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Concerned police chief asks for fence, gates
Oakridger
The Oak Ridge Police Department has recently reported “suspicious persons” entering its parking lot and screws and nails have ended up in the tires of police vehicles
Oak Ridge Police Chief Robin Smith shared these details during a meeting of the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission. His comments were in reference to requesting funding for a $188,000, six-foot-tall security fence with two $26,000 motorized entrance gates to protect the police vehicles, personal vehicles owned by police, people detained by police and city employees. He said the fence will also protect an existing emergency power generator that helps during power outages. The cost of fulfilling his requests would be $214,000.
Vote on ‘special’ zoning Thursday
Oakridger
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will vote on a proposed new zoning district, setting regulations for zoos, amusement parks and motorsports parks.
City Community Development staff came up with the proposal. If recommended by the Planning Commission, the proposal will next go to Oak Ridge City Council for two separate votes before it is enacted.
The proposal was inspired by a request from developer H.E. “Rusty” Bittle to build a motorsports park complex on several currently vacant parcels at the Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge. However, as with any zoning district, the proposed zoning isn’t specific to one piece of land or to one business. After the zone is on the books, Planning Commission and City Council could vote to approve it for any area in the city of Oak Ridge.
Zoning district could allow for zoos, amusement parks
Oakridger
A new type of zoning district, under consideration for Oak Ridge, could allow for motorsports parks, but also zoos, summer camps, retreats and amusement parks.
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the proposed district at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10.
The idea for the “Special Recreation District” as the city Community Development Department has called it, came as a result of a developer s proposal to build a motorsports park with an amphitheater, RV campsite and other amenities on several parcels of the Horizon Center. The Horizon Center is located near, but not in, the Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement (BORCE) and the former K-25 site.