The Greene County Planning Commission approved five subdivision plats on Tuesday, and also approved a site plan for a new office for the Glen Hills Utility District.

Preliminary and final approval was given for:

* the Carol Olson subdivision on Rader Lane off the Newport Highway, dividing 15.89 acres into five lots;

* the Charles and Ruth Parton subdivision on Old Snapps Ferry Road at its intersection with Sugar Bowl Road, where 45.94 acres are being divided into 26 lots;

* three separate parcels of the Delbert Ridley estate, one dividing 45.24 acres into eight lots, another a single lot of 27.28 acres, and the third dividing 39.62 acres into 18 lots.

In each instance, Ronda Sawyer, the state planner under contract to the county, said she had visited the sites and recommended approval, which was unanimous on each request.

In two instances, final approval is dependent on approval of septic systems by the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation.

Commission Vice Chairman Johnny Ottinger presided in the absence of Chairman James V. Carter, who is recovering from a slight stroke.

Sawyer said the Glen Hills Utility District wants to "build a structure where payments can be received" at a site along Newport Highway where materials and supplies are now stored.

Bill Onkst, of Azimuth Engineering, which prepared the plans, said the utility district plans to move its main office to this location and close its current office along the Asheville Highway.

Sawyer said county zoning regulations call for the planning commission to approve the site plan if it meets lot size requirements, which she said the plan does meet. She recommended approval of that part of the plan.

After more discussion, approval was unanimous on a motion by County Commissioner Sam Riley.

Sawyer said Tim Tweed, the county's building inspector, is in the process of approving the actual layout of the site plan.

Sawyer said she and Tweed met with officials of the Tennessee Department of Transportation to determine if the site can handle the additional traffic that the planned use will generate.

The site will have to get a driveway permit from TDOT, she said.

Tweed said he is working with the utility district to resolve "a couple of issues."

Currently, the county's zoning and subdivision rules do not give the county planning commission authority over actual layout of a site plan, Sawyer noted, though municipal planning commissions in the county do have that authority.

Sawyer said she would like to "add more to zoning regulations" to give the county planning commission more authority regarding parking, and to allow the planning commission to make other recommendations about signs and lighting when site plans are presented.

Tweed said the county's current regulations do not address those subjects.

No action was taken regarding Sawyer's suggestion.