City Contracts with Company to Install Automated Camera System to Control Speeding in School Zones

February 6, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

School zones in the City of Smithville will soon be camera monitored to catch motorists exceeding the speed limit.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the Aldermen voted to enter into a two-year contract with Blue Line Solutions, LLC of Chattanooga to install new lights and signage in the school zones at Northside Elementary on Highway 56 north, DCHS/DeKalb Middle School on Highway 70, and at the DeKalb Christian Academy on Highway 56 south. The new radar feedback signs and flashing warning lights on pedestals are expected to be in place and operational by the start of the 2025-26 school year this fall.

Similar to automated license plate readers, Blue Lines’ laser-based LiDAR technology provides precise automated speed enforcement, ensuring that only vehicles violating speed limits are cited. ASETs identify vehicles and capture their speed through the use of a laser beam. The cameras capture the tag number of vehicles traveling over the speed limit in school zones. Violators are then sent a citation in the mail. The penalty is a $50 fine but unlike a ticket issued by law enforcement agencies, the citation is considered a civil infraction and can’t go against a driver’s record or insurance. The city and Blue Line Solutions will split the revenues from payment of fines. The citations may still be challenged in the Smithville Municipal Court.

“All the violations will come to us in Chattanooga,” said Ryan Moore of Blue Line Solutions. “ A POST certified officer also has to review the citations. Tickets are then sent out by us and we collect and take care of all the money. On the 15th of every month you (city) will get a revenue report on how many people paid their fines”.

For the first 30 days of operation, violators will be sent only warning letters. Following that 30-day period citations will be issued to those who have exceeded the 25 miles per hour school zone speed limit by at least 11 miles per hour (36 mph) but only after a review of each case by the Smithville Police Department. No citations will be issued from this system when school is not in session or at other times of the day or night.

“The police department has the final say in who gets the citation,” explained Moore. “They (police) have to review it and look at the time stamp. It has to be approved by a post certified officer. Chief Mark Collins will review each citation before the letter goes out,” said Moore.

According to the agreement, there will be no cost to the city except for an initial investment for a traffic study (estimated $15,000) which is to be reimbursed by Blue Line. After the study, Blue Line will install the equipment and recoup its cost over time from the city’s share of fine proceeds.

During the public comment period Monday night, Steven Cantrell spoke out in opposition to the proposal.

“I am very concerned about Blue Line Solutions coming in here because it’s a money-making project, primarily for Blue Line, not for Smithville,” said Cantrell. “I have seen this type of organization work in the Washington DC area, challenges with calibration of the equipment, the fact that the equipment is operating on non-school days, the fact of people having to appeal the tickets and the challenges of not being able to appeal the ticket in a normal courtroom fashion because there is not a witness available, only the camera. In the DC area some of the cameras actually have videotape and I have had partners and colleagues who have taken the video tape to court to show that the ticket they were issued was incorrect and that it actually shows they were not speeding, it was another vehicle,” said Cantrell.

“There is a procedure to have an appeal,” said City Attorney Vester Parsley. “They (accused) have a right to have a representative from Blue Line come and testify (city court) about how the process works and how they take the picture, etc. If that hearing turns out against the city, that’s it. The city will benefit by receiving $25 as it (agreement) is currently written. Fifty dollars is what the cost is, $25 of which goes to Blue Line. Yes, it is a financial benefit to Blue Line. They provide all the equipment. Before this goes further, we will have to have a traffic study. That study will be paid for by Blue Line after we hire someone (to do the traffic study). There is a procedure for discontinuing the contract. It sets out some criteria and deadlines that have to be met,” said Parsley.

“We will erect a photo enforced sign on every side street into a school zone and at the end of each school zone before you go in, we will put up a radar feedback sign on a 14-foot pole using LiDAR single beam technology,” Moore explained. “After they (motorists) pass that last sign, they will have between 300 and 600 feet to slow down. This will be lane specific meaning we will monitor both lanes going east and west on highway 70 & 56, so it catches everybody coming and going both ways,” said Moore.

February 5, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Regulations would be established for Tiny Homes under a zoning ordinance amendment which was adopted on first reading during Monday night’s regular monthly meeting of the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen. Second and final reading will be scheduled following a public hearing at the March 3 meeting.

