Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Bryson City Town Board of Aldermen tentatively agreed to a request from two Deep Creek businesses for a non-contiguous annexation to the town when the board met for its regular meeting at town office on Monday. The request comes from Smoky Mountain Campground LLC and Creek Life Tubes LLC, with business owners from both groups in attendance Monday.
The two properties are located at the end of West Deep Creek Road just before the road enters the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Deep Creek entrance. Although it has not been stated explicitly, the assumption is the request is so the businesses would be able to serve alcohol at their establishments since it is an option in town but not currently in the county.
Town engineer Nate Bowe was there to answer some questions the board had regarding the availability of water and sewer in Deep Creek, particularly if approving this request led to future requests from other property owners in the future.
“There is no water problem. We serve the Park with an 8-inch line. Sewer, however, follows the creek,” he said. “There are properties we’d be unable to serve without substantial work.”
Deep Creek, he said, is a wide area, and the sewer lines flow to the sewer pump at the recreation park.
The board then spent some time exploring if there were other potential campground sites along the pathway or other areas they would anticipate development.
“I’m just trying to know what’s gonna come in the future,” said alderman Ben King.
They agreed the likelihood for growth is less so on East Deep Creek Road because of the floodplain.
Following a suggestion from Bowe, the board requested of the business owners they be served by city water and that any wells be disconnected from their buildings before approving the annexation requests.
Mayor Tom Sutton said they board already cleared that it is not difficult to serve the businesses with garbage pickup or police protection, although both business owners said they would waive the garbage pickup. The area is already served by fire protection.
At the suggestion of town attorney Fred Moody, the board chose to start with a motion, made by alderman Tim Hines, to conditionally agree to the annexation request based on both businesses getting on town water, paying the tap fees, and disconnecting any wells. Ramsey-Woodard seconded and it was unanimously approved. (Alderman Chad Smith was absent from the meeting.)
In other actions Monday, the board approved the water shortage response plan, as required every 5 years by the state. Department reports were accepted as presented.
In his report to the board, Police Chief Charlie Robinson said his office had zero calls on the July 4th holiday and that everything with the festival seemed to go smoothly.
Sutton said the town looked good, and thanked the town street crews for their work.
The board also met in executive session for about 25 minutes to discuss a possible land acquisition. No action was taken Monday.
Depot and Everett Street work
Also Monday, the board briefly reviewed plans for upcoming water and sewer work at the intersection of Depot and Everett streets. Town Manager Sam Pattillo said he’s working on meeting with business owners, starting on Everett Street, to answer questions people might have. A meeting Tuesday was set to include EMS and other parties about the work, particularly since they use the intersection to get to the hospital.
The project has been bid with work to begin mid-July. The town said it will do its best to lessen the impact on traffic. Some of the work, like boring near the railroad, will have to done at night.
Stan Temple with Bryson City Brewing said during public comment he is concerned the upcoming work would add to the negative impact on business.
“We’ve been sweating the state impact for a long time now,” he said, adding the business is already trying to recover from the situation.
His wish is the town’s work would happen in the off-season.
The board addressed this later in the meeting, noting DOT set the schedule because they plan to pave in the September. If the town waited, Alderwoman Heidi Ramsey-Woodard pointed out, it would mean they’d have to dig up the newly paved road and be responsible to pave it again—an expense they are trying to avoid.
“It would ease a lot of traffic pains for Depot if Ramseur was open,” said alderman King.
‘All we can do is ask DOT, ‘please, open it as soon as possible,’” Bowe said.
The next meeting is a workshop planned for Monday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m. at town office.