News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville Planning Commission has voted to deny a proposed rezoning between Peek Drive and Bradford Circle.
Planning Director James Mills said this is the third time the property has been denied for rezoning.
“The reason being, a lack of adequate access [and] nothing really changed on that,” Mills said. “We had considered rezoning in January of this year and the developer asked it to be postponed to see if he could work something out about the access. He wasn’t here tonight so as far as we know, nothing ‘s been worked out about access. So we recommended it for denial and the planning commission concurred.”
The item was initially submitted by Michael Gaw, who owns adjacent rental property along Bradford Circle, requesting the property be rezoned from single-family residential to multifamily.
Mills said work would be needed on Peek Drive to allow for adequate access to the proposed development. Current topographical issues currently prevent an access road from Bradford Circle unless additional work is completed.
“It’s primary access – or it’s only access – is off Peek Drive which is only 11 feet wide,” Mills said. “That’s not wide enough to handle a substantial traffic increase that a rezoning to multifamily would cause, so that is the reason it was denied.”
The Planning Commission unanimously voted to deny the rezoning. Planning commission members previously denied the proposal in 2008 and 2014.
Gaw can appeal the planning commission’s decision to Cookeville City Council within the next 30 days. The proposal could come back to the commission if Gaw does not appeal and wants to re-seek rezoning the property again.