Currently, the City of Smithville has no “Tiny Home” regulations in a residential zone. One tiny home has already been located on Juniper Lane in an R-1 residential district.

Last month, the Smithville Planning Commission voted to send a regulation recommendation to the mayor and aldermen for adoption. It was also suggested by the city’s building inspector.

Under the proposed zoning ordinance amendment, Tiny Homes would be permitted only in the R-2 district as a use permitted and defined as anything 727 square feet or below restricted to only one tiny home per parcel by right. More than one tiny home (per lot) must be subject to mobile home park regulations and submitted with a site plan. Tiny homes would also be subject to the city’s international residential codes including existing setback requirements.

“This was brought up to me by the building inspector,” said Mayor Josh Miller. “He said you had better take a look at this because this (tiny homes) is about to start happening and it has happened. They have probably put a 500 square foot building in an R-1 area (Juniper Lane). We’re saying now (zoning ordinance amendment) that anything under 727 square feet has to be in an R-2 district but it still has to have a footer and all the things that a house has to have. We’re just trying to protect home investments. If you buy in an R-2 district you have to know there could be town homes, duplexes, or multi-family uses in that area. This is something that was recommended by the building inspector,” said Mayor Miller.

During Monday night’s mayor and aldermen meeting, City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson read the ordinance amendment before the vote.

“Whereas the Smithville Municipal Planning Commission has forwarded its recommendation to the city council regarding the amendment to the zoning ordinance of Smithville. The zoning ordinance is hereby amended, and the following definition shall be added: A Tiny Home is defined as a single-family dwelling that consists of a structure that is less than 727 square feet. Tiny Homes shall be allowed in the R-2 district as a permitted use. If there is more than one Tiny Home on an individual lot then the mobile home park regulations established would apply with a required site plan,” said Hendrixson.

Under the same ordinance amendment, zero lot lines would be permitted upon appeal for multi-family residential dwellings in all districts except R-1 (low density residential).

Also included in the ordinance amendment is a provision that requires two off street parking spaces per apartment unit paved with hard surfacing for any future apartment building.

Alderman Jessica Higgins asked Mayor Miller to explain Lot Lines.

“You still must have setbacks off the property lines. That is not what this (ordinance amendment concerning lot lines) is talking about. In the R-2 district the setbacks are still 10 feet off the side, 20 feet off the rear, and 30 feet in the front. That is not changing. But they are able to build apartments closer together like the town homes that were built where the old Knowles hospital was torn down. You still cannot encroach on your neighbor on the setback lines. You can’t do that and I would never be for that,” said Mayor Miller.

February 5, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A local motorcyclist died following Sunday afternoon’s crash with a tractor trailer on I-24 East in Nashville. According to a news release by the Metro Nashville Police Department, the preliminary investigation indicates the Harley Davidson FLT, driven by Derek McIntosh, 36, of Smithville, was merging onto I-24 East from Harding Place when he struck the side of a tractor trailer. The motorcycle traveled underneath the tractor trailer.

McIntosh died at the scene.

There was no evidence of impairment on part of either driver.

McIntosh was a fork lift operator with Nissan. He was an avid biker and musician as well as the vice president of the Truckers, Bikers and Veterans Riding Club and loved fishing, golfing, playing guitar and just being outdoors.

He was born on December 31, 1988 in Oxford, Ohio. Derek was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Lonnie Mack which was the inspiration of Derek’s love of music. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Malessia (Sugar) Bowling.

Visitation with the family will be on Saturday from 2:00 to 6:00 pm and on Sunday from 11:30 until the service at 1:00 in the chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Salem Cemetery.

Survivors include his father, Eric McIntosh of Smithville; mother, Marla (Richard) Harsh of Indiana; 6 year old daughter, Melody McIntosh and mother of his child, Cassandra Yanicki both of Rock Island; 1 sister, Chayil (Cory) Gindling of Indiana; 2 brothers, Andrew Harsh and Dylan Harsh both of Indiana; grandfather, Charles Bowling and grandmother, Ruth Wilson both of Indiana; several nieces and nephews also survive.

Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements

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