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Wlaf1450Variances also discussed at Monday evening’s meeting
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Regional planning commission met Monday evening approving multiple minor lot subdivisions, along with a variance request.
First approved was a minor lot subdivision for Renee Tackett on Harmon Lane.
According to County Planner Jordan Rockwell, he recommended approval.
“It looks good to me,” Rockwell said.
Tackett said she is selling her house and is “giving a small piece of property to the buyers so they have a better driveway.”
Next approved was a minor lot subdivision for John Cumorich on East Norris Point Road.
“This is just taking from one lot and giving to another,” Rockwell said, recommending approval.
A minor lot subdivision was also approved for Julia Ausmus on Old Middlesboro Highway. The minor lot subdivision is “cutting four tracts of land off.” The owner is keeping one lot, and selling the other three, according to Rockwell, who recommended approval.
The approval is contingent upon state approval of the septic system.
Also approved was a minor lot subdivision combining two lots into one for Jeffrey and Rhonda Johnson on Lakemoore Lane.
The property has an existing septic system. Rockwell recommended approval.
A minor lot subdivision was approved for Isiah McNealy on State Highway 297.
The sixth agenda item approved was a minor lot subdivision for James Coyle on Earl Woodson Lane, which was also recommended by Rockwell.
Final business discussed was a variance request for T. Phillip Carlyle/Matt McQueen on Shanghai Road. Developers are requesting a variance of 50 foot to 40 foot for about a quarter of a mile.
According to County Planner Jordan Rockwell, the county’s regulations require 50 feet of right of way for minor residential/collector street and our county regulations say if the road has a 12 to 14 percent grade, then it needs a 60 foot right of way.
According to developers said, the property is privately owned on either side of the 40 foot right of way.
According to Planning Commission Chairman Rusty Orick “This is one of the biggest subdivisions Campbell County has seen.” However, Orick also said he had concerns about granting the variance request due to how narrow the road was.
According to developers, they plan to bring back full site plans before the commission at a later date but needed to request the variance due to being “under a hard real estate contract to purchase this property” and that if they wait till next month, it will cost them substantially.
Planning Commission Member Lonnie Weldon asked if the Road Superintendent had weighed in.
“He is concerned about how narrow the road is and in the very least we need a traffic study, was his thoughts on it,” Rockwell said.
Developers said what they were requesting the variance on was only at the entry to the road and that “right of way versus road width were two different things and that even with a 40 foot right of way, the road still can be brought up to county standards.”
Planning commission members asked Regional Planner Jordan Rockwell what his thoughts were on it.
“This is basically a courtesy ask before they spend a bunch of money on civil engineering,” Rockwell said. He went over the county’s regulation.
Weldon said he wanted to make sure that everyone was safe driving in and out of there, and that he would like to go look at it himself.
Orick encouraged others to look at the road as well before making a decision.
“I don’t like changing things that were made up a long time ago. I want you guys to be comfortable with your decision. This is massive, property is being sold, and that puts more money in the coffers for the county, but we also have to look out for our citizens out there,” Orick said. He asked Rockwell what he thought.
The county planner said he was “worried about the precedent.”
“You can’t say no after this if someone had a similar situation, but it’s also not likely to have another situation like this,” Rockwell said.
The issue was tabled until planning commission members can go look at the road and property in question. A planning commission meeting has been set for Monday, October 13th at 5:15 pm, to make a decision on whether or not to grant the variance. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/07/2025-6AM)