Some open parcels of land scattered down Mary Patton Highway are in the process of seeing growth.
Richard Hale, with Three Arrows, LLC, and Jonathan Lewis with Highlands Engineering were both in attendance at Thursday’s City of Elizabethton Regional Planning Commission and provided media with an update on subdivision development coming to the scenic highway.
The duo was at the meeting to request preliminary approval for drawings of a new cul de sac road off Mary Patton for West Ridge Subdivision. Commissioners that a road concept plan approval would not be necessary. Commissioners stated a final site plan could be presented during the next commission meeting and would look to be passed unanimously if all requirements were met.
“We’ve done a lot of single-family developments and some small multi-family and we own some mini storage facilities in the area,” Hale said. “There’s a strong attraction to develop in Johnson City because of the thought you can make more money, but we’re really committed to developing here in our backyard.”
When the development was brought up, commissioners spoke favorably about the idea of progress down the highway.
“I love it,” said Hale, an Elizabethton native.
West Ridge Subdivision will have roughly 17 houses, according to Lewis.
Hale added City of Elizabethton officials, including Planning and Development Director Jon Hartman and Johann Coetzee with Waters Resources, have been “great” to work with and that the city has shown an eagerness to make the area more development-friendly for developments like West Ridge.
And there could be more developments on the horizon, Hale said, adding they’ve already been approached by possible suitors.
“We’ve got the potential to do more development,” he said. “ If this goes well, I think they’ll see more.”
Development will take place once the commission makes the approval on all plans.
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In other business, a site plan for Dome-Sweet-Dome was denied after commissioners alluded to the fact not all documentation was presented promptly.
Alma Carter, owner of the business, brought a plan with her to the meeting that was not taken by the commission and stated she did not see a reason for a new sidewalk to be placed at her business.
The sidewalk would go from Elk Avenue to Forsyth Drive and be the only one down that road.
The plan with Carter was not accepted after the commission read the minutes from the previous meeting, which stated it was needed at the following development committee meeting, which in turn would have been reviewed by commissioners.
Vice-chair Dena Bass said she understood Carter’s sentiments about the sidewalks, but other businesses down that side of the road were grandfathered in following an ordinance that was passed that stated new developments would need to have sidewalks placed.
Carter responded by asking about the time the ordinance was put into place and also asked about the city’s master plan regarding drainage.
An issue Carter brought up was drainage at the property, which she said hasn’t been a 30-year-issue and that it hasn’t been addressed until she was in the process of obtaining the site plan. She added she did not see a reason for placing a new sidewalk, that would later be taken up to address the issue drainage issue.