After postponing a decision about a new, large condominium development in Red Bank that was first presented at the Nov. 15 meeting, approval was given by the Red Bank Commission on Tuesday night. Since November, the developer has agreed to conform with conditions that the city put on the project and a public hearing preceded the vote, with no resident speaking against or for the project.
A special exemptions permit was given to allow the condominium building at 1109 Dayton Blvd., where Signal Mountain Road meets Dayton Boulevard.
The exemption was needed because the residential building will be in a commercial zone yet will have no commercial component. It was decided that the residential use is suitable because it is isolated from other businesses that encourage pedestrian traffic. The four-story building is planned to have 42 owner-occupied residential units without retail space on the first floor. One-bedroom units will be around 555 square feet, selling for approximately $150,000. Two-bedroom units selling for around $250,000 will be 800 square feet.
Zach Klassen, another developer who has completed construction of a new building at 1738 Dayton Blvd. that has residential units upstairs and commercial on the first floor, also received a variance. The owner will be allowed to erect a sign in front of the building that can be positioned five feet from the right-of-way instead of the required 10 feet in the sign ordinance, because the right-of-way is narrow at that location. The variance had been recommended for approval by the city’s codes enforcement staff.
Approval was given for City Manager Martin Granum to apply for an Urban Mobility Transportation Grant from TDOT. The total amount available, if received, will be $200,000. The city had to commit to providing the match of 10 percent of that amount, making the city responsible for a maximum of $20,000.
Upon the recommendation of the city manager, two appointments were made as Red Bank’s representatives to transportation planning groups under the Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency. Mayor Hollie Berry was appointed to represent the city on the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), replacing Tim Thornbury who served for many years. Public Works Director Greg Tate will be the Red Bank representative to the Technical Coordinating Committee. City Manager Granum will be the alternative for both positions in their absence.
Appointments were also made to fill two vacancies on the Red Bank Board of Zoning Appeals. Sonja Miller was reappointed and John Baker will join the BZA.
The request from Police Chief Dan Seymour, to surplus equipment that is no longer used by the department, was authorized by the commissioners on Tuesday. He said this includes a lot of old radios and computer equipment that is not needed. Items must be declared surplus before they can be disposed of. If sold it will be auctioned on govdeals.com.
The annual audit report from 2020-2021 was presented to the commissioners by CPA Brian Wright with Johnson, Murphey and Wright Accounting. He told the board that during the past year expenditures were about $300,000 above income, but he said the city spent money in the right places. Over $2 million was spent in buying equipment, in property acquisitions and for repairs. Roads were paved, sidewalks were built, ADA improvements were made, the creek was cleaned up and dump trucks, a garbage truck and police cars and radios were bought. All these things are considered assets and are investments for the future, he said. The report gave Red Bank a clean, unmodified report. He praised the work of Finance Director John Alexander.