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6089959,"mediaKeyId","2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32","parentId",2870082,"title","Johnson City commission actions and votes, April 3, 2025: annexation referral, code updates, land-use and landfill resolution","audioSeconds",2499,"startMs",5091000,"endMs",7590000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32&start=5091&end=7590","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32/thumbnail_5091000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6089959/Tennessee/Johnson-City-commission-actions-and-votes-April-3-2025-annexation-referral-code-updates-land-use-and-landfill-resolution","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089959-7b08e74049e60440f46109faca507472/orig.mp4?Expires=1771058050&Signature=P4zv1G2ht8BInZCxetSES69JAX1-a19Tv28pXnx5L1YfLYuT~BBS89xvIUbUCOrFC4WzqgTVUTjboVO47weVPVj9Gy6pdsSj3-royAG5AetpmHLuK-mn1kLYkmLnTHaB9au8LDL1wOqcuDYHVNvKzt6SCuxGX0J3lhkO~vwvfiZ-ckNu1tVz~ecr1uwwzqldJfAiPGHGGwjK1dzjP~Hj9hRj~8cnPmYSIlPqyseR-Wmg6P1ODR4bwzncxvTOgXK56nwvev5TC4rsdcqCxA970L7EtRM9i80w79mdoz-Q4DAkOI85DqpP1qKQMd0iVtej7k99c054B~ofoIhS8o9NdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Johnson, TN","date","2025-04-04T05:13:57.123Z","article","The Johnson City Commission took multiple formal actions April 3, 2025. Key outcomes below list agenda item, what the item would do, and the vote recorded at the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Annexation and RP-3 zoning for Hopper Road (agenda items 8.1/8.2): Commission voted to refer the annexation and the zoning assignment back to the Planning Commission and staff for review and revision (vote: 5-0). A prior motion to deny the annexation failed (vote recorded as 0-5). The referral pauses final action and allows the applicant and planning staff to revise zoning before further public hearings.

- Circle Court right-of-way abandonment (Ordinance 4908-25; item 8.3, first reading): Commission approved the first reading to abandon the public right-of-way on Circle Court (vote: 5-0). Public sewer easements will be retained per survey; staff noted possible additional easement adjustments during civil submission.

- Fire prevention code amendment (Ordinance 4909-25; item 8.4, first reading): Commission approved first reading to amend the city code to revise the International Fire Code appendix D threshold from 30 to 50 housing units for required secondary fire-access exits (vote: 5-0). Staff and the fire marshal said the change restores a prior threshold used to accommodate certain flag-lot developments and that Public Works now requires wider roads and larger turning radii in new subdivisions.

- Buffalo Road rezoning (Ordinance 4906-25; item listed as third and final reading): Commission approved the third and final reading to change property on Buffalo Road from I-2 (industrial) to R-3 (residential) (vote: 5-0).

- Iris Glen landfill lateral expansion resolution (item 10.1): Commission approved a resolution expressing support for Waste Management to pursue permitting, design and construction of a lateral expansion of the Iris Glen landfill, subject to later negotiation on operations and contracts (vote recorded: 5-0). Waste Management has agreed to fund pre-permitting engineering work (estimated by staff at about $1.5 million) and staff said the expansion could add roughly 40–50 years of capacity to the site; the process includes state permitting and is expected to take roughly two years.

- Consent and other items: The commission approved consent items including funding and construction for security vestibules at remaining schools (Mountain View Elementary, Cherokee Elementary, Northside, Topper Academy) (vote: 5-0) and other routine items.

