County planing board split on water-less developments

An hour-plus-long County Planning Board meeting with two different decisions based on a "before the book" rule flared up multiple times. Eventually, Tommy Poore, Jerry Grindstaff and Cindy Cretsinger voted to table the Swagie Cove subdivision final approval until next month. "No" votes were not called for, but Alan Hammons and Bob Pardue did not vote to table. Kim Wilson was absent, so the tabling vote passed 3-2. 'Swagie Cove would be a five-lot maximum subdivision on Piercetown Road in Butler. Later in the meeting, the Vineyard Ridge, another small subdivision, this one off Meatcamp Road, passed 5-0. Poore said these conditions were different than Swagie Cove, hence his "yes" vote. The crux of the debate centered around the lack of water available for the subdivision. According to developer Rick Snyder, they are still seeking a water source since TVA denied their request to use Watauga Lake. Snyder said the county's subdivision ordinances don't mandate water. Snyder said they are talking to Carterview Utility District. Grindstaff said the rule was "before the book," meaning it was part of county planning board approval prior to the current ordinances passed in 2011 and 2012. Pardue said since they gave preliminary approval to Swagie Cove, they can't deny it now. Hammons said while the ordinance was hastily amended to mandate a water source for a new subdivision, it can't be retroactively applied to this application. Snyder also claimed that passing the new ordinance rules violated their own rules since there wasn't a 30-day notice or public hearing.Poore and Grindstaff both said if County Attorney Ryan Carroll signed off, they would vote to approve. The discussion continued even after the vote and Grindstaff told Snyder, "See you next month." Both sides of the debate said Carroll gave them their advice. On Thursday, Carroll told The Tomahawk he had reached out to the state for guidance and was waiting to hear back. The Swagie Cove discussion continues as Snyder protested having to wait until next month, saying they're "jumping through hoops that weren't there when we started." Answering Snyder's pressing for when he could get an answer, Grindstaff said, "whenever I get around to it." The debate between Hammons and Grindstaff got heated to the point where Grindstaff accused Hammons of having a conflict of interest. Hammons strongly rebuked that claim, and Grindstaff eventually said they would settle this in the parking lot, claiming that it wouldn't be the first time for him. Cretsinger interjected to calm things down. Poore said regarding the subdivision water rule that the county has always had the rule, but never enforced it. Eventually, the consensus was reached to seek Carroll's advice and do more research on the water subdivision rules going back in time. Three days later, at Thursday's Johnson County Commissioners' meeting, Board chair Freddy Phipps announced that Grindstaff had been hospitalized in Winston-Salem, N.C., and asked everyone to keep him in their prayers.