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The Blount County Commission will consider opting out of a new law that would allow handguns in public places, including public parks.

The Agenda Committee, voting 11-7 Tuesday, sent the resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Mike Lewis, to the full commission for a vote at its Aug. 20 meeting. Commissioners Gary Farmer, John Keeble, Gerald Kirby, Peggy Lambert, Joe McCulley, Kenneth Melton, Bob Proffitt, Steve Hargis, Wendy Pitts Reeves, Chairman Steve Samples and Mike Walker voted to put the resolution on the agenda.

Commissioners David Ballard, Tonya Burchfield, Ron French, Brad Harrison, Mark Hasty, Scott Helton and Monika Murrell voted no. Several citizens spoke against the resolution during the Agenda Committee's meeting.

"The city council of Maryville has opted out of this decision and would rather people leave the gun in their car while walking on the Greenway," Linda King said. "... A person should not have their rights violated by forcing them to be unprotected."

"How does making a law forbidding law-abiding citizens from having guns in parks protect them?" Carol Ross said.

"It's ridiculous that it's been introduced," said Tona Monroe-Ball. The Maryville City Council on Aug. 3 became the first governmental body in Blount County to opt out of the law.

County parks include Louisville Point Park, Everett Recreation Center and the Everett Athletic Complex, Eagleton Little League, Richard Williams Park and a small section of the Greenway Park called Frank Vogle Park.

The new law allows people with handgun carry permits to take them into public parks, natural areas, historic parks, nature trails, campgrounds, forest greenways, waterways or other similar public lands.

While the legislature made such activity legal, local governments can prohibit possession in these areas before the law takes effect Sept. 1.

The commission will also consider holding a special called meeting to consider several zoning changes, including a proposal that would return some oversight authority to the County Stormwater Department in the non-urbanized sections of the county. On March 19, the County Commission voted to weaken county stormwater regulations concerning grading, erosion and sedimentation. The regulations now only apply within the urban growth boundaries of Maryville and Alcoa and only require grading permits for disturbing an acre or more of land.

Airstrip regulations

The commissioners also discussed proposed regulations concerning private airstrips that have not yet been adopted after the County Commission postponed action on a proposal last month. "I just question is it wise?" Hasty said. "... I just worry about are we protecting our citizens by not having something? Is that foolish on our part?" "We're at that point ... We're going to have to vote it up or down," Helton said.

The County Commission became involved with efforts to regulate private airstrips after neighbors living near the planned airstrip on property off Jeffries Hollow Road near the Sky View subdivision in Seymour protested. The commission will consider air strip regulations at its Aug. 20 meeting. Commissioners discussed the idea of placing a moratorium on zoning changes once the latest are finally considered. "I am really tired of coming in here every single month and changing the zoning ordinances," Samples said. "... Let's get this ironed out and put it to bed for several months." "It's not like the Planning Commission dreams these things up to send to the full commission," Farmer said.