Votes and roll calls recorded in the meeting transcript all show unanimous recorded approval on the items above where votes were taken. Where the commission voted to refer or table items (Hopper Road annexation/zoning), the next procedural steps are Planning Commission review and subsequent public notices and hearings if the applicant pursues revised zoning or the commission schedules a hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Johnson City Board of Commissioners Meeting 04-03-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Johnson City commissioners on April 3 approved code amendments, a right-of-way abandonment, a landfill expansion resolution and referred an annexation and zoning request back to planning after heavy public comment.","taxTitle","Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee","taxId",24786,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089964,"Residents demand accountability after Johnson City settles civil case; commission outlines reforms and limits on public comment",2331,1148000,3479000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32&start=1148&end=3479","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32/thumbnail_1148000.jpg","/articles/6089964/Tennessee/Residents-demand-accountability-after-Johnson-City-settles-civil-case-commission-outlines-reforms-and-limits-on-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089964-fed8a5d17f6635eef1000fc2b5368f76/orig.mp4?Expires=1771058050&Signature=QvHVE7FPqiMaK6O9zAYomlJjZ2JZ8LvPYeBrXry1pUI9Mc~3BTt5o-1l-jz-2XnxZyoEkno57n0V1atXHh4JRy6g3ZbFT-Csyx6tFvHB2ftTfP8jElvL16fzOoJ6uelDwEl4v1kTYgUVVBudKRXXx~K2mZuZ9a498Xi9rPlbN5uHM55~mjcmWn4KQZFs4-uMn74R9122nZQv8lyRSXqLDTsnvUUrpqTWsVcDnHMVut6HVXbAqCtxLPPCE5VaOsb2XwcR2dya~AbwLhJl2CBIwTHg8Dov~Sah~-iyGdZRGZea8NcyMeybWGl3qoshwKGPAAZjxjRJUtS2UxUxmRNSgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents pressed Johnson City officials on April 3 about a recent multimillion-dollar settlement and the handling of sexual-assault cases by the city’s police department, urging independent investigations, public town halls and clearer communication about reforms.

Speakers at length described anger, trauma and distrust after the city disclosed it will pay a civil settlement related to the convictions of a former officer. David Adams told the commission the $28,000,000 settlement eclipses other accomplishments and urged a full internal investigation; other speakers including Victoria Hewlett, Emma Grama Sherlin, Brad Batt and Abigail Honeycutt asked for town halls, advisory boards, third-party audits and public accountability for officials and officers implicated in reports cited by residents.

Mayor John Hunter addressed the packed meeting and acknowledged the community’s concern while noting legal limits on public discussion. Hunter said federal and state investigators had completed inquiries: \"we learned from General Steve Finney that the TBI and the FBI have completed their investigation of our police department and found no credible evidence of corruption, bribery, or criminal activity,\" he said. Hunter also said one lawsuit has been settled and two remain open, which constrains what city officials can publicly address.

The mayor outlined actions the commission and staff have taken since the issues surfaced: commissioning an independent review (the Daigle Group report), hiring new department leadership, approving funds to hire additional officers and create a dedicated special victims unit, and providing funds to the Washington County Family Justice Center and to add a forensic interviewer at the Children’s Advocacy Center. Hunter and staff said the department has implemented revised sexual-assault procedures recommended in the outside review and revamped case-tracking.

Public commenters called for further steps: immediate internal affairs examinations, testing unprocessed sexual-assault kits, a third-party audit of the evidence lockup and town halls that include victim-service providers. Several speakers criticized prior public remarks by city staff and requested a more sustained public engagement schedule and mailed public-safety reporting. A number of commenters tied reputational and economic concerns — including potential harm to tourism, recruitment and investment — to the city’s national attention.

