by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“The [revised site plan] showing the way we originally approved it, is not how it’s built” said Planning Commissioner Katie Trahan at the Jan. 6 Monteagle Planning Commission meeting objecting to the revised site plan for the already under construction Monteagle Market on West Main. “This is not acceptable,” Trahan insisted. Commissioner Alec Mosley concurred, “What’s the point in having a site plan when it’s built differently.”

Trahan pointed out the tanks were in a different location from what was shown on the site plan and the gas pumps were at an angle, rather than in a straight line as depicted. “This could affect traffic and landscaping issues,” Trahan said. She observed the contractors started excavation for the tanks before Thanksgiving and the site plan could have been updated to reflect the change. “We should have something accurate to look at,” Trahan stressed.

The one change on the revised site plan showed two parking spaces moved to the right of the entrance, with all parking in a line. Engineer Liz Rodriquez said the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) agreed to approve relocating the parking spaces if the agency received a letter from the planning commission authorizing the change.

On the advice of town planner Jonathan Rush, the commission rejected the revised site plan and voted to require a new site plan accurately depicting what was built and what would be built and prohibiting further changes without the commission’s authorization.

Taking up another site plan, the commission tabled approval of the proposed TownePlace Suites project. Engineer Christian Sawyer read from an email exchange with Monteagle engineer Travis Wilson in which the contractor agreed to assume any additional costs resulting from replacing the I-24 bridge, a TDOT project. “I would feel better if the site plan had a note [documenting the agreement],” Mosley said. Also at issue was the location of water and sewer lines. Similar to the Monteagle Market project, TDOT wanted approval from Monteagle before rendering a decision. Sawyer said the contractors had modified water and sewer line location in keeping with Wilson’s recommendations. The commission wanted direct confirmation from Wilson before granting approval. A final unresolved point was the business’s sign, still under design. “It has been submitted as public record there is a sign,” Rush said. “It shouldn’t be separated from the site plan.”

Revisiting the long disputed Petro truck stop project, resident Billie Best brought several considerations to the commission’s attention. Best said recently RBT, the Petro contractor, had attempted to pour footers. Best noted the RBT contractors argued they did not begin the project because of pending litigation. The argument was grounds for the project being grandfathered in and exempted from the new Monteagle stormwater ordinance. “There is still pending litigation,” Best said.

Best also cited discrepancy in the RBT contractor’s claim that the Monteagle Truck and Tire property would ultimately be deeded to the RBT project. “That property has never been deeded to RBT as far as I know,” Best observed. The site plan approval was conditional upon having “a means of egress onto Forsite Avenue,” Best said. “Without the means of egress [via the Monteagle Truck and Tire property}, they have no highway entrance permit.”

Best recommended, going forward, the commission eliminate “conditional site plan approval.”

“We will take that under advisement,” said Commission President Richard Black. According to Best, residents neighboring the Petro project are now represented by an attorney acting pro bono. “That development for that piece of property is bad for the town,” Best said. “It is bad for our air, it is bad for our water, it is bad for our traffic.”