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Plan Hamilton vote deferred by County Commission

Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey proposes to push a vote on Plan Hamilton to July. Commissioner Steve Highlander's vacant seat is seen next to Chauncey. The commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate Highlander's absence.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey proposes to push a vote on Plan Hamilton to July. Commissioner Steve Highlander's vacant seat is seen next to Chauncey. The commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate Highlander's absence. Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey proposes to push a vote on Plan Hamilton to July. Commissioner Steve Highlander's vacant seat is seen next to Chauncey. The commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate Highlander's absence.

By Siena Duncan 4 min read

The Hamilton County Commission’s vote to approve a development plan for the county’s unincorporated areas was deferred due to a commissioner’s absence.

Plan Hamilton, the county’s road map for development in some of its more rural areas, is now set to come to a final vote July 1. It was originally supposed to come to a vote Wednesday evening, but the commissioners voted unanimously to delay it following a debate about moving the date in early June.

During a previous meeting this month, Commissioners Steve Highlander, R-Harrison, and Gene-o Shipley, R-Soddy-Daisy, had asked for the Plan Hamilton vote to be moved because they would both be out of town on vacations. At the time, the commission needed unanimous agreement to move the date because of a procedural issue.

(READ MORE: ‘Appalling’: Plan Hamilton date debate reopens old County Commission wounds)

Plan Hamilton vote deferred by County Commission

Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Gene-o Shipley listens during a County Commission meeting. The commission voted in favor of pushing its vote on Plan Hamilton to accommodate the absence of Commissioner Steve Highlander.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Gene-o Shipley listens during a County Commission meeting. The commission voted in favor of pushing its vote on Plan Hamilton to accommodate the absence of Commissioner Steve Highlander.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Gene-o Shipley, right, speaks with County Mayor Weston Wamp prior to a County Commission meeting.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Gene-o Shipley, right, speaks with County Mayor Weston Wamp prior to a County Commission meeting.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Sale Creek resident Jennifer Duvall thanks Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey for proposing to push the vote on Plan Hamilton to July. The County Commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate the absence of Commissioner Steve Highlander.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Sale Creek resident Jennifer Duvall thanks Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey for proposing to push the vote on Plan Hamilton to July. The County Commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate the absence of Commissioner Steve Highlander.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey proposes to push a vote on Plan Hamilton to July. Commissioner Steve Highlander's vacant seat is seen next to Chauncey. The commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate Highlander's absence.
Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Hamilton County Commissioner Mike Chauncey proposes to push a vote on Plan Hamilton to July. Commissioner Steve Highlander’s vacant seat is seen next to Chauncey. The commission voted in favor of pushing the vote to accommodate Highlander’s absence.

Commissioner Mike Chauncey, R-East Ridge, was the sole opposition, saying he did not want to delay the final vote after Plan Hamilton had been discussed for years. Chauncey, who is part of a six-commissioner voting bloc that has been in favor of the plan, also said that he didn’t think he would be afforded the same leniency if he couldn’t make it to the vote.