Commission opposes Centre 75 sal

After initially considering selling property in Centre 75 Business Park during the April workshop, Loudon County Commission reversed course Monday.

Commissioners David Meers and Julia Hurley motioned and seconded, respectively, to approve the sale of 15 acres for $375,000. The measure failed, with Commissioners Gary Whitfield, Henry Cullen, Van Shaver and Adam Waller opposing.

Commissioner Kelly Littleton-Brewster abstained because a relative of her husband, Loudon City Councilman Tim Brewster, was the potential purchaser.

“From my part, I’m just more concerned about the retail location,” Whitfield said. “I don’t think it was designed for retail. I think it was designed for manufacturing facilities in that area.”

“M-2 allows M-1 and M-1 actually does have provisions for retail,” Jack Qualls, Loudon County Economic Development Agency executive director, said.

During the workshop, Qualls said the property would have been used for an “outside wholesale landscaping-type retail component, as well as services and things of that nature.”

The vote comes after Loudon City Council and the EDA board of directors and executive committee all gave approval.

Loudon Mayor Jeff Harris was present Monday in support of the purchase.

“I guess just one question I have is 40% of the property (is for the city) and it went through three entities, not a single ‘no’ vote and then county commission throws it out,” Harris said.

Meers emphasized that not every commissioner opposed the sale.

“I mean it’s been 20 years and we got somebody active looking at it and I guess we don’t want to sell it,” Harris said. “We don’t want to get it back on the tax rolls. We don’t want to create any kind of sales tax. And I guess if the EDA board is not doing what the commission — maybe we need to replace some of those members on there.”

Harris said the vote left him “confused.”

“Not everyone on this commission owns a business or understands it, but thank you very much for your hard work on it,” Hurley said. “Thank you for trying to bring business to Loudon County.”

“That’s the goal,” Harris said.

After the meeting, Cullen said he didn’t think the land would have been used properly.

“That’s not what it was intended for. It was intended for industry and creating jobs,” he said.

In other news, Loudon County Commission:

• Rezoned 38.1 acres from A-2 Rural Residential District to A-1 Agriculture-Forestry District with a T-1 overlay at 5378 Steekee Creek Road.

• Renewed the term of Terry Small on the Loudon County Solid Waste Disposal Commission and replaced board member Bruce Hamilton with Pat Hunter.

• Approved employee insurance renewal with Cigna.

• Approved $7,500 to purchase land for an access road to the jail.

• Surplussed a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria to give to the Philadelphia Volunteer Fire Department.

• Agreed to send agritourism guidelines to the Loudon County Regional Planning Commission.

• Increased the 2021 ETHRA grant by $20,450, which now totals $63,393, to help offset expenses at Loudon County Senior Center.

• Approved a $398,000 DGA grant for the Loudon County Health Department.

• Approved a $1,500 state juvenile justice grant.

• Passed amendments in County General Fund 101, Public Libraries Fund 115, Highway Department Fund 131, General Purpose School Fund 141, School Federal Projects Fund 142, Central Cafeterias Fund 143, General Capital Projects Fund 171 and Education Capital Projects Fund 177.