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Sevier County commission approves rezoning, appointments and major capital contributions; CDBG waterline application advanced
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Summary
At its March 16 meeting, the Sevier County Board of Commissioners approved multiple rezoning requests, appointed judicial commissioners and emergency‑communications directors, authorized a $1 million CDBG waterline application, and approved the My People Senior Center capital project with a $7.5 million budget split among county, city and private contributions.
The Sevier County Board of Commissioners on March 16 approved a series of ordinances and resolutions covering rezoning, appointments, infrastructure funding and county administrative processes.
Among land‑use approvals, the commission rezoned parcels at Crossover Road, 2633 Douglas Dam Road, 813 Wye District and several New Center Road parcels following positive recommendations from the Sevier County Regional Planning Commission. One rezoning request on Boyds Creek Road (adjacent to the U‑Shop convenience store) was approved to allow potential store expansion; the vote on that item recorded one No vote (R. Valentine).
Chief Magistrate Albert Snyder presented three recommended judicial commissioners — Katherine Coster, Cecil Warman and Maria Prager — and commissioners approved the appointments. Snyder described Coster as a former licensed attorney with about 30 years of legal experience, Warman as a 25‑year law‑enforcement veteran whose last assignment included homicide investigations, and Prager as a recent graduate working part‑time.
Chairman Larry Waters noted that the County Mayor’s office follows state law and longstanding local resolution in making appointments to the Sevier County Emergency Communications District Board; the board approved the recommended slate, including Chief David Puckett as the fire chiefs' association representative. One commissioner abstained on the confirmation vote for that item (R. Valentine).
The commission authorized submitting a Community Development Block Grant application to seek approximately $1 million (with a 20 percent local match) to extend waterline service in the New Center/Kandy Way area. Director of Grants & Special Projects Andrew Temple said property‑owner surveys rose to 34 of 37 parcels this cycle; if awarded, the project will allow extension of water service to participating residents.
The commission also approved designating the My People Senior Center expansion as a public building authority capital project. Officials estimated the total project budget at $7,500,000, with county funding of $3,150,000, Dolly Parton contributing $3,000,000, and the City of Sevierville providing $1,350,000.
Other administrative and policy actions approved included a move to a continuous four‑year reappraisal cycle for property assessments, the formal intent to adopt updated building codes under Tennessee Code Annotated sections 5‑20‑101 through 5‑20‑106A (the code books will be placed in the clerk’s office for public review), road classification updates, authorization to use state aid to resurface Dripping Springs Road, setting speed limits on certain county roads, a property transfer to the Sevierville Industrial Development Board, and a nonbinding request to the Tennessee General Assembly seeking protections from municipal regulation and annexation.
Public comment at the end of the meeting included multiple residents opposing a proposed D.R. Horton development off Red Bank Road and a request from resident John Floyd for county assistance with driveway damage caused by runoff after a prior repaving project. Commissioner Warren Hurst asked county staff, emergency services, planning, the sheriff’s office and the county attorney to meet about the D.R. Horton proposal.
The meeting adjourned by voice vote; record shows 24 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.