Commission debates East Main density and staff to compile permit data for state tax study; plan‑review fees proposed

Commissioners raised concerns about increasing residential density on East Main and discussed whether the planning commission should recommend changes to growth planning or R3 rezoning in that corridor.

"I think we really as a planning commission need to start paying a little more attention to East Main," one commissioner said, noting several recent quadruplex approvals and the resulting vehicle and parking impacts. Commissioners suggested the commission’s committee or growth plan review could consider limiting additional R3 development or recommending design standards to manage density.

Planning staff (Miss Rosalie) said her office had been contacted by a researcher at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville seeking building‑permit records from 2019 to the present for single‑family residences, triplexes and quadruplexes. "Amber and I are going to be going back and gathering all this data and sending it to them to see how we can have a larger slice of the pie," she said, describing the request as part of how metropolitan tax shares and allocations are being recalculated at the state level.

Rosalie also said staff will examine current fee practices and propose charging plan‑review fees (which historically have not been charged) and that any fee change would be brought to the county commission for approval.

There were no formal policy votes on density limits or fee changes at the meeting; commissioners directed staff and committees to compile data and to draft any proposals for future consideration.