Planners OK mountain subdivision
By John Thompson
Elizabethton Bureau Chief
jthompson@johnsoncitypress.com

ELIZABETHTON - The Carter County Planning Commission gave unanimous approval and unanimous praise on Tuesday for a mountain subdivision under construction in the Shell Creek Area.

"This is the best example of a subdivision I have ever seen. He is doing it right," Commissioner Lynn Tipton said of Windcrest subdivision.

The Planners gave final approval to the first phase of the project, which includes 24 lots of 12.727 acres off Shell Creek Road. Design approval also was given to the second phase, which consists of 18 lots on more than 16 acres.

"He has done everything he said he was going to do," Tipton said of developer John Julian.

The planner also gave approval to the second of Martin Lewis Estates located on Upper Blue Springs. The development consists of eight lots of 18 acres.

In other matters, Chairman Bob Hughes said he was concerned about the planners approving more and more subdivisions on narrow country roads that were often less than 30 feet wide.

Hughes said sooner or later the continued growth is going to require the county to widen those roads. He said the cost of widening will be considerable higher if the county must purchase additional right of way.

Hughes suggested the commission recommend a change to regulations that will require developers on narrow roads to grant an easement that would give the county a total of 40 feet of right of way.

The topic will be included in a future workshop session.

Commissioner Judy Veeneman also said the Workshop should include a discussion on the county's scenic overlay regulations.

Another matter was referred to the county attorney. J.R Davis told the planners he wants to build a modern auto salvage yard on property that had previously been a salvage yard, but had been closed when the previous owner ran into problems and lost the property.

The question is whether a new salvage business would be grandfathered. State law appears to say a new business can be established within 30 months of the previous business closing.