City officials reiterated a willingness to meet the public and to pursue reforms while noting ongoing litigation and a court gag order restrict what staff can say in public meetings. The commission recessed briefly after the item; no formal policy vote was taken on the settlement item during the meeting.","Dozens of residents urged the Johnson City Commission on April 3 to pursue independent investigations, public town halls and stronger accountability following a reported $28 million civil settlement tied to crimes by a former officer.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6089969,"Johnson City commissioners refer Hopper Road annexation and RP-3 zoning back to planning commission after neighbor objections",6449,270000,6719000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32&start=270&end=6719","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2870082-080719648c2f665fb6fda321de221b32/thumbnail_270000.jpg","/articles/6089969/Tennessee/Johnson-City-commissioners-refer-Hopper-Road-annexation-and-RP-3-zoning-back-to-planning-commission-after-neighbor-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6089969-0ca38503482a9b4f3ad2af760a93fd1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771058050&Signature=caivpKkHcbje7JRJuQcmKIxKcOVjvpUnKDJS9nqpve-LJToQu-B9b1STF1tA53nWfZIpwbMzQoYxR~kG7u~kijtAw3qt22gGjSFxRsQ9c45-rpWHDWQRolOHcZQYC5Kc6NqxRAsLiBieVlBSk~US~iAJ-ZCNJYjitOjSQTO2AG2p~2ox6jnDwh4-RqItaoyjVJ24wt7tvmCX8iv8t3HhZF7z~w6myHLjanU6dYTKNFUle~LcjCEDXurpV9vQB9UDMutqUq~7zA~iw7snYURps4x-2HmJPvrOR6vOrzj2kdQHk8e9J~ZWnFeKldvjRIIaweIxfumkDQeKmjTXLza2zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Johnson City commissioners voted April 3 to refer the proposed annexation and zoning assignment for a 13.68-acre parcel at Hopper and Indian Ridge roads back to the Planning Commission for further review.

The referral follows more than an hour of public comment from neighborhood residents who opposed a developer proposal to build what a staff concept plan shows as 105 townhomes. Neighbors and speakers described Indian Ridge Road and nearby Hopper Road as narrow, curving, and lacking sidewalks and shoulders; several said traffic already creates unsafe conditions near Woodland Elementary School.

City planner Bryce McNamer told the commission the owner-requested annexation is voluntary and that the accompanying zoning request is for RP-3 (Planned Residential 3). RP-3 permits up to 8.5 units per acre; McNamer said the applicant’s concept plan shows 105 units, about 7.7 units per acre, though the concept plan is not binding under the annexation process and would be considered later if zoning is approved. McNamer also summarized the process timeline: the preliminary resolution would finalize a public-hearing date and the third reading would be the final decision; staff listed May 1 as the date proposed for public hearings.

Speakers who opposed the annexation included Tony Treadway, who presented a 37-signature petition and cited traffic studies and safety risks; Jason Whitten, who said he moved to Johnson City to avoid high-density development; Charles Allen and other long-time residents who urged the commission to require the road be brought to city standards before allowing additional development. Several residents raised sight-distance and drainage problems along Indian Ridge, and asked the commission to consider a moratorium on large developments in the area until roads are improved.

McNamer said city departments concluded service extension would be feasible and staff recommended approval of annexation and the requested RP-3 zoning, noting the site lies inside the city’s urban service area and that similar multifamily densities exist within a mile of the site. The planning commission unanimously recommended approval on Sept. 10, 2024, McNamer added. The applicant told the commission she preferred the matter be sent back to planning for further review.

During deliberations, a motion to deny the annexation was made and voted down. The commission then approved a motion to refer the annexation and the zoning assignment back to the Planning Commission and staff for review and possible revision. The referral passed by a 5-0 vote.

Next steps: Notices and signs will be posted and letters sent as required if the commission later schedules a public hearing. McNamer also said the RP-3 district requires a concept plan review by Planning Commission and City Commission prior to development; any site-plan approvals and public-works improvements would follow separate reviews.

The discussion combined resident safety and infrastructure concerns with planning and land-use policy choices about infill and housing variety. Officials repeatedly noted a statutory process for annexation and that the concept plan is not binding at the annexation stage.","After extended public comment focused on traffic and safety on Indian Ridge Road, the Johnson City Commission voted to send the proposed annexation of 13.68 acres on Hopper Road and its RP-3 zoning assignment back to the Planning Commission for further review.","actionData","errors"]

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Johnson City commission actions and votes, April 3, 2025: annexation referral, code updates, land-use and landfill resolution

Residents demand accountability after Johnson City settles civil case; commission outlines reforms and limits on public comment

Johnson City commissioners refer Hopper Road annexation and RP-3 zoning back to planning commission after neighbor objections