Monteagle Planning: Site Plan, Subdivision Plat Deadlines


by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Jan. 17 Monteagle Planning Commission special called workshop, town planner Annya Shalun presented an overview of planning commission responsibilities and review processes to orient new commissioners, and to provide a framework for addressing difficult questions confronting the commission. Shalun also made recommendations for changing site plan and subdivision plat application-review deadlines.

“The goal of planning is to maximize the health, safety, and economic well-being for all residents,” Shalun stressed. The commission had jurisdiction over property inside the city limits, as well as property outside the city limits situated within the Urban Growth Boundary, Shalun explained. For property inside the city limits, the commission’s regulatory tools included site plans, zoning ordinances and the zoning map. “Monteagle deals with rezoning more than any other community I work with. It means you’re developing very quickly,” Shalun said. Outside the city limits, subdivision regulations were the commission’s only regulatory tool.

Commissioner Katie Trahan asked if the commission could require the Hideaway developers to improve Wrens Nest Avenue. “Yes,” Shalun said, “If you have a good case for the health, safety, and well-being of the citizens.” But Shalun went on to say, the commission could not deny the project to save sewer capacity for future developers. The commission could, however, approve or deny the developer’s request for a variance to address road visibility issues to avoid changing the “topography” of the land.

Shalun advised caution in granting variances, since when the commission granted a variance, they needed to consider granting variances for similar issues in the future. Variances for site plans that did not meet ordinance requirement could be granted for “narrowness, shallowness, shape” and other topographical features of a site, Shalun said, but variances could not be granted for financial hardship reasons. She gave the example of the restaurant-retail business that requested a landscaping variation to avoid decreasing the building size, a financial consideration. If the commission kept encountering the same type of variance request, they could consider recommending changes to the zoning ordinance governing the issue. Shalun advised the commission the restaurant-retail business would suggest a zoning ordinance change.

Taking up the deadline for submitting a site plan for review, Shalun recommended requiring the site plan be submitted 30 days before a meeting, instead of the current 14-day requirement, to allow her time to carefully address the site plan specification “checklist.” The commission discussed whether site plans not fully in compliance should even come before the commission. The change to the application submission deadline will require a zoning ordinance change, meaning the commission must recommend the change to the council, a public hearing must be held, and the council must approve the change on first and second reading.

Shalun also recommended requiring major subdivision plats be submitted for review 30 days before a meeting, instead of the current 7-day requirement, and to allow the commission 60 days to deliver a decision, instead of just 30 days. Commissioner Alec Moseley recommended the commission have 75 days to review the data so they would have two meetings to discuss it. The subdivision regulation timeline changes will require a public hearing announced 30 days in advance.

The commission will vote on the changes discussed at the Tuesday, Feb. 7 meeting. The commission will hold a special called meeting at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15, to address the proposed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUS) ordinance and where to allow self-storage units. Cooley’s Rift residents questioned stipulating ADUs not be allowed in front of the main residence, since most lots in Cooley’s Rift would not accommodate building an ADU behind or next to the main residence. Also undecided is whether ADUs will need to have a separate water meter. Where to allow self-storage units presents problems since C-2 and Industrial zoning allows self-storage units, but not C-3. Monteagle has no Industrial zoning and C-2 zoning occurs primarily in the downtown business corridor, not a desirable location for self-storage facilities.

2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May