I have forwarded a copy of the letter contained below to the planning commission to allow some level of flexibility to rezoning request within the Urban Growth Boundaries of the Cities contained in Blount County.  Let me know what you think.

Dear Chairman Stucky and Members of the Planning Commission:

I would like to thank each of you for your service on the Blount County Planning Commission. I am aware and appreciative of the time and effort that each of you put into your positions. 

I have a request that I would like the Planning Commission as a whole to consider. I feel that this request, if considered and implemented, would allow Blount County more flexibility and also allow it to meet the needs of the other municipalities contained within its boundaries. 

What I am suggesting is for the Blount County Planning Commission to review the zones that are contained within each of the cities who have filed an Urban Growth Boundary with Blount County. After this task is completed, then implement the missing zones as available zones within each UGB for each city.

This would allow Blount County the flexibility to zone properties accordingly so it would meet future growth or annexations by any of these cities.  Possibly, we could add the wording “such zones would only be applicable within the UGB of the related cities.”  Thank each of you for your time, attention and service to Blount County and its residents.

Respectfully,
Mike Walker
County Commissioner, District 8 Seat B