After a public hearing to amend the zoning ordinance regarding access control, parking and site plan requirements with no opposition from the public, the Soddy Daisy Commission gave the second and final approval to create a new zone. The city will now have a scenic corridor beside Soddy Lake.
At the Thursday night meeting another ordinance passed on the final reading which defines smoke and vape shops, CBD establishments and alternative financial establishments. Identifying those businesses will allow the city to exclude them from the Soddy Lake Scenic Corridor. The focus of this zone is to promote the lake and make the area attractive, inviting and safe for walking on the new sidewalks that are planned.
Every nine years the state requires that building codes must be updated to be compliant within seven years of those that are in effect. Currently codes being used throughout Hamilton County are 2018 versions so the Soddy Daisy Commission voted to update the city’s building, mechanical, plumbing, energy and gas codes to newer versions.
The city is also contracting with Public Works to perform assessments for all the asphalt roads and street signs. The information gathered will be used to prioritize the work that is needed the most. The contract to perform the work has been budgeted for $36,000.
A citizen’s request to make the intersection of Back Valley Road at Ritchie Road a four-way stop was discussed. The commissioners hesitated to add another stop sign in an area that already has a large number of them. Attorney Sam Elliott said that technicallya traffic engineer is supposed to look at placement of every new sign. The question was deferred to the next workshop.
Fire Chief Dusty Morgan wants to warn people that traffic on Highway 27 leading to Soddy Daisy will be interrupted on Sept. 24. The bike segment of the Ironman Triathlon will cause some lanes of the road to be blocked. More information about the road closures will be put on Soddy Daisy’s website.
On Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Soddy Daisy Fall Festival will be taking place at Soddy Lake Park, 197 Durham St. Cindi Sandin, volunteer with Keep Soddy Daisy Beautifull, is organizing the event. She told the commissioners that there are now 193 vendors including non profits, churches and kids’ vendors. Free activities include bounce house, face painting, a balloon twister, a magic show, carriage rides, live music throughout the day, free family photos, a petting zoo and local stage performers.
In addition, the Keeping Kids Warm Coat Drive will be collecting new kids’ coats during the festival at the Kids Park. Coats can also be donated at the Soddy Daisy Community Library from Sept. 24-27.
Diane Walker, another resident of the city, is organizing a second Town Hall meeting for citizens of the city to listen to candidates running for commissioner. She said that she had positive feedback and calls for a second, after the meeting held on Tuesday. A second has been scheduled for Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at Freedom Church.
The Soddy Daisy Commission meetings will become more structured after Attorney Elliott said that the city must keep accurate minutes. To ensure the minutes are correct, citizens who participate will have to speak from the podium at a designated time, give their names and addresses and they will have a three-minute time limit to speak.