No virtual classes next school year
Oakridger
Tennessee schools, including those in the Oak Ridge school system, will not be able to teach students both in-person and remotely next school year under a new rule approved earlier this month by the Tennessee State Board of Education.
Students who want to keep learning remotely or virtually from home will have to enroll in virtual schools instead of enrolling in their zoned school or school of choice.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oak Ridge Schools has offered a choice between online classes, called ConnectOR, and in-person classes. However, next year it will not due to this April 12 decision, according to the school system s website.
Board OKs storage building site plan
Oakridger
A city board has approved the site plan for a planned three-story storage building on South Rutgers Avenue near Walmart after some debate about whether it should keep its lights on at night.
The building for Extra Space Storage is planned to include three stories of personal storage lockers with a design that resembles some of the stores in the nearby Main Street Oak Ridge shopping center. Both Main Street Oak Ridge and this storage unit are projects of Greenville, S.C.-based developer RealtyLink.
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, a board appointed by City Council, unanimously voted last Thursday, April 22, to approve the site plan, which shows the layout for the storage building and its surroundings. The site plan now needs only the approval from Planning Commission, not City Council.
Oakridger
An Oak Ridge city board is sending the proposed new zoning district for amusement parks, zoos and motorsports parks to City Council, but with one change protecting the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement with a wider setback.
Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission approved the Special Recreation District zoning category on Thursday for the second time, conducting a re-vote for technical reasons. Planning Commissioner Phil Yager made the motion, although he later voted against it. Planning Commissioner Greta Ownby seconded.
There’s still more steps to go before the district is added to the city’s zoning code, if it is added. For that to happen, City Council will next need to approve the change to the zoning codes.