by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“There were a lot of mistakes. Changes were made that nobody knew anything about,” said Monteagle Planning Commission Chair Richard Black preliminary to the vote at the Feb. 3 commission meeting to approve the revised site plan for the Misty Market on West Main. The commission questioned the developer Jay Patel extensively before granting approval. The commission also approved the site plan for the Townhouse Suites, a project the commission tabled in January.

The commission initially approved the Misty Market site plan in February 2023 conditionally upon the Board of Zoning Appeals granting a variance. The site plan never came back to the commission for final approval after the variance was granted. In addition, Building Inspector Travis Lawyer allowed project modifications not consistent with the site plan. Alderman Nate Wilson cited Monteagle ordinance which assigns site plan enforcement to the building inspector. “You cannot alter the site plan,” N. Wilson said. “[The ordinance] does allow for modification through the enforcement officer.”

“There were concerns from day one about it being too big a building for the footprint,” Black said. In questioning Patel, the commission confirmed the project met the 20 percent landscaping requirement and minimum parking space requirement provided the market did not contain a restaurant. “Parking is classified [differently] at a restaurant and a convenience store,” Black stressed. Patel said the market would sell only “cooked on site pack-and-go food.” There was no dining room, only a small seating area. To meet the landscaping requirement, the project will landscape the right of way.

Alderman Grant Fletcher suggested the commission consider revising the ordinance governing site plan enforcement to “tighten up the language that allows the building inspector to approve minor changes.” “I agree 100 percent,” Black said.

TownePlace Suites project engineer Christian Sawyer confirmed Monteagle engineer Travis Wilson had given written approval of the stormwater plan, a requirement for site plan approval stipulated by the commission at the January meeting. Sawyer had provided the Tennessee Department of Transportation with the utility infrastructure plan, but had received no reply. “They [TDOT] needed town approval first,” Sawyer said. A possible issue is the upcoming TDOT bridge project. “If you approve it and TDOT were to say, ‘this does not work,’ we would have to bring it back to you. That would be a significant construction change in the sewer layout,” Sawyer stressed. TownePlace Suites will be located at 301 Monteagle Square next to the Sonic.

Resident Dean Lay asked the commission to rezone property he owned on the north side of Fourth Street, so the three adjacent small lots would all have R-3 residential rezoning, rather than a mix of R-2 and R-3. The commission granted the request and will send the zoning change to the Monteagle Council for final approval. Town planner Jonathan Rush reassured the commission the rezoning did not constitute spot zoning since the property was in the center of a mixed R-2 and R-3 zoning area. Rules require posting a notice on the property announcing the proposed rezoning.

The commission revisited a request by the council to clarify an ordinance amendment stipulating when a site plan was needed. Rush’s proposed revision eliminates language excluding a building less than 1,000 square-feet from requiring a site plan. Fletcher had raised a concern about the language, arguing commercial buildings less than 1,000 square feet, which would be allowed by new zoning rules, should require a site plan. By Rush’s revision, all new construction requires a site plan; alterations to existing structures are allowed if the alteration is less than 350 square feet. The commission approved the revision and will forward the suggested change to the council.

Alderman Wilson introduced a discussion about allowing homes as small as 650 square feet on residential property adjacent to the C-1 downtown zoning area. Wilson argued small homes allowed median income families in the $40,000-$60,000 income range to create generational wealth by becoming first-time homeowners. Commissioner Katie Trahan observed the strategy was common in large metropolitan areas. “It didn’t always bring great things,” Trahan said. Monteagle has engaged the consulting firm Inc Codes to modify zoning ordinance applicable to downtown Monteagle and the adjacent residential area. In response to the lack of enthusiasm for his proposal, Wilson suggested “separating the C-1 from the adjacent residential” and focusing on the C-1 component for now. “I like that idea,” said both Trahan and Commission Alec Mosley. “You’ll have a better chance of getting us to listen if they’re separate,” Black agreed.