News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville Planning Commission approved rezoning a 25 acre parcel along Buck Mountain Road to allow denser residential developments Monday.
The property at 2730 Buck Mountain Road can now be used for single-family detached dwellings. The minimum lot size set at 10,000 square feet as long as wastewater services are available.
Chair Jim Woodford said the rezoning was appropriate considering a sewer project moving forward that would serve the area.
“Cookeville has progressed and infrastructure has gone out to the boundary,” Woodford said. “The zoning can change to RS-10.”
The Cookeville City Council approved extending sewer to the property earlier this month. The land was previously zoned RS-20 which allowed low-density single family housing without sewer services at a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet.
Cindy Maddux Sexton who mainly lives in Virginia spoke against the rezoning. She said as a home owner on Old Kentucky Road, she is concerned about the impact of the denser housing.
“I am all for the development of Cookeville,” Sexton said. “Cookeville has come a long way since I was a child, and it’s mostly been for the good. I hope to see that continue, and I hope to make my home here permanently when my husband retires in a couple of years. But, that is a big impact on us, and if it is zoned RS-10 instead of RS-20, I’m not sure we will be moving to Cookeville.”
Thomas Cooper owns the property and spoke in favor of the rezoning. Cooper said he needs the classification in order to construct his planned housing project.
“I don’t have a team of men on a salary. I am going to have to bring in contractors and developers to do this for me,” Cooper said. “If I can’t get RS-10, I don’t think it will get done.”
Cooper said the development would also answer a need for more housing in Cookeville. Developer Joe Nichols submitted the rezoning request on the behalf of Cooper. Nicholas said up to 70 lots could come from the project.
