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Council approves multiple rezonings including 146-acre industrial rezoning to support Oaklow
Summary
On final reading the council rezoned about 146 acres to IND-3 to support Oaklow’s site use and approved additional map amendments (including a 57-acre and 11.59-acre parcel). Several items were ratified to correct prior legal-notice timing.
Oak Ridge City Council on final reading approved multiple zoning map amendments, the largest of which rezoned approximately 146 acres of Roane County parcels from IND-2 and FIR to IND-3 to support the planned use by Oaklow. Councilors also approved a roughly 57-acre rezoning from FIR to IND-2 and an 11.59-acre parcel on Imperium Drive from IND-2 to B-2 General Business.
Miss Williams explained the 146-acre rezoning is intended to accommodate Oaklow’s business operations on parcels the city is receiving, and she invited questions from the council. Council approved the 146-acre rezoning and the other map amendments on final (second) and final reading with no recorded opposition. The public hearing on the 57-acre parcel drew no speakers; the Imperium Drive hearing included a resident, Doug Colclasure, who urged council to preserve scarce industrial land and asked for the overriding justification for converting industrial land to general business.
Council members discussed the Horizon Center rezoning (Development Area 5 in the industrial park) from IND-2 to IND-3 (approximately 96.5 acres). Staff noted the city will revisit the nuclear-industry overlay in March and that BWXT has already constructed and occupied a building on one parcel. The Horizon Center rezoning passed after council discussion.
In addition, three previously adopted zoning ordinances were brought back to the council for ratification because a change in state law extended the legal-notice publication requirement from 15 to 21 days; the readoptions place those decisions on the record under the updated notice standard. The council approved those ratifications by voice vote.
What happens next: Properties will be rezoned as recorded in the enacted ordinances; staff said they will present the nuclear-industry overlay to the planning commission in March for possible future changes to industrial overlay guidance.
