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

Commission Chairman Steve Samples said he doesn't know how the debate will fall out.

"I really don't have a feel," he said. "It went to the agenda by one vote, but a lot of things go to the agenda for discussion purposes. What the commission will ultimately decide, I'm not sure. It was so close (at the Agenda Committee meeting on Tuesday)."

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. Lewis did not attend the meeting because of medical reasons.

The Maryville City Council on Aug. 3 became the first governmental body in Blount County to opt out of the law. The Alcoa City Council voted to opt out on Aug. 11.

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.

Stormwater regulations

During the meeting, the commission will also discuss 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.

"That's been talked about," Samples said. "I'm in favor of having a special called meeting to look at the zoning and then try to declare some sort of a moratorium on zoning changes for a few months to let both the commission and the public get a handle on where we are currently on zoning. It seems like every commission meeting there are two or three changes."

Airstrip ordinance

The commission will also discuss proposed regulations concerning private airstrips.

"I think we'll put something on the books eventually about airstrip regulations," he said. "I'm a little bit disappointed that we've not already adopted the recommendations from the planning commission concerning air strip regulations and then tweak it as we see the need to tweak it."

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.