Developers, MPC, etc

I sometimes rag on developers, not from an anti-development point of view, but because It is apparent to even the most casual observer that so many of them have crammed their hip pockets full of County Commissioners.

You don't have to take my word for it. Look at the campaign financial disclosures or go watch the zonings portion of a County Commission meeting.

But MPC is even more vexing than County Commission. The 15 people on MPC aren't elected, they aren't paid, so why the obvious developer bias month after month? Often enough, this body ignores the recommendations of the MPC staff - who are paid - if doing so will cause hardship to a developer.

It's high time the mayors of Knoxville and Knox County appointed a few pro-neighborhood folks to MPC. There still may be time to save a ridgetop or two around here.  

Comments

[Steve D.]

Commission must approve and therefore has the right to challenge these appointments. More media coverage of MPC appointments before commission meetings (and subsequent letters) might force commission to give some thought to an otherwise mindless routine approval process.

[Joe Hultquist]

I'm afraid Steve D. is wrong on this one. Due to a quirk in state law, neither County Commission or City Council confirm their respective mayors' appointments to MPC.I haven't been able to get a full explanation on why that is so, but it's the status quo. It actually circumvents the city's charter (and the county's too, I assume), which is a sad state of affairs.