Published: November 09, 2009 03:00 pm      

Committee nearing completion of county-wide growth plan

The Cumberland County planned growth committee is nearing completion of its work to update the county-wide growth plans.

Rob Harrison, chairman of the planned growth committee, said, "The industrial park reopened this whole process. In order to get funding for the tri-county industrial park, it needed to be designated a planned growth area. When we did that, the other refinements were brought up."

The area includes the tri-county industrial park and adjacent parcels. Many of the parcels included in the planned growth area were added at the property owners' request, Cumberland County Mayor Brock Hill explained, especially in the area of an existing Interstate 40 overpass.

"If we do develop the 870 acres for the park to a large degree, this could potentially become an exit. A lot of people came to us and said they wanted to be included," Hill said.

The area also includes the Rockwood Airport, much of which is located in Cumberland County.

Hill noted any taxes collected from the industrial park would go toward repayment of bonds taken to develop the area. There would be no incentive for Rockwood or another municipality to annex that area as there would be no tax revenue.

In 1998, the Tennessee General Assembly called on every county to develop 20-year growth plans. The plan includes urban growth boundaries for municipalities, planned growth areas outside incorporated areas and rural areas.

An urban growth area is any area outside an existing city that could be considered for annexation in the next 20 years.

Planned growth areas are areas that are not incorporated municipalities, but due to high density of population and existing infrastructure, could become incorporated municipalities in the future.

The remainder of the area is rural.

Hill added the county was in the 10th year of its growth plan.

"Being a fast-growing county like we are, it's probably a good idea to revisit it more often than every 20 years," Hill said.

The city of Crossville has approved changes in its urban growth boundary to include areas that have a high possibility of growth. Crossville Planning Coordinator Kevin Dean said, "We see the potential for growth that would include infrastructure. In order for other citizens to develop in that area with a sanitary sewer system, it would have to be in the city limits."

Dean explained the city could not annex property outside it's urban growth boundary without an extensive legal process.

"We try to get as much property in the urban growth boundary as we can," Dean said.

The city of Crossville does not provide sewer services outside the city limits except to schools and churches.

Harrison said, "Nothing would be annexed by the city, except by request. This process is just to show how far the city could go."

The area north of Crossville along Hwy. 127 to North Cumberland Elementary was included in the city's urban growth boundary, as the city has installed sewer lines in that area to serve the school. Also included was Bakers Crossroads, which had not been previously included. A school is planned for construction in that area and could lead to growth and possible sewer service.

The urban growth boundary is proposed to extend to Bonanza Drive on Peavine Rd., but an area in Fox Creek Road would be outside that boundary and designated a urban growth boundary for the Fox Creek Rd. area.

The Homestead planned growth area, which was added in 2000, is removed from the proposal and added to the city of Crossville's urban growth boundary.

Hill said, "The city is finishing up a sewer line expansion to Homestead Elementary School and Cumberland Mountain State Park."

The city previously annexed the state park.

The incorporated towns of Crab Orchard and Pleasant Hill did not seek expansion of their urban growth boundaries, which are the current city limits for each town.

Planned growth areas include Fairfield Glade and Lake Tansi, as well as the Westel area industrial park.

The Fairfield Glade planned growth area would be extended to include the area served by the Fairfield Glade volunteer fire department. It would begin in the area of Stone Loop off Peavine Rd.

Hill said the Lake Tansi area changed slightly with some of the planned growth area being added to the city's urban growth boundary. Other areas were added to the Lake Tansi planned growth area.

The coordinating committee will hold two public hearings, which will be held in November or December. If the proposed changes are agreeable, the county and municipalities have 120 days to either ratify or reject the changes. If they take no action, the plans would stand approved. The plan would then go to the state for final approval.

To view maps of the proposed urban growth boundaries and planned growth areas, visit cumberlandgis.org.