County Commission: Zonings in Progress

Submitted by Mark Harmon on Mon, 2008/01/28 - 4:24pm.

The first of three or four controversial zonings is in progress. I'll keep this site posted as best I can.
1st item, NW side Gleason Drive, postponed 30 days.
2nd item, Victor Jernigan in S. Knox, amends to 1-5 units/acre instead of 12.
Other developers not present, items postponed to next meeting.
--Mark Harmon



Mark Harmon's picture
Commission meeting starts close to 5pm

Still a lot of items, perhaps not as many controversial ones as last month. One never knows, however, when a "flare-up" may occur.

Mark Harmon

What's this NW side of

What's this NW side of Gleason Drive one? Do they have a specific address or lot number?

Location

Near where Gleason meets Ebenezer, no addr available

-----------------------------------------
Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
Link...

Mark Harmon's picture
The property is 12 acres in

The property is 12 acres in a slope protection area also northeast of Ebenezer. Butler Homes and Construction is the applicant. The item numbers are 12-E-07SP and 12-P-07-RZ. Map #132. Tax ID # 132 061.

Mark Harmon

Is the South Knox one the

Is the South Knox one the area around Winkle Road?

Mark Harmon's picture
South Knox item is...

It is South side of W. Gov. John Sevier, west of Dick Ford Lane.

Mark Harmon

Blighted Wal-Mart gets TIF!

So they are going to give a TIF to a Wal-Mart because the developer is going to upgrade the roads?

These guys are handing out

These guys are handing out TIFs like candy, and unfortunately the end result is probably going to be that taxpayers will hate TIFs - ALL TIFs.

The City has strict guidelines on TIFs. The County apparently has none. But few folks will realize the difference.

R. Neal's picture
It is South side of W. Gov.

It is South side of W. Gov. John Sevier, west of Dick Ford Lane.

That was the one that got shouted down by area residents because of the density right? So now he's back with lower density, right?

Mark Harmon's picture
South Knox item is...

Looking at the maps, it appears to be a different location from the one shot down last meeting. The three area residents here initially to oppose supported the lower-density item.

Mark Harmon

R. Neal's picture
Aha. Thanks.

Aha. Thanks.

Scoobie's questioning

Scoobie's questioning attorney Bruce Anderson's credentials. Ragsdale proposes that the county hire him as a hearing office in dirty bookstore cases.

Anderson, btw, is a highly respected guy. Scoobie's really going after this one.

"Are we paying him for time he'd start researching it...?"
Scoob wants a dirty bookstore specialist.

Oh, yeah -- Scoobie wants him to work for nothing.

Lucky with Lumpy

I enjoyed Lumpy's remark that 2 of the county's 3 dirty book stores are in his district, and the other one's right on the border.

What a lucky district!

R. Neal's picture
WTF is a "dirty bookstore"?

WTF is a "dirty bookstore"?

Is there some kind of janitorial deficiency at Borders?

A Barnes and Noble facade in need of a pressure cleaning and a fresh coat of paint?

Some other bookstore with a sanitation problem of some sort?

Oh, wait...

Scoobie is reborn

Sure seems that since early voting has started and he wants the more luctrative position, Scoobie has cleaned up his act and no longer sneers. He is making waves like he wants a tougher ethics policy. Why do I have a problem with believing him?

They've All Found Religion

At least until September 2008, when they see what the new commission looks like and what factions are in place.

-----------------------------------------
Fighting for Reform and Representation, Fourth District
Steve Drevik, Commission Seat 4-B
Link...

Scoobie's stumpin'

Good grief - I had no idea Scoobie was so passionate about meals!
He is really wearing out the Scoobie Snack speech.

Slinging human biosolids at commission meeting

Wow, who knew that the stinky "biosolids" recycling facility would become so interesting. Who is this Mr. Mays that is throwing accusations at Ragsdale? He is wearing concealed microphones into the mayor's office?

tapes and wires

The funny part of this is that Commission could have passed Mark Harmon's substitute resolution and avoided this whole exchange.

But notice Pinkston's role

Pinky knew this stink bomb was coming and softly brought it along. Scoobie is positively beaming......

parks and polls

Was Lumpy trying to shut down the Halls Rec Center early voting site?

Parks and libraries

Yes, Lumpy wants Greg McKay to either change all the early voting sites from libraries and parks (also the New Harvest Park near Target) because they cannot put up campaign signs at those locations. OR, they will have to get these sites to agree to allow the signs, according to Lumpy. At least they were smart enough to postpone that discussion.

This meeting may also go to midnight like the last one.

all the early voting sites

all the early voting sites from libraries and parks

Did something change, or has this been an issue for a long time?

PS. I am embarrassed for Paul Pinkston. He just can not keep up with the facts.

I'm still curious about

I'm still curious about this. Lumpy is trying to have all the county voting sites at parks or libraries moved or pass a resolution allowing signage and campaigning at those sites. Why is this an issue? Did something change, or is this a long-standing concern I have somehow missed?

Lumpy and Scoobie are mad

Lumpy and Scoobie are mad because the guys who run the Halls community park decided that having a whole raft of signs all over the place this summer will be too disruptive to their sports programs. They voted to confine the signs to one area only, and Scoobie and Lumpy have gone pig-biting mad (possibly because Scoobie's former best friend for life Todd Cook is on the board).

Lumpy is throwing his weight around everywhere from the election commission to the attorney general's office.

