East Tennessee Region SCCA

This may be something to keep our eye on as construction progresses on PSCC's new Blount Co. campus since we already seem to have a good relationship with them. It is right on HWY 321 west right between Maryville & Friendsville. Looks like they are planning to open up this fall.

Address:
2731 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy
Friendsville, TN 37737

Link to story: http://www.pstcc.edu/connections/summer_08/blount.html

There is an opportunity here. And that opportunity is bending the ears of those involved to see what they can do for us in the way of reducing the number of islands and poles in the parking lot and seeing if there are any economical opportunities for the parking lot to be expanded.

We can offer the "teen survival" driving course on their campus for the students and also perhaps contribute to their construction effort.

Given our good relationship with the main campus, I think we need to jump on this and explore the opportunity.

Good thoughts Chris.

Who has a good relationship with PSCC? That person could be the liaison.

Both Dillow and I have a good relationship with PSCC. The real questions are:
1.. Will it be full of trees, curbs, and light poles like any parking is required to be in Knox.
2.. Will it be empty on Sunday.

If it is not completed, there is no point bothering them now. Plus we do not want to run on new pavement.

scottgib wrote:
If it is not completed, there is no point bothering them now.

I have to disagree with that. If it's not completed, perhaps there is something we can do to plead a case to make it "autocross friendly" in respect to size, poles, curbs.

thrdeye wrote:

scottgib wrote:
If it is not completed, there is no point bothering them now.

I have to disagree with that. If it's not completed, perhaps there is something we can do to plead a case to make it "autocross friendly" in respect to size, poles, curbs.

absolutely

And why is it they would spend any more money (especially with the current economic state) just to host us.

Plus the new use of poles and trees is generally mandated by local regulations. I don't know if this is true in Blount. We can explore that.

Once again we are on the wrong forum for this discussion. I did not write all I knew in this post.

Well, inevitably obstacles are always present, but it seems like we let the obstacles prevent us from even trying. Yes, we are on teh wrong forum for where this discussion needs to go.

Autocross is also an outlet for their students, and with the correct explanation to the right people, could be interpreted as a benefit to the community and/or student base.

It's a shot in the dark, but when it's late in the third period and you are behind, sometimes you have to take a low angle shot from below the circle and hope it gets deflected into the net.

I will research Blount Co zoning and see what is required. Generally modern zoning requres a certain amount of islands and green spaces for run-off and environmental reasons.

whenry wrote:I will research Blount Co zoning and see what is required. Generally modern zoning requres a certain amount of islands and green spaces for run-off and environmental reasons.

Yep. But an extra 25 feet here or there could make a huge difference.

I drove onto the consruction site today. The exterior of the building is finished, and the general layout of the parking lot graded; however, I could not tell if there are going to be islands or not. It appeared that there would be, but I am not sure. There was a bunch (big bunch) of parking lot light poles still laying on the ground and it also appeared that the electrical conduits were already buried. The poles were not the tall type that are in the PSCC lot we use, but the more common shorter non-light-polluting type. Not a good sign. There is one section of cleared ground whose purpose I could not figure out in the short time I had there. If it is parking, there might be enough room for AX, if not I don't know.

In any event the construction is too far along to possibly change now. Additional civil eng., elec., permits, and delayed finish would all be issues that we could not afford to mitigate even if we were allowed to make a case which I seriously doubt.

Thanks for giving it a chance scott.