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Wlaf1450The development would have a maximum of 600 lots
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Regional Planning Commission met in a special-called meeting on Monday evening to discuss whether or not to grant a variance requested by developers for a portion of Shanghai Road in preparation for a large subdivision development plan that has yet to be proposed. The development would have a maximum of 600 lots.
At Monday’s Planning commission meeting, members voted to require developers to hold a traffic study as suggested by County Road Superintendent Ron Dilbeck and County Regional Planner Jordan Rockwell before considering the variance.
At last week’s planning commission, a variance request was made by T. Phillip Carlyle and Matt McQueen for a Right of Way (ROW) variance request for 40 feet instead of the required 50-foot ROW for a short section of Shanghai Road.
Developers said they planned on coming to the planning commission at a later date with the proposed development plan.
Several planning commission members said they had looked at the section of Shanghai Road in question and that they had concerns.
Rockwell said he had spoken with Road Superintendent Dilbeck and they both agreed on the importance of doing a traffic study before this development is approved.
“I think that the County should commission a traffic study to be done as well as requiring the developer to do one and then based on what recommendations that produces, we may require upgrades to the access roads (Demory and/or Shanghai), particularly regarding safety and capacity,” Rockwell said.
The development would be one of the largest in the county, with a maximum of 600 lots proposed. Developers said if the site plan was approved, it would be done in phases with around 190 lots developed in the first phase.
Rockwell cautioned if the variance was approved, it was not an approval of the overall development plan, just an approval of a variance on the 40’ ROW. He also said they could require more information and that a traffic study could be required before a decision was made. After more discussion, planning commission members decided a traffic study was needed.
Planning Commission Chairman Rusty Orick said he wanted to see the development go through, that it would bring in tax revenue to the county, but he also cautioned planning commission members that once a variance was granted, it could open up the county to more requests.
“When you cross that threshold, it’s going to open it up. We want to look at the citizens out there,” Orick said.
Planning Commission Member Mike Douglas said the planning commission would be doing an injustice if we went against the Road Superintendent and didn’t require the traffic study.
The planning commission voted to require the traffic study before revisiting the possibility of granting developers a variance.
Developers said they would have a traffic study done and Orick said he would speak to Dilbeck about the study being conducted for the county as well. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/14/2025-6AM)
I love around that area and we already have an abundance of traffic flow due to the dock and hotel being at the end of that road. There would need to be major updates to the roads as well as the side roads those people decide to take because GPS does not direct them in the correct direction. If said proposal is going to be voted on by out Commission board you should take it to your constituents, not because you want a land devoplment. We need businesses brought into our county to maintain the people you have living here.
I live around that area and we already have an abundance of traffic flow due to the dock and hotel being at the end of that road. There would need to be major updates to the roads as well as the side roads those people decide to take because GPS does not direct them in the correct direction. If said proposal is going to be voted on by out Commission board you should take it to your constituents, not because you want a land devoplment. We need businesses brought into our county to maintain the people you have living here.
Shanghai road is a 2 mile dead end road that ends at Shanghai Marina with hazardous curves and blind spots. The entry of Shanghai road at Demory road shares the pavement with the small Demory Mart parking spaces which makes it a small, busy and dangerous intersection even at the best of times. Shanghai road itself at its widest points can allow two normal sized vehicles to pass. If there are large pleasure boats, pontoon boats, wide trailer trucks traveling on the road, the passing vehicles have to stop and try to pull over on what little side bit of road/ground they can find. In the summer time the traffic on the road increases significantly. Shanghai Marina has over 50 parking spaces, 300 wet slips, 8 houseboat buoys, 24 room motel and 8 rental cabins. They also employ over 50 employees (marina and boat sales). There is also a campground that has 10-15 permanent trailers. Shanghai road is also home to various family homes, many with children. Besides the overflow of regular traffic, delivery trucks also travel on it daily. With all of the residents, employees, tourists, their visitors, delivery drivers and various other vehicles there is easily 1900 people traveling up and down narrow Shanghai road. On its busiest days, it could easily have 800 vehicles or more traveling up and down it. Imagine the amount of increased traffic 600 homes would bring. Possibly 1200 more vehicles from those home owners alone. Not counting their visitors.
The Dept. of Transportation states the following safe road condition standards for short and narrow two line roads:
* Free-flowing (very safe): Fewer than 12 vehicles per mile per lane. For a 2-mile road with two lanes, this would be fewer than 48 vehicles total. Drivers have plenty of space and can travel freely.
* Stable (safe): 12–30 vehicles per mile per lane. For a 2-mile road with two lanes, this would be 48–120 vehicles total. Drivers have enough space to react and maintain a safe following distance.
* Unstable (potentially unsafe): Greater than 30 vehicles per mile per lane. For a 2-mile road with two lanes, this would be more than 120 vehicles. Traffic flow becomes more unpredictable, and collisions are more likely, especially with a lack of passing opportunities on a narrow road.
As anyone can see, those of us who live on Shanghai road (especially with children), already live on a road that has too many vehicles on it as it is. Possibly adding 1200 more is not only a non feasible and illogical idea, it’s also clearly unsustainable and dangerous. I hope the County Regional Planning Commission does its due diligence and realizes this absolutely not logically feasible for Shanghai road and its residents.