The Blount County Planning Commission on Thursday signed off on a plan for 62 townhomes at the intersection of Morganton Road and William Blount Drive, moving a 10-acre proposal across from Dotson Memorial Baptist Church one step closer to reality. Commissioners attached traffic and buffering recommendations to the approval, clearing a key local review hurdle after a packed courthouse meeting that drew neighbors, developers, and county staff.
Project layout and zoning
Plans call for 62 townhomes with two-car garages and driveway aprons roughly 21 feet wide, dimensions the developer says are enough to park two vehicles. Sterling Engineering is listed as the project designer for KV Construction LLC. County staff told commissioners the parcel’s multifamily zoning allows about 6.2 structures per acre and requires 5% open space plus sewer service, according to The Daily Times.
County packet and agenda items
The county’s agenda for the May 28 meeting listed a site-plan review for the Morganton Road and William Blount Drive parcel and included a zoning map, building elevations, a landscape buffer plan, a traffic study, and utility letters. The same agenda also listed final plats for Paige’s Place off Willow Pond Drive, Ridge Meadows lots 3–5 off Ridge Road and the Mike Raines property off Maple Lane, items that appeared in the county packet, per the Blount County agenda.
Traffic fixes and neighborhood pushback
Engineers told the commission that the Tennessee Department of Transportation recommended a turn lane on William Blount Drive to cut down on left-turn backups and required a stop sign at the development’s exit. Commissioners also recommended shifting the required buffer to the Morganton Road side and passed that buffer amendment unanimously on a 10-0 vote.
Public comment was lengthy, with 22 speakers stepping to the microphone. Many residents folded broader growth concerns into the townhome debate, and The Daily Times reported that 19 of those speakers raised objections tied to data centers and development pressures.
What’s next
With plats and the site plan cleared at the county level, developers still need final permitting, utility approvals, and any TDOT driveway signoff before construction can get underway. The Planning Commission meets on the fourth Thursday of each month and is scheduled to reconvene on June 25 in Room 430 of the Blount County Courthouse, per the Blount County calendar, where staff and neighbors will be watching for follow-up filings and permit conditions.
