by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“Let’s figure out what we want in the central business district … then we can figure out exactly where it goes, where it ends,” proposed Monteagle Alderman Nate Wilson brining long-range planning to the table in a discussion about rezoning West Main property at the June 3 Monteagle Planning Commission meeting. The commission also took up conflicting language between subdivision regulations and a proposed zoning ordinance charging developers a fee for consultation with the town engineer.

Resident Dean Lay requested rezoning of West Main property between Wren’s Nest Road and Highway 41 toward Pelham. “Zoning cuts the property in two,” Lay explained, with the front of the property C-1 commercial and the rear portion R-1 residential. He argued the parcels were too small for residential development, and preferred C-2 zoning, not C-1, as O’Reilly Auto Parts had offered to purchase the property, and auto-parts stores were not allowed in C-1.

“There’s an indication Highway 41 going toward Pelham is becoming a new highway business district,” said town planner Jonathan Rush commenting on the effect of granting Lay’s request.

Wilson brought to the commission’s attention an upcoming virtual meeting where the town’s planning consultants will present their ideas for the central business district prerequisite to drafting ordinance geared toward realizing the vision agreed upon by the town. “If we know what [the central business district] is and what it looks like, the question of where we want it comes later,” Wilson said. “For the sake of future planning we need to decide that,” agreed Mayor Greg Maloof. Lay offered to defer his request until after the meeting. Residents can view the meeting, scheduled for 4 p.m., June 18, at City Hall.

Turning to the ordinance passed on first reading by the Monteagle Council on May 19, which assesses developers a fee for consulting with the city engineer, Rush read from the Preapplication for Major Subdivisions: “No fee shall be charged for the preapplication review and no formal application shall be required.” Rush agreed with the town recouping fees charged by the town engineer who bills by the hour. “I don’t send Monteagle a bill [for consultation],” Rush said, “because we [his firm, Southeastern Tennessee Development] have a contract with the town.”

“[Rush] is not going to charge, so it provides a good resource for the developer without additional fees to the town,” said Wilson, insisting on a need to figure out “what the flow process is.”

“We want to make sure they [the developer] don’t go first to [the town engineer] and the town is charged,” Rush concurred. “There’s not a process.”

Rush recommended the ordinance address where in the pre-submittal process the developer, town engineer, and town planner meet to review the project. Consultation with the engineer was necessary to answer questions such as what size water line was needed and if water and sewer infrastructure changes were required. Rush will draft language for amending the proposed ordinance for the council to take up at the June 30 meeting.