Cookeville Planning Rezone Former Claude Darwin Despite Parking Concerns

Cookeville’s former Claude Darwin Housing Units have been rezoned, allowing the remaking of that property to go forward.

The Cookeville Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning. Concerns raised about the complex continuing with on-street parking only. Community Development Director Jon Ward said there was not much that could be done.

“Being as this has existed the way it has for so long, and you know, they’re not increasing the actual number of units or the bedroom intensity on it, it’s kind of an is what it is thing,” Ward said.

Ward said there is an ordinance that any new units added would have to have off-street parking. Chairman Jim Woodford believed the problem would solve itself as the property would have a Homeowners Association.

“At some point if parking becomes a problem, I believe the HOA would probably remedy that by a, building some parking or b, we got to get some driveways through here,” Woodford said “There’s probably enough room for each one of those units to have a drive.”

The complex will have to paint stripes to indicate its on-street parking, Ward said.

“I think there’s opportunity to add off-street parking all along Darwin,” Ward said. “I think you can add driveways for each of those units. It’s more difficult up here (Boatman Street), but this is where the majority of the density is. I don’t feel like there’s a lot of overflow parking opportunities if people have guests. I feel like it’s just something that will come up.”

Ward said he believed the on-street parking at the former Claude Darwin Apartments was the result of the city helping the Housing Authority cut costs. He said the only other on-street parking at apartments in Cookeville is also at an affordable housing unit.

The property was rezoned as a Horizontal Property Regime, which allows the new owners to bypass some reviews and approvals by the commission when doing remodeling. The property owners did have to turn in detailed plans of construction to the commission. The property is now owned by Real Estate Development and Villas at Park View.

Highlands Residential Services sold the 1.5-acre property last month for $2 million.