Blount County Planning Commission adopts regional comprehensive plan, forwards it for county review

The Blount County Planning Commission on Tuesday voted to adopt a regional comprehensive plan prepared by Inspire Placemaking Collective and to forward the plan to municipalities, the county commission and the Department of Economic Development for further action.

Planning staff member Thomas told the commission the consultant adjusted the draft after public comments and feedback from commissioners. “The comments we received were generally favorable,” Thomas said, and staff provided a draft resolution intended to meet the statutory requirements for adoption.

The plan is intended as a roadmap for future land-use decisions; it makes no changes to current zoning or policies on its own. “This makes no changes whatsoever to our current zoning, any of our current policies, anything whatsoever. This is a road map going forward,” Thomas said.

Commissioner McClellan questioned a density designation in the draft, noting the commission’s zoning regulations set a minimum lot size of a half-acre and asking why a suburbanizing designation used “greater than 3 dwellings per acre” instead of language tied to the existing two units-per-acre standard. “I don't know why it should say not just say 2 units per acre in that specific place,” McClellan said.

Thomas and other staff said the plan’s recommendations are intended to guide future zoning updates; one consultant recommendation discussed by staff would split the suburbanizing classification into two districts to allow different density ranges. Thomas and legal counsel referenced a statutory adoption process and a draft resolution requiring a majority of the planning commission's membership to pass the resolution.

Commissioner Nick Bright moved to adopt the resolution and forward the plan; Commissioner Sullins seconded the motion. The commission voted to approve the resolution. The recorded vote tally was not specified in the meeting record.

If the county commission accepts the planning commission’s recommendation, the county commission would hold a public hearing before any county-level adoption.

The commission packet included a memo from legal counsel (referred to in the meeting as Mr. Scott) explaining statutory steps and noting the adoption requires a majority of the commission’s membership rather than a majority of members present. Staff recommended approval.