PUD's Are Gone
| After more than two decades, Planned Unit
Development, PUD's, are gone from Loudon County zoning and planning
regulations. What this means is, the maximum density for residential
development is two homes/dwellings per acre with standard setbacks. This
includes duplexes and multi-family units. PUD overlays allowed for
higher density and much lower setbacks.
Loudon County has three residential zones. Agricultural, A-1 and A-2 zones, permits 1 home per acre. Residential, R-1 zones, permits 2 homes per acres. Concern about over development became an issue a year or so ago when developers began swarming into Loudon County wanting to build high density developments in rural areas of the county that were not suitable, for lack of infrastructure and in many insistences, were opposed by the community. In October of 2021, commissioners put a moratorium on the issuing of any PUD's until they had time to study the effect high density, residential development would have on the county. Commissioners held public, community meetings to take input from residents in most of the districts. The public input was overwhelmingly in favor of controlling over development. Over development became a hot issue in the May primary election. Candidates Eddie Simpson, Julia Hurley and Mark Matlock ran their campaigns on bringing more residential development to the county. The voters answered their campaigns by defeating them overwhelmingly. Building and realtor groups even got involved in the campaigns supporting the pro-growth candidates and attending commission meetings opposing the elimination of PUD's. After more than nine months of study and responding to the voters wishes, commissioners voted at Monday's meeting to totally eliminate PUD's. The vote passed on a 6-3 vote with commissioners Julia Hurley, Matthew Tinker and Kelly Brewster voting “no.” Commissioners Adam Waller, Harold Duff, Henry Cullen, Gary Whitfield, Bill Satterfield and myself supported the elimination of PUD's. Surprisingly, no one, home builders association, developers or the chamber of commerce folks showed up at the meeting to oppose the vote. Maybe they also heard the will of the voters. Sadly, the county's actions will have no effect on Lenoir City as they continue to allow anything and everything to locate in the city. While residential development will still come to the county, it will be much better managed and controlled without the use of PUD's. |
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7/4/22