According to the Maryville Daily Times (whose website is down at the moment), work is underway at the controversial Chilhowee Mountain residential development. Today's front page article has a photo of bulldozers clearing land.

Meanwhile, there is a pending lawsuit filed by the Save Chilhowee Mountain group and Happy Valley residents against the developers and against Blount County for not enforcing zoning and environmental regulations. According to today's article, a court date has not been set. October is the earliest a trial could be scheduled and it could be as late as March. Blount County has filed a motion to dismiss.

According to the article, a spokesperson for the Save Chilhowee Mountain group announced a rally on Thursday at 6 PM at Look Rock overlook on the Foothills Parkway. He said "The future of Blount County needs a little more scrutiny than the rubber stamp that was given" to the project.

Part of the developer's deal involved buying the Camp Montvale property from the YMCA and leasing it to another operator to save the camp. According to the article, a spokesman for the developer, Harmony Property Group, says "If we were to stop everything right now, Camp Montvale becomes a subdivision." He added "The next group who comes in is not going to be quite as kind."

OK, then.