NEWPORT-Cocke County planning commissioners took one step forward to allowing developers of new subdivisions to acquire bonds to cover all costs related to the paving of roads in their new subdivisions, when they met Tuesday, Feb. 26 at their monthly meeting.

The issuance of so-called "performance bonds" will cover the cost of paving, ditching, the seeding of sloping road banks, and pavements for one year, with a petition to the planning commission asking for one extension of one year.

Planning commissioners approved the idea of the bonds unanimously, and asked planning advisor Ronda Sawyer to modify subdivision regulations to allow bonds, which is expected to be voted on again by the planners at their next meeting on March 26.

For more details, please see the Thursday edition of the Newport Plain Talk.