Blount County planning commission approves small solar site plan and multiple subdivision plats

Chairman Daryl Tipton convened the Blount County Planning Commission on Oct. 26, 2025, and the commission approved a site plan for a utility-scale solar installation at 3121 Mint Road and a slate of subdivision plats and related actions after routine staff presentations and limited discussion.

The most substantive item involved a site plan filed by Silicon Ranch Corporation for a 25-acre parcel at 3121 Mint Road. "That's a site plan for utility use at 3121 Mint Road," said Cameron, planning staff, who told the commission the project would disturb about 20 acres and would include a vegetated landscape buffer shown on sheet G102. Cameron said the buffer uses three types of trees and is set back 20 feet from the property line. "They're proposing a vegetative buffer. It's pretty specific on the G102," Cameron said.

The commission discussed a potential access easement issue that could landlock a rear lot. "On sheet 2 of this shows the lot of the utility or the ease access easement and then go up to the second lot just on when he before…