Plans on hold
Norris boat store lists property for $3.5 million
This is the real estate listing posted to offer the property on Andersonville Highway for sale that was intended to be the site of a new Big Creek Marine boat sales, service and storage business in Norris. Big Creek Marine bought the property last year for $800,000. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
Big Creek Marine LLC had said it intended to sell and service luxury boats and provide year-round protected storage for pleasure boats on two adjoining tracts totaling 9.2 acres at 2530 Andersonville Highway, between Exit 122 Outdoor Power Equipment and Meadow View Senior Living.
But late last week, James Broyles, who owns Big Creek Marine with his wife, Jessica, said. “Right now, we’ve got it on hold because of the economy. The cost of building has gone up.
He also acknowledged listing the property for sale with King Realty in Powell, adding, “We’re just putting some feelers out there. We’re eyeing another piece of property close by.”
He also said Big Creek Marine is “getting ready to open an office at Sequoyah [Marina] in the Andersonville area.
“It’s just a business decision right now,” he said of putting the project on hold and listing the property for sale.
“If someone wants to buy it, we’ll sell it,” he said. “But we still have intentions of putting our business there.”
In May 2023, Big Creek Marine paid $800,000 for the two parcels together, one with 2.65 acres fronting on Andersonville Highway, and the other with 6.55 acres fronting on Acuff Lane, right behind the other tract.
The land was purchased from Clayton Holding Company, which is part of the Clayton Homes business. Clayton had been trying to sell the property for several years, since acquiring it in a foreclosure action. The $800,000 offer from the Broyles was the best Clayton had managed to get.
Prior to selling the property to the Broyles, Clayton Holding asked the Norris Planning Commission to rezone the 2.65-acre tract fronting on Andersonville Highway at Acuff lane to C-2 from its previous P-1 (Professional and Civic) status, and the 6.5-acre lot behind it to I-1 from P-1.
James Broyles told the Planning Commission and City Council that the 2.65 acre front lot would be the site of the boat sales and service operation, while the 6.55-acre back parcel would be used for covered, secure year-round boat storage.
The rezoning request was given preliminary approval by the Norris Planning Commission on Feb. 6, 2023, but final approval was required in the form of ordinances passed by the City Council.
The C-2 rezoning ordinance passed on second and final reading on a unanimous vote of the council on March 13, 2023, while the I-1 rezoning on the 6.55 acres was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Mayor Chris Mitchell opposing it.
The different zoning designations were necessary because Norris doesn’t allow outdoor storage facilities in a C-2 zone, but does allow them in the I-1 industrial zone. With the change to C-2, the front piece of property would be allowed to have the boat sales and service operations, but not storage.
Mitchell said at the time that he was “struggling” with rezoning the rear tract to industrial use because it could open it up to manufacturing use if the boat business didn’t open, or later moved out.
Broyles said in February 2023 that he planned to pay Clayton the $800,000 for the property, then spend about $3 million to build the structures for the boat sales, service and storage operations.
“We would employ five to six people to start,” he said.
But it was nearly a year before Big Creek Marine brought its plans to the Planning Commission to move forward in obtaining building permits and starting construction on the new business.
On Feb. 5, the Planning Commission gave provisional approval to the plans submitted by Big Creek Marine, which paved the way for a building permit to be issued and construction work to begin.
Broyles said at the time that he intended to begin construction by spring, but no building permits have been issued yet, and no work has ever begun.