Updating portions of the City of Elizabethton land-use regulations highlights the first City Council meeting of the new year.

Officials will meet Thursday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. inside City Hall to go over the first agenda of the new year, which includes a first-reading on updates to regulations already on the books.

Elizabethton Regional Planning Commission members recommended changes during their November regularly scheduled meeting, with the land types coming from the Land Based Classification System that was created. The

According to documents provided by City Hall, a packet prepared by Planning and Development Director Jon Hartman indicated that languages and usage types on the books are “old or no longer in use”, citing the examples of fruit canning, packing industry or milk distribution stations.

“There has been some ongoing confusion and questions about uses and especially trying to relate these uses to modern day uses,” Hartman stated in the packet “… it is appropriate to complete these land-use types updates now, while the Commission works to complete a Land Use Plan, which will refine and clarify current and future uses and zones.”

Portions of updates to Title 14 Chapter 2 and 3, which are being voted upon, includes 10 new land use definitions to include “alcoholic production establishments (small and large), artisanal food production, manufacturing and assembly, and related uses,” according to the proposed ordinance. Another update will include updating the definition for zone usage.

Updating the land-use regulations is one key project the Planning and Development Office is looking at tackling for the new year, Hartman said. The director added during January’s meeting that the office is in a position to start tackling issues after a loaded 2017 agenda.

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Progress with renovations at Joe O’Brien Field will also be highlighted during Thursday’s meeting. Officials were made aware of the fact the city and Minnesota Twins have agreed to a plan for renovations during December’s meeting. Now with the agreement in place, officials will looking at voting to approve a resolution to amend the contract with architect Thomas Weems and develop constructions, pending approval of the city attorney. According to information provided by City Hall, the preliminary budget for from Weems is estimated at $113,452 with offsets coming from donations by the Twins and Richard Barker.