Plainview Chief of Police Kenny Crider reported 52 calls for October with five incidents that resulted in two arrests. There were two traffic accidents, one with injury and one without injury, and the department wrote two citations. Chief Crider aided the Maynardville Police department in identifying and apprehending a group of men who robbed the Tobacco King in Maynardville and continued their actions in Sevier County in late October.

Zoning Officer Stewart Skeen reported that he would be refunding all but the application fee on a permit requested and paid for a garage. He also said that three violations of Ordinance 38.1 that addresses maintenance of property are being summonsed to court most likely in January, 2025.

Fire Chief Brad Woods reminded everyone that permits to burn organic material are required from October 15 to May 15 and may not be issued if the ground is deemed too dry. Chief Woods also stated that his department would be applying for a grant in 2025. The department plans to complete the inside of the new fire hall addition by early 2025.

Bids were scheduled for opening on November 19 for the community development block grant to make improvements on the intersection of Corryton Road and Tazewell Pike and also at Wolfe Road. But no one bid on the project. So, the projects will be advertised in January to a wider area and hopefully someone will be interested. The ARPA Grant project to do sewer improvements came in at twice the expected cost so that grant will concentrate on upgrading a lift station on Corryton Road. Grant funds can totally cover those costs.

During announcements, Mayor Lynn Beeler reported that a new business, Clipping Crews, would be opening soon near Rondo’s Pizza and a formal ribbon cutting will be announced for the grand opening. He noted that the stickers were more popular than the candy distributed on Halloween evening at Candy with a Cop.

Amendments to zoning ordinances for the purpose of allowing auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs) continued to be a subject for discussion. The Plainview Planning Commission passed an amendment to the Plainview Board of Aldermen. The board then struck a catch-all section and amended another portion to allow mobile homes as ADU’s in zone AR-1. In addition, AR-1 can have up to four ADUs on property greater than five acres but the density of one dwelling per every two acres must be maintained. The changes will need to be formally presented in two readings with a public hearing before finally being implemented some time in 2025.

The Plainview Planning Commission and Board of Aldermen will meet on Tuesday, December 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Neighborhood Watch is on Thursday, December 19.