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Planning Commission reviews $8.1 million work program; director outlines staff growth and regional projects
Summary
Executive Director Amy Brooks told the commission the office reviewed 524 cases last year, expects continued application growth, and proposed a roughly $8.1 million budget driven by transportation grants, local appropriations, and a modest fee share; staff recommended modest staff increases to deliver an ambitious work program.
Vice Chair Oden called the June annual meeting of the Planning Commission and turned the floor over to Executive Director Amy Brooks, who presented the commission’s fiscal year 2023–24 major activities and the agency’s financial status.
Brooks said staff reviewed 524 cases over the last year and handles more than 90 application types, roughly half of which are routed to the commission. “Our fees continue to exceed what we have budgeted,” Brooks said, adding that grant reimbursements and reimbursements tied to transportation planning account for a large share of the agency’s work.
Brooks described several regional projects and partnerships, including the Roadway Safety Action Plan adopted by the TPO executive board last July, work on Mobility Plan 2050 (public engagement concluded in February with another round scheduled in the fall), and the Breathe climate pollution reduction grant in partnership with the city of Knoxville. She also said staff provided website and data support to regional partners including the Knoxville Chamber and the industrial development board.
The proposed work program and budget — organized by city, county and regional agency tasks — shows revenues and expenditures of approximately $8,100,000. Brooks said roughly 31% of that total comes from local appropriations (about 18% from the city and 13% from the county), 51% from grant reimbursements, and about 8% from fees. “We do plan to attempt to increase our staff over the next few months to help us execute what I think is a fairly ambitious work program,” she said.
Brooks told commissioners the budget reflects both ongoing day‑to‑day obligations and multiyear special projects such as updates to the unified development ordinance, zoning code changes tied to the new comprehensive land-use and transportation plan, and historic resource inventories. She closed by noting the work program has been reviewed by city council, county administration and the executive committee and recommended for approval by the executive committee.
The commission did not take a formal vote on the budget during this session; Brooks scheduled a July agenda review meeting and offered to present the work program again there. The director also asked commissioners to consider attending a proposed July workshop on the comprehensive land-use and transportation plan and related amendments.
