News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Plans to redevelop the corner of North Washington Avenue and Jere Whitson Road will be delayed.
Cookeville Planning Director John Ward said developers withdrew their Redevelopment Area Overlay (RAO) zoning request for the location.
“The underlying zoning controls what is permitted on the properties, and the RS-5 District is pretty much where that stops,” Ward said. “In the RS-5 District you can do town homes if they’re included in the approved RAO. Underlying zoning on the East half of this is RS-10, so that doesn’t allow town-home development.”
Developers had proposed a town home development on the 4.18 acre property. Ward said the city ultimately wants to see the project come to fruition.
“It would be good to redevelop those properties on Jere Whitson Road and Washington, They are in need of some redevelopment,” Ward said. “Structurally, they’re not in good shape. We’re trying to work with them (developers). It would take a rezoning or maybe a PRD because you can’t do town-homes in RS-10.”
The RAO District has primary purpose of providing a mechanism for the redevelopment, revitalization, rehabilitation, and general improvement of areas within the City of Cookeville. The city has approved at least six RAO requests since 2013.
