SETDD Advises Monteagle Planning: Zoning and Parks
by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
At the Oct. 6 Monteagle Planning Commission meeting, Garret Haynes with the Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD) advised the commission on a 2018 zoning ordinance and grant opportunities for the park behind city hall.
Concerning the 2018 ordinance, Haynes said SETDD recommended approving the rules and regulations portion of the ordinance. The validity of the ordinance is in question because a public meeting was not held. The 2018 ordinance also included a map, but Haynes did not make a recommendation regarding the zoning map or changes the map denoted. His recommendation applied only to the rules and regulations which were in keeping with state standards.
Haynes also brought to the commission’s attention two grant opportunities for refurbishing the Hannah Pickett Park playground behind Monteagle City Hall. A letter of intent is required by Oct. 8 for the TDEC Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant. The letter of intent deadline for the Healthy Communities grant is Oct. 31. Submission for the Parks and Recreation grant requires a site plan, but the state extended the deadline for submitting the plan until late summer 2021, Haynes said.
No action was taken on Haynes’ zoning or grant opportunities recommendations at the meeting.
In other business the planning commission reviewed the final plat for the Retreat at Sunset Bluff, a tiny homes community. Haynes recommended the plat include the original name of the project, The Camp at Monteagle, for reference purposes. The commission approved the final plat pending receipt of the required bond.
The commission also took up a request from Sam Meeks, owner of the candle store next to the Mountain Goat Market. Meeks is moving her retail business to online and has leased the property to Mandi Oakes and Joseph Oliver, owners of 1866 Revival, a Sewanee antique and vintage store. Oakes and Oliver intend to open a second location in Monteagle. Earl Geary, who approves business permits, advised Meeks she would need to erect a firewall between the two business for both business entities to operate from the same location. Meeks told the commission she plans to end her retail business at the location by the end of the year and asked the commission to waive the firewall requirement. “I think we can work this out with Geary,” said commission chair David Oliver.
The commission took a question from a resident who asked if a site plan before the commission was automatically approved if not acted on by the commission within a certain time limit. The resident raised the question, because it was his understanding the Petro Stopping Center site plan was still under consideration.
“We denied the Petro site plan at the Sept. 1 meeting, or at least that was our intent,” Oliver said. “We’ll double check on that.”
The commission meets next on Nov. 4, at 5 p.m., rescheduling from Nov. 3, which is Election Day. Oliver said the commission would take up a subdivision amendment and was also expected to have an answer on the Petro zoning question pertaining to the 2018 zoning map changes.