Compromise Hillside Plan Ready for Consideration
Today the Knoxville Chamber sent Knox County Commissioners and Knoxville City Council Members a revised, compromise version of the hillside protection plan. It incorporates the changes recommended by MPC, elected officials, and others.
To put the plan and proposed revisions in a format that could be approved by Council and Commission, the Chamber revised and updated MPC's December 2010 draft of the plan (1) to describe the progress which has occurred over the last ten months, (2) to incorporate the revisions proposed by MPC and Commissioner Norman, including incorporation of Councilman Della Volpe's appendix, and (3) to incorporate the additional revisions proposed by the Chamber and others. The revised, comprehensive version of the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan, which puts those updates and revisions in context and highlights the changes from the original MPC plan, is available online.
"We appreciate the continuing efforts of City Council and County Commission to reach consensus on a revised Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan that the entire community can support," said Mike Edwards, Chamber president and CEO. "We also appreciate MPC's suggestion that the plan be revised in ways that make it clear that the plan is advisory only and not binding on future land planning decisions."
Commission and Council have scheduled a joint meeting for 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 10. The purpose of the meeting is to identify a final version of the Hillside and Ridgetop Plan that both bodies can adopt.\
"We believe this revised plan reflects a fair compromise on the issues," continued Edwards. "Most of the plan is based upon the original recommendations of the Task Force and MPC, with modifications suggested by both MPC and community groups and individuals who participated in the efforts to build consensus over the past several months. We hope City Council and County Commission will move the process forward by initiating an amendment to the General Plan in the form of this plan and sending it to MPC for its review, consideration and vote."