logo
Johnson City Horizon 2045 project in final phase

Johnson City Horizon 2045 project in final phase

Yahoo2 days ago

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – For the last two years, Johnson City leaders have conducted citizen surveys and launched research projects into what the future of the city should look like.
Thursday, the Johnson City Commission held a work session during which commissioners discussed updates to the city's Horizon 2045 project.
Johnson City launches advisory committee for 'Horizon 2045' growth plan
The joint session with the city planning commission went over the plan for the final phase of the project.
During that time, planning consultant for Johnson City Whitney Hodges said officials have been listening to what the public said they want to see in Johnson City.
'We've had a citizen advisory commission just to kind of look through what we currently do, what we would like to see in the future, and kind of develop tools in order to create that vision,' said Hodges. 'We have done three kind of traditional public input sessions. We've done, I think, 15 different pop-up events where we've gone out to the public to ask their opinions. And then we've had 3-4, I would say, different online engagement.'
A future land use map was shown in the presentation. Hodges said the map displays a vision for the mix and distribution of what land across Johnson City could be used for.
Some of the uses include downtown, neighborhoods, and industrial.
'They are place-type designations,' said Hodges. 'Those place types will have kind of attributes and characteristics so that as we make decisions, it can give us some guidance as to what the community wanted to see at the time in order to create the vision that they're looking for, for Johnson City.'
The land use map will be available to be viewed by the public starting Friday morning on the Horizon 2024 website. Hodges encourages the community to comment on what they want to see from the plan.
'There's a 30-day public comment period,' said Hodges. 'And we will give those comments to both the Planning Commission and the City Commission because both of those entities are willing to adopt this plan in order for it to be enforceable.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Some Zeeland neighbors want to block Mead Johnson expansion
Some Zeeland neighbors want to block Mead Johnson expansion

Yahoo

time17 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Some Zeeland neighbors want to block Mead Johnson expansion

ZEELAND, Mich. (WOOD) — While some property owners have gotten more than $1 million from Mead Johnson for land that the company needs to expand on East Main Street, Margie and Earl Klein aren't selling. Some neighbors say they hope the holdouts will help block the expansion, which they fear will destroy their neighborhood. The Kleins have lived since 1973 in their home about 150 yards west of the baby formula plant — at the heart of the company's controversial expansion plans. They raised two kids there. Her parents lived there in the 1920s. 'We still walk on the hardwood floors that my parents did,' Margie Klein said on Friday. In January, she answered a knock on her door. It was a stranger from Mead Johnson. 'He sat down on our couch and said, 'We want your property.' 'Really?' 'And all of this on both sides of you, and we want everything on Washington Avenue, also,'' she recalled. Mead Johnson, now owned by a United Kingdom-based company, says it needs to modernize. Its $836 million plan calls for an expansion that would mean leveling several homes on the north side of East Main Street, including the Kleins'. The company, which makes Enfamil, released renderings at a meeting this week. The plan requires the city to rezone some of the land from residential to industrial. A hearing is scheduled before the city's Planning Commission Thursday. The company is the third-biggest taxpayer in Zeeland and employs 500 people. 'Mead Johnson Nutrition takes pride in our deep roots in the Zeeland community where we have been producing some of the nation's most trusted baby formula products for more than 100 years,' the company said in a statement released on Friday. 'This investment in modernizing our operations in Zeeland reflects our commitment to sustained job creation and economic growth here in our local community, while also ensuring we maintain industry-leading quality standards and remain a trusted partner in pediatric nutrition.' 'Mead Johnson is important to the community, we want to keep them here,' City Manager Timothy Klunder said. 'We certainly don't want to see a desire where they would have to leave, but we also want then to do it in the right way.' Neighbors have planted signs and launched a website in opposition. Already, the company has bought out most of the Kleins' closest neighbors: One said he sold his home for $600,000 and must be out by July 31. Property records show the company paid $1.5 million for a house and barn a few doors away with an assessed value of less than $300,000. Two properties around the corner went for a combined $3.7 million — about 10 times their assessed value. The Kleins won't say exactly how much Mead Johnson has offered. It's somewhere between $500,000 and $1 million. 'We love our place, but we don't want to sell to Mead Johnson because they are pushy and demanding,' Klein said. Asked if she was holding out for more money, she responded: 'Oh heavens, no.' 'This has nothing to do with the money,' she continued. 'It's the whole principle of the thing. We have lived here for decades. We are so involved in the city of Zeeland, chamber of commerce back in the day. We love this town.' Jonathan Funckes lives on the south side of East Main Street. His home would face the expanded factory. 'I'll be looking at Industrial 2 (zoning),' he said. 'When we bought this, this was all residential.' When Funckes moved in 16 years ago, he said, the neighborhood was mostly rentals, some marred by graffiti. 'We've all in the last dozen years really improved it and brought the neighborhood up and are doing things to improve and make it look better, only to have the city just destroy our property values,' he said. Some neighbors said they fear city leaders have already decided. 'Why would you purchase these (properties) way above tax-assessed values if you didn't have some sort of promise?' Sue VandenBeldt, who lives a few doors away. 'My concern is that the city has sold our neighborhood out. I think my big concern is that we've lost trust in our officials we elected.' As for Jonathan Funckes, 'We're going to be fighting it, but at this point I'm preparing to sell, because I've had enough.' Perhaps, he said, the best hope is the Kleins not selling. 'That's the only saving grace at this point,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Deputy Governor, TDOT Commissioner steps away after seven years
Deputy Governor, TDOT Commissioner steps away after seven years

