MPC Welcomes Jim Wakefield to the Commission

MPC welcomed a new planning commissioner, Jim Wakefield, at its June meeting.

Wakefield was appointed by County Mayor Tim Burchett to a four-year term ending in 2018.

Wakefield is a Knoxville native, but moved to Fayetteville, Tennessee as a young child and spent much of his youth there. He returned to the city to earn his degree from the University of Tennessee. Semi-retired, Wakefield is owner of the Wakefield Corporation and has more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry. He has been married for 45 years and has two children and five grandchildren.

As a planning commissioner, Wakefield wants to ensure consistency and uniformity in local land use decisions. "I think for the long-term well-being of our community, we need to make a conscious effort to blend business and residential needs, whether private commercial enterprise or individual investment." He hopes to help make long-range planning for Knoxville and Knox County reasonable, consistent, and easy to navigate.

As they welcomed the new arrival, MPC also sent a hearty "thank you" to outgoing commissioner Wes Stowers, who had served on the commission since 2008.

The Planning Commission is an advisory board comprised of 15 citizens?seven appointed by the City Mayor and eight appointed by the County Mayor. These volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and represent a broad spectrum of community interests and concerns. They serve staggered four-year terms without compensation and may be re-appointed.