BWXT rezoning decision deferred to February

The rezoning request from BWXT has been postponed. The Washington County Commission will consider BWXT's rezoning request in February, giving the company more time to address community questions. Washington County announced Tuesday that the rezoning request submitted by BWX Technologies, Inc., originally scheduled for consideration at the Jan. 26 commission meeting, has been administratively deferred at the applicant's request, according to a press release from the county. The matter — rezoning 1367 Old State Route 34 — will now be heard during the Washington County Commission regular monthly meeting on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. in Courtroom 7 of the George P. Jaynes Justice Center, 108 W. Jackson Blvd. in Jonesborough. BWXT's petitioner, Jon Hagemann, requested the one-month extension to allow the company "additional time to answer the questions that our concerned community citizens have asked," as outlined by the regional planning commission at its Jan. 6, 2026, meeting, according to the release. "I recognize that the county commission expects to consider this matter in January," said Angie Charles, Washington County's planning director in the release. "But if moving this item to February provides the necessary window of time for citizens' questions to be answered and information to be clarified — in keeping with the action of the regional planning commission — it is my professional opinion that administrative deferral of the matter for one month is in the best interest of Washington County citizens." There will be an opportunity for public comment during the Feb. 25 meeting. Washington County citizens interested in viewing the meeting agenda or associated documents may do so using the Washington County website, www.washingtoncountytn.org, as the meeting date approaches.