JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Three separate readings of different ordinances introduced to the Board of Mayor & Aldermen in Jasper have been examined and approved during the Board’s recent July meeting.
As the meeting began, the first ordinance discussed was Ordinance 449 regarding zoning for child care homes within the community. The ordinance was approved during the town’s June meeting, where it was examined and voted on for its first reading by members of the city council. The ordinance allows for an increase in the number of children a given daycare center in the area can supervise. By current Tennessee law, up to 12 children can attend one given facility . Additionally, under the ordinance, any who are seeking to establish a child daycare center in the area are required to approach the town’s planning commission for review, as well as have a full inspection of the planned facility be done before it officially becomes a daycare center. Motion to approve the final reading was made by the Board, allowing for Ordinance 449 to be enacted.
The second ordinance discussed was regarding the rezoning of property located on 820 Mel Dixon Lane. According to City Attorney Mark Raines Jr., the property in question encompasses seven acres of land, with the property serving as a n add on to the ongoing Jasper Gulch subdivision currently being constructed. Raines Jr. noted how the addition is currently zoned as agricultural property, with the ordinance allowing for the property to be zoned out as R-2 High Density Residential to make way for additional housing to be built. The ordinance has been reviewed and recommended by the planning commission.
“They’re looking to buy additional land around there to put more housing in. And this partial falls within that area, but its zoned agriculture. So it has to be zoned R-2 High Density for them to be able to keep adding houses to the existing subdivision,” explained Raines Jr.
The third and final zoning ordinance discussed was about allowing the county’s food bank to utilize property at the original Jasper Middle School building for its new base of operations. Mark detailed to the board how the food bank’s original location in nearby Sequatchie has been in much disrepair, with the food bank recently turning towards the county’s Board of Education for help.
During their June meeting, the Board of Education has agreed to a 99-year lease with the Marion County Food Bank. The food bank’s leadership’s signature is required to be made before the food bank can begin utilizing the property for their mission of helping those in need. However, Mark stated the town’s original zoning ordinance does not permit a non-profit organization to use school-based property under the given district.
The planning commission have voted to allow special exceptions under the Board’s approval, with future food banks seeking to use city or school owned property to come forward to the Planning Commission to request said usage. It was noted how Ordinance 451 would help to allow for legal exceptions to take effect for where the property is based.
“The Food Bank feeds a lot of people in the county, and the school system are certainly wanting to help them out. And I think the town does too. But in order to do that, we have to modify our zoning ordinance to allow that special exception in that zoning,” shared Mark.
All three readings have officially passed during the meeting, with Ordinance 449 to take full effect with the additional two yet to officially take effect until future and final readings are approved.