Factchecker's picture
TIF to a f*cking Wal-Mart?! WTF?

That's a disgrace. Giving taxpayer money away as a free handout to the biggest retailer in the world is more obscene than a dirty bookstore.

Another session with Scumby, another few notches lower for Commish. And to think many of the major commission candidates represent lots more of the same. They must be just betting no one notices.

simmer

They must be just betting no one notices.

Now and then I get the feeling they are betting they can keep the lid on until after Feb 5.

On the other hand, Scoobie and Pinky are trapped in dead ends and just keeping bashing into the wall.

Great, Lumpy is standing up

Great, Lumpy is standing up for civil rights by listing a bunch more rights they could violate.

In any case, he is on the right side of this issue. Banning school teachers from running for commission is a Constitutional affront.

To Mark Harmon

After Lumpy's speech, I felt the urge to swat you for putting this back on the agenda after Hammond moved to withdraw. :)

Factchecker's picture
Lumpy Logic

...Lumpy's remark that 2 of the county's 3 dirty book stores are in his district, and the other one's right on the border.

Then obviously, dirty bookstore districts 2-to-1 chose Lumpy Lambert!

And corporate execs in Bentonville, Arkansas are laughing their asses off right now.

Cas is in the building!

Cas is in the building!

What was it Lumpy called Mark Harmon?

Was it an "academic twit"? Was he really implying that the people of Knox County do not want someone from academia to be on county commission?

Lumpy resents intellect

for obvious reasons. Since he can't match wits, he tries to take Mark down by making him appear elitist next to his earthy, voter lovin' self.

Also, Lumpy loves the sound of his own voice and loves, loves, loves having his Perry Mason moment. I think he really wants to be a judge.....or head of the Spanish Inquisition.

HOLY SHI7

That was an attack if I've ever seen one. I have never seen anything like that on any gvt meeting or for that matter any board. Lumpy must go!!!

And for Scott to just sit and watch.

Was he really implying that

Was he really implying that the people of Knox County do not want someone from academia to be on county commission?

No, he was really disguising a personal insult behind a claim of a stand on principle. And he got caught and called on it.

PhD envy?

It was great to see Hammond trying to get Scoobie to be the chair and stop the personal attack and Tony Norman to try to get an apology out of the Lump.

Poor Larry

His big speech was eclipsed by the fray......

I missed most of the meeting

I missed most of the meeting - but got a chance to see the woman just ask Lumpy where he got off telling a black woman what racism was. And then she accused the rest of them for not having "the balls" to tell him he was out of order. At least Scoobie had the sense not to let Lumpy answer.

We may have dysfunctional government, but it sure is damn entertaining.

The last straw

I can't believe I'm hearing this - Lumpy's grandfather bought a ridge and now we have to compensate his whole family for the loss of investment? I thought he was a business man - doesn't he understand risk? How about let the buyer beware. This man has got to go.

HOLE E CRAP

I've never seen such behavior. Now Lumpy is trying to debate the woman who objected to his nazi picture fest. Screaming in the hallway.

The press is running out to catch the fun.

Why feed that kind of behavior with press attention?

Recuse himself

Lumpy will now have to recuse himself from any vote on ridge top protection.

Sure liked the chewing out he got by Ms Richardson.

Kicking

Lumpy is out getting his rear kicked.

Ann Robinson should be the

Ann Robinson should be the honorary chair of the commission until it is again a full body.

"I've never seen so many men

"I've never seen so many men with so little to say take so long to say it."

It may be over just in time

It may be over just in time for The Late Show. But then again, after a session like this, who needs The Late Show?

I seriously wish I'd taped

I seriously wish I'd taped this thing. When's the rerun?

One never knows, however,

One never knows, however, when a "flare-up" may occur.

Commissioner Harmon-

With this group we should only expect wildfires that can't be contained.

I took two hours out to

I took two hours out to watch my Lady Vols BEAT DOOK, but I really enjoyed what I saw of the meeting. Pinkston arguing constitutional law with Owings, Lumpy telling about how his grampaw took him out and pointed to the ridge --"Son, all of that will one day be yours to rape, pillage, dam and flatten soon as we get the technology to git'er done, and damn any arrogant little twits sittin' over there in academia that want to stop you."

What a highlight reel!

Ah but you missed the fight in the hallway..

..there's so much fun here, CTV just can't capture it all. We need more cameras to catch all the action.

And to top it all off, we had a reporter from the NY Times here to document the frivolity. He couldn't have picked a worse night.

And to top it all off, we
And to top it all off, we had a reporter from the NY Times here to document the frivolity. He couldn't have picked a worse night.

No shit?

That's fabulous!
Hate I missed it. What happened out in the hall?

I think this is the

I think this is the reporter....

Link...

I just heard screaming...

.. I didn't go out, I chose to try to follow the meeting. The KNS people ran out, though. Maybe they'll have a photo and coverage. I hope not, though. There was plenty of insanity to report on without giving Lumpy extra ink.

He couldn't have picked a

He couldn't have picked a worse night.

Never say it can't get any worse.

Wonder if the Times reporter

Wonder if the Times reporter knows this is just part of the mess. Ragsdale got a pass tonight. Hopefully his time is coming.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

More information about formatting options

Captcha
This question is used to make sure you are a human visitor and to prevent spam submissions.
Copy the characters (respecting upper/lower case) from the image.