County development fight on hori

Loudon County Commission will consider in October a six-month moratorium on planned unit developments.

The decision was made Monday following Commissioner Bill Satterfield’s recommendation. During a three-hour workshop, a bulk of discussion revolved around PUDs and future county development.

If the county moves forward, this would mark the second time in five years a moratorium has been placed on PUDs. The county halted PUDs in 2016 for several months and ultimately agreed to allow 2.5 units per acre.

“Evidently there’s not going to be much middle ground on this topic, it’s pretty well divided, but I think we can do a better job outlining what we want Loudon County to look like 20 years from now or 25 years from now,” Satterfield said. “We can’t just turn everybody loose and let them build willy-nilly, but we’re not for closing down the borders. We need to come in and live, but we still want to maintain some of what people enjoy about the county.”

During a Sept. 7 meeting, commissioners denied rezoning of 78 acres that would have been transferred to Cook Bros. Homes for an eventual PUD with an estimated 197 homes in the Glendale community.

Jim Russell, land owner, said during the meeting that paperwork to complete the sale required rezoning. The county’s decision could end up in court.

A recent meeting involving residents opposed to the rezoning was the “final straw or extra straw on the camel,” Van Shaver, commissioner, said.

“We’ve had these little things pop up all around the county at different times, but the Glendale was the first really big turnout of group of people that … I think for the rest of the commission to get to see what the impact of this sort of thing could be in the community,” Shaver said.

Satterfield said the Glendale project and an uptick in residential development in and near Lenoir City played a role.

“It is scary as heck to see all the houses that are being built out there and then the economic impact,” Satterfield said. “It’s not going to be just a city problem, it’s going to be a county problem.”

Emphasizing residential density, Shaver hopes a moratorium will allow commissioners to give some “breathing room.”

“I think part of that conversation will be if we want to continue to allow a 2.5 or where we might allow a 2.5,” Shaver said. “There may be some places OK, there may be some places it’s not. We have the ability to say, ‘This area is going to do this. This area is going to do this.’ So we have that authority to do that. We’ll come back in less than six months most likely and hopefully have a recommendation and say, ‘OK, in places where it’s not a fit for the community you can’t do it.’ I know we can tailor this for community fit, and again, the harmonious (requirement) is a big one.”

Gary Whitfield, commissioner, thinks all options should be on the table, even doing away with PUDs.

“Maybe we look at just going to two homes per acre or one home per acre and look at changing some of that and just eliminate a PUD,” Whitfield said. “I don’t know if that’s the answer, but I think it’s up for discussion.”

Whitfield said conversation on the subject is essential.

“Where is the line and how do we handle these PUDs, especially in our rural parts of our county for our farmers and long-term families, third- and fourth-generation farming communities? They just don’t want those 190-, 180-home subdivisions,” he said. “Do we concentrate more on trying to get those more toward the cities where those developments are already happening and figure out how to slow the growth down in our rural communities? There’s a fine line and how we get there I’m not sure, but I’m glad we’re having a good discussion.”

Shaver has encouraged commissioners to speak with residents from their districts.

Mark White, who has two developments in the county, said he believes the county needs more affordable housing for residents. He said he had “no dog in the fight,” as he is nearing retirement, but wanted to give insight.

“If you reduce the number of lots, the kids in this county and the workers of this county will not have any place to live,” White said.

Mandate opposition

Loudon County Mayor Rollen “Buddy” Bradshaw said he is writing a letter to President Joe Biden expressing opposition to requiring vaccines.

Commission in October will vote on a policy to prohibit vaccine mandates.

“Hopefully we will pass something,” Shaver said. “I hope to have a document of some kind that we can share with our employees to say we will never do that. We’re not going to expect our employees to have the vaccine mandate regardless of what federal or state agencies hand down such measure.”

Bradshaw said he believes whether to get a vaccine is an individual decision.

“There are some people that have a medical condition that cannot take that vaccine, and that’s a decision a person makes with their doctor. Period,” Henry Cullen, commissioner, said.