Oak Grove Community Puts Out Plea For Controlled Growth

Concern has arisen in the Oak Grove Community, near exit 424 in Dandridge, regarding an extension of the Dandridge growth boundary lines to include their community. The Town of Dandridge has expressed interest in expanding their growth boundaries in that direction for several years and, recently, the Urban Growth Committee for Jefferson County approved the expansion, along with several other municipality requests. Citizens from the proposed affected area have presented a request to designate the Oak Grove Community as a part of the Town’s Historic District. The Historic designation would offer some limits and controls on the aesthetics of the businesses located there. Resident Katy Huffaker spoke before the Urban Growth Committee and laid out a partial plan that would target the area for specific tourist industry, leaning on the direct lake access, as well as the Historic nature of the area, to promote the area around the 424 exit as a tourist destination. In her presentation, Huffaker contended that, while extending the growth boundaries in their direction is not the optimum choice for those in the community, there is an understanding that this could be a form of progress for Dandridge and Jefferson County. Those in the Oak Grove Community have put out the plea for controlled growth, rather than allowing the exit and surrounding areas to fall prey to the here today, gone tomorrow, businesses that often clutter interstate exits. Huffaker and many in that Community believe that they have more to bring to the table than the traditional interstate exit and hope that the Town of Dandridge extends its dedication to preserving history to their part of the County. Dandridge Planning Commission Chairman, Linda Swann, stated that any areas that are approved for extension will come before the Planning Commission for zoning. She said that there is commitment on the part of the Dandridge Planning Commission to preserve the history of the Town and that a review of the area would be a part of the zoning process. She said that any recommendation of the Dandridge Planning Commission would go before the Dandridge Board of Mayor and Aldermen as a recommendation but would require Board approval. Though the Urban Growth Boundary Committee has approved the requested municipalities’ expansion proposals, the issue will come before the Jefferson County Commission for approval and all, or part, of the proposal could be denied at that time.