Some Carter County property owners could be hearing from a lawyer soon, after a vote Tuesday by the

Planning Commission to turn several properties over to the county attorney for action.
Commissioners voted unanimously to send “final letters” on several properties that the county’s planning office found to have ongoing violations of county ordinances.
The properties include tire dump sites along Minton Hollow, Holston Mountain Road, Gap Creek Road, Jim Duffield Road, Whaleytown Road and Sims Hill Road.
But the location drawing the most discussion was a road front property on Highway 400, near the intersection with the Bristol Highway. The property is currently home to a flea market.
Commission members Tom “Yogi” Bowers and Jerry Pearman said they have received numerous calls and complaints regarding the property.
County Planning Director Chris Scheuttler said he has also received complaints on the property, and that he and Codes Enforcement Officer Chris Pierce have each had discussions with the property owner regarding the issues at the property.
“We have had discussion after discussion with this individual,” Scheuttler said. “That thing has so many violations.”
Among the violations, according to Scheuttler: no permit was obtained for the building that was constructed; the property owner does not have a permit to operate a flea market at the location; issues with sewage; and barricades erected around the premises appear to be on the state right-of-way for Highway 400.
Scheuttler told commissioners Tuesday that the property owner has been “buffaloing us all the way” in regards to correcting issues at the property.
On a recommendation by Scheuttler, commissioners approved issuing “final letters” to the owners of the properties discussed, including the flea market property on Highway 400.
Scheuttler said final letters are issued to property owners to tell them the uncorrected ordinance violations on their property are being turned over to the county attorney for further action, and that the property owners must now contact the county attorney to resolve the issues before the matter is sent to the courts.
The other major topic which came up for discussion during the meeting was the certification of county inspectors.
Under state law, inspectors must be certified in various areas of building inspection, such as plumbing and electrical, in order to conduct inspections.
Bowers made a motion to set a deadline by which all county inspectors must have their certification completed, but withdrew the motion following a recommendation by Scheuttler that the county look into contracting out the inspections not currently covered by county inspectors. Scheuttler said this would allow time for the county inspectors to complete their certification training, and once it is completed the county can cease contracting for inspections.
The commissioners directed Scheuttler to look into the logistics of contracting the inspections out.