2022 08 16 City Council

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Portion of Parcel 047-226.00 on Velma Road Annexation Area - Annexation Study Page 4 
CHAPTER 2 
 
PRESENT CITY FACILITIES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES 
 
The following chapter describes  current public facilities  and services provided to the reside nts by the 
City of Athens.   
 
Community Development Department Services 
The Athens Municipal Planning Commission has been designated as a Regional Planning Commission by 
the State of Tennessee Departm ent of Economic and Communit y Development.  At the present time 
McMinn County does not enforce a building code program and has chosen not to adopt 
comprehensive zoning within the unincorporated territory of McMinn County.  The Portion of Parcel 
047-226.00 on Velma Road Annexation Area  does fall under the plann ing region, which is subject to 
the Athens Municipal-Regional Planning Commission Subdivision Regulations.  However, with no 
building code enforcement, residential structures,  or other types of structures could be built virtuall y 
right next to one another violating  the required McMinn County Subdivision setbacks.  Due to a lack of 
zoning in the County , undesirable uses and unmanaged growth, as well as, land use conflicts could 
develop over time , adjacent to the Portion of Parcel 047 -226.00 on Velma Road Annexation Area , as 
well as  other areas within the unincorporated territory of McMinn Co unty.  The City of Athens has 
chosen to adopt the 2018 International Building Code, 2018 International Plumbing Code, 2018 
International Residential  Code and National Electrical Code 2017.   The city also has its own adopted 
Municipal Housing Code. The City of Athens has also adopted and enforced comprehensive zoning for 
the corporate limits since 1948.      
 
The City of Athens is a participate in the Federal Emergency Management Ag ency’s (FEMA) Flood 
Insurance Program and the County was mandated to join the program in 2012 by FEMA. The purpose 
of floodplain regulations is to minimize the loss of life and property when floods occur.  The regulations 
require that new or substantially improved buildin gs be elevated, or flood proofed above the height of 
the 100-year base flood elevation.  The City of Athens has been a participant within the NFIP since June 
16, 197 8, and participants within t he Community Rating Sys tem (CRS)  with a current State of 
Tennessee best CRS Flood ISO rating of 8. Therefore, residents within the Portion of Parcel 047-226.00 
on Velma Road Annexation Area  will be able to purchase flood insurance at a reduced rate due based 
on this ISO rating.       
 
The Athens Municipal -Regional Planning Commission and the City Council adopted the Athens Land 
Use and Transportation Policy Pla n (The Plan) i n February 20 18.  The Plan not only covered the 
corporate limits, but it also looked beyond the corporate limits of Athens to the potential growth area.  
This potential growth area, known as the Athens Planning Region, was also included within the rev iew 
of development plans for the city.  The Plan contains goals, objectives, and policies that sup port the 
City’s efforts to ward the annexation of the Portion of Parcel 047 -226.00 on Velma Road Annexation 
Area.  
 
 
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