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By Buzz Trexler
Star Correspondent

The Elizabethton Regional Planning Commission on Thursday night gave approval to site plans for a $40 million higher education project, as well as a manufacturing plant expansion that is expected to bring in new jobs.

Northeast State Community College and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology broke ground for the new Carter County Higher Education Center in December. The plan is to tear down the existing buildings, located off State Route 91, and construct three new buildings:

• A three-story academic building with more than 41,600 square feet of operating space;
• A 25-foot-tall technology building with 12,411 square feet of space; and
• A 25-foot-tall shop building with 14,010 square feet of space.

The state project, which was given conceptual approval by city planners subject to meeting stormwater requirements, will renovate existing structures and construct new facilities to support Northeast State and TCAT Elizabethton programs.

“One of the problems I had was accessing,” Planning Director Richard DesGroseilliers told commissioners. “The property was actually listed off State Highway 91, but it does not have access to 91. It has access off Industrial Drive or Sam Lewis Boulevard, and working with them, they agreed that we’ll change the address to Industrial Drive, being 121, 122, and 124. So, it’ll help out for emergency purposes.”

Planners also approved a site plan to expand Oliver’s Woodworking’s pallet manufacturing plant at 125 Iodent Way. Vice President of Operations Jake Oliver told commissioners the expansion is expected to add 20 jobs over the next three years. The company was founded in 1993 and has another plant in Marion, N.C.

A plan to construct a new Northeast Community Credit Union building at 1321 U.S. 19E was given conceptual approval by commissioners, subject to meeting stormwater requirements. If given final approval, the new building will be constructed 5.65 feet higher than the previous one, which was severely damaged by floodwaters caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, 2024.

Planning commissioners also approved:

• The replat of three lots at 2008 to 2016 W. G St., owned by LLT Properties, into one. The addressing currently runs from 2010 to 2008 to 2016. The replat of the proposed development corrects the addressing to 2010 to 2012 to 2016 and potentially eliminates a third driveway onto West G Street. Commissioner William “Bill” Taylor abstained from the vote, informing commissioners at the beginning of the meeting that he would be doing so because he represented LLT Properties.
• The rezoning of four parcels east of the intersection of Milligan Highway and Vanderbilt Drive so they are under one zoning district. Prior to the rezoning approval, the parcels were split-zoned as Arterial Business District (B-2) and Low-Density Residential District (R-1). The property that is owned by the City of Elizabethton and used by the West Carter County Fire Department was one that was zoned R-1. The meeting packet summary noted, “Having one lot as R-1, then B-2, then R-1, then B-2 is basically spot zoning, which is illegal.” The action eliminates the split-zoning of Milligan Plaza, owned by Lotus Investments LLC, and brings the entire plaza into a conforming land-use pattern.

The next planning commission meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at City Hall, 136 S. Sycamore St.