Published: October 21, 2009 08:45 am      

Council approves Urban Growth Boundary Changes

The Crossville City Council approved changes recommended to the county Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) during their regular meeting, including expansion into areas that have a high possibility of growth.

The urban growth boundary plan looks at likely areas of future development for the next 20 years around the incorporated areas in the county. The plan is required under state law that was first approved 10 years ago by the Tennessee General Assembly. The process is spelled out in detail and must be occasionally updated.

Prior to the council meeting, a public hearing on the plan was held and one commenter indicated that a lot of residents do not really understand what the plan meant or how the process worked. Crossville planning coordinator Kevin Dean explained letters were sent out to property owners in the affected areas and a high percentage returned negative comments but it appeared to city staff from the notes included that the responders felt agreeing to be included meant they would be annexed into the city.

Dean said being included in the UGB does not mean that property will be annexed. Property that is not in the UGB cannot be annexed under the state regulations.

Council members discussed that only one piece of property in the last 20 years has been annexed without the request of the property owners. That piece of property was acquired by the city through eminent domain because of a road project but had to be annexed before the process was complete. The council stressed that annexation is by the request of the property owner.

Crossville Mayor J.H. Graham III said the main reason people want to be annexed is for city sewer service. The council has held to a policy of not approving sewer service to property outside the city except in the case of schools and sometimes churches.

Areas listed as important to the UGB include the area to North Cumberland Elementary, Bakers Crossroads, South Old Mail Rd., Saw Mill Loop, the west side of Firetower Rd., Plateau Properties site near Meadow Park Lake. Peavine Road to the Food City store was originally included but was removed by county planned growth committee.

The council approved the recommended additions. A final public hearing on the UGB will be held Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cumberland County Courthouse. After the final approval by the County Planned Growth committee, the matter will come back to the city council for ratification.

Under the consent agenda, the council approved a maintenance agreement with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for traffic signals to be installed on the Genesis Rd. I-40 interchange. The lights should help traffic congestion around Stone Memorial High School. The bid is out now and grants will pay for the system to be installed.

Prior to the council's meeting, the council's audit committee meeting was held. City finance director Fred Houston reported the city should receive the latest audit just before Thanksgiving.

Water meter testing was also discussed during the audit committee meeting. City public works director Tim Begley explained how the water meter testing program is working and the improvements in new water meters that are being installed to replace much older, less accurate meters.

“We never had a water meter program before,” said Begley. Some customers' bills have changed due to the program.

Graham stressed that there have been no water rate increases yet and any water bill increases are because of more accurate measuring, not higher water rates.