For the most part, county officials have tried to follow the wishes of the residents even while under pressure from greedy developers who's only interest is to make as much money as possible regardless of the negative impact their developments would have on the county. The county has implemented zoning policies that have allowed manageable, natural growth. It would be hard to argue that our policies haven't been successful when you consider the current reassessment. Just note how our property values have been maintained and increased. I heard one property owner sum it up pretty good. According to him, the higher property values just means he's worth more now than he was before.

Things across the county aren't all sunshine and roses though. Lenoir City officials have taken a one hundred and eighty degree, opposite position than the county regardless of the residents wishes.  Lenoir City officials have decided to take down nearly all the guardrails of all development, especially low income housing apartment developments with no thought, or apparent concern, on how this will impact every aspect of city and county services. You might say, Lenoir City is to Loudon County what Mexico is to the United States. Or it might be more appropriate to say, Lenoir City officials are to Loudon County what Mexico is to the United States.

It's not open borders that's the problem, but open zoning policies that allow any Tom, Dick or Harry, fly-by developers to come into the city and build about anything they want with hardly any limits on density. Heck, the city is now even paying the bills for some of the developers. Or should say, the city tax payers are paying the bills.

County officials can't do much about the cities' policies, but we can continue to maintain the successful policies, in the unincorporated areas of the county, that have worked so well thus far. Unfortunately, the mismanaged policies of Lenoir City officials will undoubtedly leak out into the county from time to time.