Residents and multiple commissioners pressed Jefferson County officials to clarify who is authorized to approve and sign subdivision plats after the county’s zoning office recorded a two‑lot plat connected to a cluster of accessory buildings often described in the meeting as "sheds."

Several residents said the plat should have been signed by the regional planning commission secretary and cited the county subdivision regulations. Kathleen Villers told the commission she had distributed copies of the Jefferson County subdivision regulations and said the rules “clearly indicate that the plats need to be signed by the secretary of the RPC.” Jim Fox and other speakers said they believed staff had violated the commission’s direction by recording a plat without the commission’s written approval.

A representative for the zoning office and other long‑serving staff said the practice of staff review and signature for small (two‑lot) plats has occurred before and that Tennessee law provides local flexibility. A staff member explained that the legislature allows certain plats to be approved without full commission action in some circumstances, and that routine ‘‘check‑the‑box’’ reviews are common practice. Commissioners and staff agreed to seek formal clarification from the county attorney and to ensure future plats receive the planning commission secretary’s signature when required.

Residents described a series of related concerns: crowding and large gatherings at the site they called "the sheds," potential septic/occupancy issues, and the possibility that improperly recorded plats could affect many previously recorded maps. As one resident said, “If this had been going on in Jefferson County for some time . . . then it's likely many plats happened improperly signed and are now recorded.” Another community member asked the commission to count how many previously recorded plats might be affected and whether they must be corrected.

Commissioners said they would postpone final policy action until the county attorney reviews the record and provides written guidance. In the interim, staff agreed to stop recording plats that lacked the required planning commission secretary signature and to bring the question back to the commission. The commission voted to postpone the agenda item to the next meeting and asked staff to coordinate with legal counsel.

The discussion surfaced tensions between efforts to speed up permitting and the need to follow procedural requirements. Surveryor and longtime practitioner Eddie Garrett explained the practical cause for staff signatures: faster turnaround for sellers and buyers who otherwise must wait for the commission’s monthly meeting. Garrett said staff approval allowed transactions to close “in 7 to 10 days” rather than months.

The commission asked staff to present a clear written recommendation, show the controlling statute or county action that authorized past practice if one exists, and identify any plats recorded without the required signature so the body can determine whether corrective action is necessary.