Johnson City Planning Commission defers action on Claude Simmons request

In response to public upset, the Johnson City regional planning commission voted Tuesday to defer action on a developer's request to split up a 52-acre parcel on Claude Simmons Road into five lots. Johnson City residents spoke during the public hearing for the request, all expressing concern with the lack of clarity on how the largest of the five lots, 43 of the total 52 acres, will be used. Commissioners heard back-and-forth comments between members of the public and the developer, and eventually voted 6-2 to defer approval of the final plat at 512 Claude Simmons Road. Most of the people who spoke during the public hearing were residents of the Strawberry Fields subdivision, which sits across the street from the proposed development. Strawberry Fields resident Lottie Ryans was one of eight members of the public who urged commissioners to defer their vote on the plat. One of her concerns was that the 43-acre lot was planned to have access from smaller, inner streets within Strawberry Fields, rather than off Claude Simmons. "It's not clear to me why there isn't an additional access road required off Claude Simmons for this new development. While additional traffic on Claude Simmons with the one-land underpass isn't desirable either, once again we are seeing problems created rather than long-term considerations for all residents concerned," Ryans said. The developer on the project told commissioners that he was planning on building 11 to 12 homes in total: seven to eight homes on the 43-acre lot and one home on each of the smaller lots. However, city staff also mentioned the current zoning for the lot would allow up to 130 homes with the addition of new roads and accompanying plans. Bryan Sangid, the owner and developer of the property said he feels his concept was the best option for the area. "We've looked at different concepts—concepts that would be more homes and some that would be less homes; what would be the least impact, what would be the most impact," Sangid said. "We felt like with this plan it would make the most sense for the neighborhoods and keep everyone happy with what we're doing and try to make a positive impact in the area." After Sangid spoke, Strawberry Fields Homeowner Association President Fernando Zapata voiced his opposition to the plat approval. "I think it's a little bit short-sighted to approve phase one without knowing what's going to happen with phase two," Zapata said. "I think that It would probably be wise for the commission to delay approval of this project until we at least have a more concrete-evidence plan, for Part B of the subdivision." After Zapata's comments, Sangid walked up to speak to the planning commission a second time. When asked by the commission more specifically about his plans, he reiterated his aim for 11 to 12 homes total across the five lots and said he'd have a plan for the 43-acre lot "pretty quick." "A couple weeks we should be finished [with the plans for the 43-acre lot]," Sangid said. "We don't want to waste time." Newly-elected planning commission chair Benjamon Dutton also pointed out that a road connecting the back, 43-acre lot wouldn't be feasible because of the flood plain that sits between the front four lots and the back lot. Planning commissioner Chris Dagenhart motioned to approve the plat after further discussion and explanation from planning staff, but his motion failed. Planning commissioner David Meade motioned to defer the Claude Simmons vote to next month's meeting, pending full development plans. "We need a crystal ball to see what's coming on the other part of the development, and we don't know what that is," Meade said. Dagenhart and Dutton voted against Meade's motion, which carried 6–2. With the deferral, the planning commission is set to vote on the Claude Simmons plat on March 10.