Cookeville holds public hearing on Donson Branch Road annexation plan; sewer costs dominate service estimate

The Cookeville City Council held a public hearing Sept. 4 on a proposed annexation-by-referendum for the Donson Branch Road area, a roughly 275-acre tract north of the city limits that city staff say includes about 374 dwelling units and an estimated 842 residents. Mr. Ward, planning-division staff, presented the plan of services and the financial estimates. The plan matters because the city would extend many municipal services to the annexation area but staff said the estimated total first-year cost to provide those services is about $7,657,147, of which roughly $6,613,475 is the estimated cost to provide sewer service. Mr. Ward said anticipated annual property tax revenue is about $179,299 and state-shared taxes about $150,280, for an estimated total revenue of $329,579 per year. Staff described which services would begin on the effective date of annexation and which would be phased. Mr. Ward told council that police protection, routine inspections, planning and zoning jurisdiction, and refuse collection would start on the effective date of annexation; sewer would be provided “upon the completion of improvements needed to the proposed annexation area.” He also said the city would provide street lighting improvements within two years and that Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Cooperative would continue to provide electrical distribution to the area. At the public hearing, Donita Hill, who identified herself as a resident and referenced a parcel at 1301 Shipley Road, told the council she supports annexation to enable redevelopment of properties such as former salvage yards and to allow future senior-living or multifamily development when sewer is available. Vice Mayor Eldridge and council members discussed trade-offs with residents: Eldridge noted routine services such as weekly trash pickup, street maintenance and fire protection; he said sewer could be a “catalyst” for increased density but likely would not appear overnight. Mr. Ward and other staff said provision of sewer could be phased and that individual developers could accelerate sewer installation by cost-sharing improvements for specific areas. Council members and staff stressed that annexation would proceed by referendum only: if council later approves a resolution calling for the referendum and the plan of services, the vote would be held only by residents living in the proposed annexation area. Mr. Ward explained the options for timing — holding a special election (higher cost) or including the referendum in the next regular municipal election in May (lower cost) — and confirmed notices required by state law had been made to affected property owners. The hearing concluded without council voting on the resolution; Mr. Ward said the council would have another opportunity to place a resolution on a future agenda to call a referendum and adopt a plan of services. Several council members invited additional outreach in the interim and noted the planning commission had asked staff to include an estimated sewer timeline but had not formally changed the plan of services. Looking ahead, council members said the next formal steps would be council consideration of a resolution calling for a referendum and formal adoption of the plan of services, at which point an election date would be set if council chooses to proceed.