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Deputy Governor, TDOT Commissioner steps away after seven years

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Governor Bill Lee announced Friday that Deputy Governor and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Butch Eley is stepping away from his role in the third quarter of 2025 after nearly seven years of leadership. Eley has been a key figure in advancing infrastructure, financial stewardship and government modernization across the state, according to a news release. 'It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve Governor Lee and the people of Tennessee,' Eley said in the release. 'From building long-term systems that better serve Tennesseans, to navigating some of our state's toughest challenges, I'm deeply proud of what we've accomplished. This moment marks not an end, but a pause—a chance to ensure a smooth transition and reflect on how I can continue to make an impact in new ways.' Local agencies warn of DMV text message scam Eley described the decision as a transition to step away from government to spend more time with his family. Under his role as TDOT Commissioner, Eley reportedly launched the following initiatives: Introduced Tennessee's first Public-Private Partnership (P3) initiatives to modernize project delivery and increase innovation by engaging the private sector. Pioneered alternative delivery models to improve project speed and efficiency, improving service for taxpayers. Created the first-ever fiscally constrained 10-year project plan, bringing unprecedented transparency and accountability to state transportation investments. Secured dedicated, recurring General Fund dollars for transportation for the first time in TDOT's history to ensure an additional and sustainable revenue stream to help meet Tennessee's infrastructure needs in the decades to come. Led the single-largest infrastructure investment in state history with the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi replacement project. Commenced the state's first performance-based maintenance contract, engaging the private sector with outlined metrics to establish clear and objective standards for how our roads should look to motorists. 'Since I decided to run for Governor, Deputy Governor Eley has served as one of my most trusted advisors,' Governor Bill Lee said in the release. 'I turned to him to manage our state departments as chief operating officer after my first inauguration, and then to steward our state's finances as finance and administration commissioner during the worst global economic decline since the Great Depression. In my second term, Butch stepped into a new role to prepare Tennessee's infrastructure for generations to come, ensuring we continue to accommodate our state's extraordinary economic growth. I've entrusted him with some of the most difficult challenges facing our state, and he has consistently overachieved. Butch has served the people of Tennessee with the highest level of excellence, and God has blessed Maria and me with a lifelong friend. I thank him for his unwavering leadership.' 'None of this work has been mine alone,' Eley said in the release. 'It's been the result of an extraordinary Governor, supportive and engaged teams, and a shared commitment to making government work better for the people we serve. Leadership is about stewardship—and I believe the systems, improvements, and processes we've built are strong enough to thrive for years to come.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Project Health supports youth in Southwest Virginia interested in health care careers
Project Health supports youth in Southwest Virginia interested in health care careers

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Project Health supports youth in Southwest Virginia interested in health care careers

ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) — EO Companies received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for Project Health, an initiative to support youth and young adults ages 14-24 interested in health care careers. 'Project Health will expand access to training, career development, and critical support services for youth interested in health care careers,' a release from EO Companies said. 'EO will support the development of career pathways and hands-on opportunities that connect young people with real-world health care experience.' Johnson City Horizon 2045 project in final phase The three-year initiative will serve in-school youth ages 14–21 and out-of-school youth ages 16–24 across the City of Norton and Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott and Wise counties. Core components of the initiative are as follows, provided by the release: Career Pathway Development – Participants will explore in-demand health care careers and the training required to pursue them. Targeted Recruitment & Outreach – EO will partner with local schools and workforce entities to engage youth at various stages of career readiness. Participant Support Services – Supports such as transportation, childcare, professional attire, technology, tuition assistance, and mentoring will be provided to ensure success. Hands-On Training & Employment Support – Youth will have access to internships, job shadowing, and job placement opportunities with regional health care providers. 'Our communities urgently need more skilled health care workers,' said Crystal Breeding, program director at EO. 'This initiative will create accessible pathways for young people to step into those roles by removing barriers that too often hold them back.' For more information or to get involved, visit EO Workforce. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store