Special Recreation District returns for vote
Oakridger
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a Special Recreation District at its 5:30 p.m. business meeting on Thursday, Feb. 18.
The meeting will be virtual-only. Access to view the live stream can be found at: oakridgetn.gov/online/streaming. Citizens are now able to register to speak on a particular agenda item during the meeting.
The district proposal was in response to a proposal by developer H.E. “Rusty” Bittle to create a motorsports park in west Oak Ridge.
However, adding the Special Recreation District to the zoning code as proposed will not immediately allow for the motorsports park. It would instead allow for land owners to ask city officials to rezone parcels of land for Special Recreation Districts on any 25 acre parcel of land in the city. Then, Planning Commission and City Council could vote on it.
Vote on ‘special’ zoning Thursday
Oakridger
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will vote on a proposed new zoning district, setting regulations for zoos, amusement parks and motorsports parks.
City Community Development staff came up with the proposal. If recommended by the Planning Commission, the proposal will next go to Oak Ridge City Council for two separate votes before it is enacted.
The proposal was inspired by a request from developer H.E. “Rusty” Bittle to build a motorsports park complex on several currently vacant parcels at the Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge. However, as with any zoning district, the proposed zoning isn’t specific to one piece of land or to one business. After the zone is on the books, Planning Commission and City Council could vote to approve it for any area in the city of Oak Ridge.
Oakridger
Oak Ridge City Council members and staff expressed concern recently about homelessness in Oak Ridge and problems with finding affordable housing.
“It’s going to take all of us as a community to address this particular situation,” City Council member Derrick Hammond said.
The discussion of homelessness came up prior to the vote on the Community Development Block Grant plan on Dec. 14. City Community Development Director Wayne Blasius said the measure Council approved includes the city’s plans for using the CDBG, including some CARES Act funding this year and over the next three years.
As explained in the meeting agenda, $236,872 is the amount the city will get from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development while an additional $232,681 will be from CARES Act funding to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19. Together they total of $469,553 for activities in the proposed Consolidated Plan.