Monteagle Council Postpones Vote on Truck Stop Rezoning


by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

After hearing nearly three hours of comments from concerned residents at the Feb. 22 meeting, the Monteagle City Council voted to postpone the first reading to rezone to C-3 a portion of a 20-acre tract for a proposed travel center catering to truck traffic. Concerned residents highlighted as yet incomplete studies and lack of information from the developers, RBT Enterprises.

The discussion opened with Mayor Marilyn Campbell Rodman entering into the record petitions opposing the truck stop submitted by Monteagle resident Mary Beth Best. Disagreement followed about the number of petition signers. Best said 218 property owners signed the petitions. Alderman Nate Wilson speculated electronic transmission of the document resulted in the discrepancy.

During the comment period, the council addressed some of the residents’ concerns.

Attorney Sam Elliott said he had sent RBT investor Rodney Kilgore a citation notifying him of $4,900 owed in fines for fencing ordinance violations at his Rocky Top Truck Stop business. Addressing a question about Kilgore owing as much as $30,000 in fines, Elliot said the judgment only reflected a 98-day violation period. Best said the business currently lacked a fence and was at present in violation. Kilgore’s business is expected to be part of the travel center if the project moves forward. [See Messenger, July 10, 2020]

Several residents cited the 2007 drought and expressed water shortage concerns. Alderman Wilson said interconnectivity now existed among all plateau water utilities, and Tracy City raised its dam increasing available water. Utilities Manager John Condra concurred with Rodman who said the truck stop should not cause a rate increase.

Rodman said traffic and sewer capacity studies were underway. City engineer Travis Wilson said he could present preliminary findings on the sewer capacity study at the rezoning public hearing and second reading of the rezoning ordinance scheduled for March 29.

Explaining the rezoning process, Alderman Wilson said, tonight’s rezoning vote “triggers a public meeting where we will discuss the pros and cons, and following that meeting there is a second vote…once the rezoning has happened, it [the RBT project] doesn’t come back to the full council again.” Wilson stressed before he would vote for approval at the second reading, he would need to see the final site plan and results from the traffic and sewer impact studies. “This is not me saying I’m ready to move forward and approve the truck stop, but asking for us to begin a process…In the next 30 days I hope we can bring some of this information to the top.”

Alderman Wilson said he met with RBT investor Brian Graber to discuss the need “to protect the neighbors.” Graber agreed to dark sky lighting to reduce light pollution and trucks on the residential property boundary backing into parking slots to reduce noise pollution from engines.

Resident Lucy Keeble expressed concern about “poisoning of the water supply” from hazardous chemical spills leaching into groundwater through sinkholes. “Maybe the [RBT] engineer has done all this testing, but we’re not privy to that,” Keeble said.

“We did Phase 1 testing prior to acquisition,” Graber said. “At this point, I don’t know that we’ll disclose that.” Graber insisted nothing in Phase 1 testing pointed to a need for Phase 2 testing. Alderman Wilson explained if Phase 1 testing indicated potentially hazardous environmental impact, Phase 2 testing was recommended.

Resident Debra Reed expressed concerns about what the town would be left with if the truck stop failed. Reed asked if the council had researched the financial health of the RBT investors. “Is this group strong enough to hold on if something goes wrong?” Reed asked.

Best asked if the council intended to vote on the rezoning without having a confirmed site plan, study results, and other critical data.

According to Alderman Wilson, Graber said revising the site plan would cost $10,000. Resident Joanne Atwood, whose property adjoins the proposed truck-stop site, said her property value had already decreased $30,000. Atwood and others asked the council to postpone the vote until all the data was received and reviewed.

When Rodman asked for a motion to pass on first reading the ordinance to rezone the RBT tract from R-3 to C-3, Alderwoman Jessica Favaloro made a motion to postpone the first reading to Monday, March 29. After voting to postpone, the council scheduled a special called meeting on Monday, March 15, from 5–7 p.m. Residents will have the opportunity to question the RBT engineer and pose other documentation questions.

The council also voted to approve rezoning the Phipps tract from R-1 to C-2; to allow the council to select a vendor for website design and maintenance, cost not to exceed $2,800; and to change the tenure of alderpersons to four years with staggered terms. Rodman said the tenure change would not affect current council members.

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