Correspondent

The New Tazewell Planning Commission met on Tuesday evening, (Nov. 1st) to review the final plat for the Russell Brothers (future Wal-Mart) property, and a request to re-zone several other residential properties for yet another commercial project.

Chairman David Bishop opened the meeting promptly at 7:00 P.M. and, after review and approval of the previous month's minutes, moved on the business at hand.

Since the previous month's meeting, the Site Inc. and the planning commission discovered a discrepancy between city ordinances that could possibly affect the development of the Russell property. It seems that the building setback requirement in the subdivision ordinance is not the same as the building setback requirement in the zoning ordinance. Site Inc., as the property developer, requested a variance to permit continued development based upon the less strict ordinance. After review of the details, the planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the variance. If approved by the board of amyor and aldermen, the variance will allow building the planned fast food restaurant 30 feet from State Highway 33 and 20 feet from Snodgrass Road. Site Inc. also requested a five foot variance to the city's right-of-way along Snodgrass Road and Old Highway 33. This would allow for development to within 25 feet of the centerline of each road (vice the ordinance requirement of 30 feet). This will have minimal impact along Old State Highway 33 since the site plan indicates that surface water retaining ponds will be in that location. Along Snodgrass Road, the variance will allow for parking spaces to be five feet closer to the public road. This was the

second (and final) site plan review by the planning commission. The commission's recommendations will now go before the board of mayor and aldermen.

When asked about the development, Kim Henry explained that the new Wal-Mart would be a tan, two-tone, concrete masonry open-span building covering 158,075 square feet. The super-center would include a grocery and bakery section, tire and lube center, and a garden center. Tenants would include a vision center, pharmacy, hair care, and snack bar.

Planning for the facility is proceeding on schedule with the state of Tennessee currently reviewing detailed building plans as well as the plans for curb cuts and a new traffic light.

The planning commission also heard a request from the Ed Street Development and Construction Company to re-zone parcels 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 from Tax map 95-F (Group B) from residential to commercial (R-2 to C-2). These properties are generally located up hill from the corner of Broad and Main Streets. A section of old Jackboro Road passes by several of these properties. Although their documents indicated that the site could be used for a Walgreen drug store, the commission noted that if the re-zoning was approved, than the properties could be used for many other commercial uses. Properties zoned C-2 could be used for motels, auto sales, auto service and repair, commercial recreation, financial services, parking lots as well as retail sales.

The Ed Street Company stated that they had purchase options on these properties. In a roll call vote, the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the re-zoning request.

In a further action related to this potential development, the Ed Street Company requested that the portion of Jacksboro Road fronting several of these properties be closed. Jacksboro Road is basically a one-lane road in this section. After some discussion of the safety issues caused by the narrow road, previous requests to close the road and property owners and churches that used the road, a motion was made to recommend approval of closing the road. The motion failed to get a "second" and died without vote. Several commissioners stated that they were uncomfortable with voting to close the road without discussing the closing with other property owners that would be affected by the closing.