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Commission approves multiple rezonings and a ban on campgrounds in A‑1 districts after public hearing
Summary
The board held public hearings and approved several rezoning requests and passed Resolution 2025-14 to prohibit campgrounds in A‑1 (agriculture/forestry) zoning after residents raised concerns about safety and trespass.
Jefferson County commissioners held public hearings July 15 on a package of zoning revisions and approved multiple rezoning petitions, including a county resolution (2025-14) to remove campgrounds as a permitted use in A‑1 agricultural/forestry zoning.
At the public hearing, Michelle Birdsall, who lives at 1661 East Highway 2570 in Dandridge, described repeated trespassing, threats and property damage linked to a nearby campground and urged commissioners to remove campgrounds from A‑1 zoning. "We have had numerous people trespass, defecate, and leave their trash on our property," Birdsall said. She asked the commission to "put them in commercial where they belong."
After hearings, commissioners voted on a set of rezoning measures. Resolutions 2025-28, 2025-29 and 2025-30 rezoned parcels from A‑1 (agriculture/forestry) to C‑2 (general commercial); Resolution 2025-31 rezoned a parcel from A‑1 to R‑1 (rural residential). The commission recorded votes of 17-0 on those items. Resolution 2025-14, which removes campgrounds as a permitted use in A‑1 and RC and C‑2 zoning districts, was also added to new business and passed after suspending rules and public hearing procedures were addressed.
Why it matters: Residents who testified said certain campground operations function as commercial enterprises that create neighborhood safety, sanitation and trespass problems when sited adjacent to residences; supporters of rezoning said moving commercial uses into C‑2 was appropriate. The amendments change permitted uses on affected parcels and may affect future permit applications.
Discussion vs. decision: The record shows both public testimony (public-hearing comments by residents such as Michelle Birdsall) and formal vote outcomes; commissioners voted to adopt the map changes and the use prohibition at this session.
Ending: The zoning changes and the campground prohibition are now in effect as adopted by the county commission; specific parcel rezoning decisions will be reflected in the county zoning map and code administration thereafter.
