Neighbors object as Gatlinburg aldermen approve rezoning request for Winfield Heights property

The Gatlinburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a zoning change for properties at 433 and 439 Winfield Heights Road after a public hearing that drew objections from adjacent homeowners.

Attorney Nathan Ryle, representing nearby homeowners Jim and Donna Wade and Sharon Rivas, told the Board the rezoning request had been presented to the city as a bed-and-breakfast but was being advertised online as a hotel with a bar and restaurant. "My clients are extremely opposed to this primarily because they believe that the commission has been misled as to the nature of this program, this rezoning," Ryle said. He cited listings on multiple travel sites and social media that described the property as a boutique hotel with a restaurant and bar.

The rezoning request would change the two parcels from R-3 high-density residential to C-2 general business, a classification the city’s planning staff and planning commission said was contiguous with other commercial property nearby. Gary (staff member) told the Board staff had reviewed the application twice at the planning commission level and concluded the application met the criteria for rezoning. "We determined that is not the case [of illegal spot zoning]. It is adjacent to another C-2 property," Gary said.

A nearby resident raised traffic concerns and urged the Board to require access from Ski Mountain Road rather than Winfield Heights, saying the neighborhood street may not handle increased traffic. Ryle also asked the Board to table or deny the request to allow more negotiation between neighbors and the property owner; the applicant had already gone before the planning commission twice, staff noted.

After discussion the Board took a roll call motion, which passed. No named vote tally was recorded on the transcript.

Why it matters: The C-2 classification would permit hotel and full-service restaurant uses that residents say are inappropriate for the immediate residential area and could increase traffic on Winfield Heights. The public objection centered on how the property is being marketed and on access and traffic impacts.

What happened next: The Board approved the rezoning motion after the public comment period and staff responses. The transcript records no further conditions tied to the approval and does not list a recorded vote by name in the public transcript.

Outstanding details: The ordinance number listed in the meeting was spoken as "29"; the transcript does not unambiguously provide a full ordinance number. The application and staff reports remain the official record for any conditions or access agreements.