Commissioners split on forming wastewater task force; planning commission jurisdiction cited

The Bedford County Commission considered a motion to form a 15-member wastewater task force made up of developers, realtors, engineers, planning staff, wastewater experts and commissioners to produce recommendations by August.

Proponents said the task force would bring industry experts and local stakeholders together and would report to the rules committee; opponents said state law and long-standing procedures assign primary authority to the planning commission and warned against duplicative parallel processes.

Commissioner (mover) described the proposal as modeled on the county's homeless task force and said realtors and developers asked for the panel to help produce practicable recommendations. "I would like to make a motion to create a wastewater task force that will be made up of 15 people... to bring back a recommendation to this group by the August meeting," the commissioner said.

Planning Director White explained the options and how the matter had been handled previously: a private act, subdivision regulation changes, or a planning-commission-originated zoning/resolution path. He told commissioners that planning had already begun studying subregulation changes and that "if we want to appoint a committee, the chairperson [of the planning commission] would be amenable to that," and that planning could engage stakeholders as part of its work.

Several commissioners urged speed. Commissioner Epperson said he wanted the work done faster than the year-long timetable previously discussed. Commissioner Vick, referencing state law, told colleagues that state statute gives the regional planning commission a formal role: "The statute clearly says TCA 13-7-105...Planning commission will have the power to promulgate provision and subdivision regulation," he said, arguing that the planning commission should lead the technical rulemaking and recommendations.

After discussion and multiple procedural clarifications, the commission voted on a motion to form a commission-originated task force reporting to the rules committee; the motion failed 2–16 (2 ayes, 16 nos). Several commissioners said they would ask the planning commission to take the lead and to solicit input from the same stakeholders the proposal intended to include.

Planning Director White suggested three paths going forward: pursue a private act to create a wastewater authority; allow planning to promulgate subdivision regulations; or have planning appoint an advisory committee and engage stakeholders. Commissioners asked planning staff to continue studying the matter and to involve public stakeholders in whichever path is followed.