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Oak Ridge council approves Oak Ridge 2045 comprehensive plan on first reading
Summary
The Oak Ridge City Council approved the Oak Ridge 2045 comprehensive plan on first reading after presentations from city staff and the consultant; supporters from the housing authority and Chamber of Commerce urged passage and a second reading is scheduled for June.
Oak Ridge City Council voted 7-0 on first reading to adopt the city—s comprehensive plan, Oak Ridge 2045: A Century of Heritage, a Future of Promise, following a staff and consultant presentation and public comment in support.
Miss Williams presented the plan to the council and said the process began in October 2024 and included significant public input and certification by the planning commission in February. Danny Wilson of Fries and Nichols summarized the plan—s structure, saying it is organized into five chapters and two appendices and that the future land use map reserves roughly 16,000 acres as open space while identifying areas to support balanced economic growth.
The plan document groups priorities into housing and healthy neighborhoods; transportation and mobility; livability and community vibrancy; recreation and natural assets; and economic vitality and sustainable growth, and ties each goal to implementation steps organized by short-, mid- and long-term timelines.
During council questions, members asked that the plan remain subject to refinement, particularly when the Department of Energy releases federal property. Councilmember Smith and Councilmember Hensley pointed to a parcel shown as industrial on the map that they believe is subject to a conservation easement and urged staff to correct mapping errors before final adoption.
At the public hearing, Maria Catron, executive director of the Oak Ridge Housing Authority, said the housing authority supports moving forward with the plan and called it "a great starting point" to address the local housing crisis. Tamara Fleischacker, president and CEO of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, said the plan protects quality of life and natural assets and recommended council passage.
After closing the public hearing, the council approved the plan on first reading by voice vote; the second reading and final consideration are scheduled for the June council meeting. Council members and staff said implementation will include follow-up small-area studies and continued public engagement as projects and DOE property releases arise.
