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Kiss your Chilhowee Mountain view goodbyeSubmitted by local_yokel on Tue, 01/01/2008 - 23:26.
In all the bruhaha about Harmony Properties, we Blount Countians have largely overlooked a threat at least as great to our signature Chilhowee Mountain view: Look Rock Estates. Here's a real estate article (I noted it was paid for by the developers, Tom White and Joe Mathis) in the Knoxville News Sentinel from November 7th: (Link...) What they are selling are "crest view" lots. Meaning, in a Wear's Valley-esque manner, they clear off the very top of the ridge of the mountain so the homeowner can have a full view looking off each direction. And we get a full view of the homeowner throughout the rest of the valley, and most likely, all the way to town. (Link...) And what are they using to put some urgency in their marketing?
You think? In other words, hurry up folks, and help us ruin the mountain before Blount County comes to its senses! Photos of the place: (Link...)
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Good catch. Has this been in the Maryville paper?
If it was reported in the Daily Times that a development had been approved that would have "crest view" lots, I sure didn't see it. And I just used the DT's search engine and didn't turn up anything on it, either.
I can't remember where, but I thought I heard or read somewhere that some Blount agency or set of regulations already prohibited ridge "top" development. Am I just dreaming or can someone help me out?
If the key to this whole thing is timing. Looks like it all was platted before we had a Planning Commission. Or was it?
#1 and #2 should have both done it. The objectives under #2 include "regulating development on mountains and ridge tops to protect sensitive slopes and views." Although what the subdivision regulations say is incredibly wimpy - see page 95 of (Link...). Pretty much protects natural features for homeowners, but doesn't protect the rest of us from those homeowners!
It should have been strengthened within the process of adopting the Hunter Strategy of 2004, currently collecting dust, as predicted. [Yes, I know - credit should be given where credit is due: They are currently examining 2 whole points made in the 400+ pages and hundreds of points within it.]
The five guiding policies follow:
Guiding Policy 1: The rural, small town and natural character of the
county should be preserved.
Guiding Policy 2: Land use and development should be managed and
regulated in order to preserve the quality of our growing county.
Guiding Policy 3: The guiding policy in any government actions in
relation to the use and development of land should be to limit
regulations to specific public health, safety and welfare objectives
balanced with responsible freedom in the use of land.
Guiding Policy 4: County roads should be improved and maintained to
a level consistent with present development and expected future
development.
Guiding Policy 5: Growth and development should be appropriately
matched with provision of adequate infrastructure such as utilities,
roads and schools.
As a long time area Realtor I'm in favor of RESPONSIBLE development with the key word being RESPONSIBLE.
Ridgetop development in this area is both a blight on the "pristine" mountain views they're advertising and a first step down the road toward turning Chilhowee Mountain into another Wears Valley or, Heaven forbid; Maggie Valley.
I hope the realtors who feel the same as you will form a coalition of some sort and do what you can to discourage such development.
It is good to hear from someone in the real estate business on this subject. You've definitely caused me to rethink my stereotypes. :-)
Golly, does anyone know when Blount County is going to get its GIS data on the web?
35° 36' 44.27" N
83° 58' 53.30" W
How does one go about searching on latitude and longitude? I tried it on Mapquest and literally ended up in China. The second effort took me to the Arctic Ocean, just North of Russia.
Clearly, I'm never the one to ask for directions.
It's a stand-alone application, that requires a connection to the internet. You can plug in the co-ords (separated by a comma) into its search screen.