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Cookeville Council asks planning commission to study Dawson Branch Road annexation
Summary
The Cookeville City Council unanimously approved a resolution asking the Municipal Planning Commission to review a plan of services for a proposed annexation in the Dawson Branch Road area; staff presented estimated costs, revenues and population for both the petitioned and expanded scenarios.
Cookeville City Council on April 17 approved a resolution asking the Cookeville Municipal Planning Commission to review a plan of services for a proposed annexation in the Dawson Branch Road area.
City planning staffer Mr. Ward told the council the petition before the city requests annexation of roughly 65 acres (Parcel 90 on tax map 27) and that staff’s annexation study considered a larger, contiguous area that could be annexed “without increasing costs significantly.” The expanded scenario presented in council packets would include about 250 acres in one description and, in the expanded figures, shows 357 dwelling units (about 30 single-family and 327 multifamily units) and an estimated population of 803 based on 2020 census numbers.
Ward provided preliminary fiscal estimates: projected annual revenue from the annexation area of roughly $454,736.68 and an estimated total cost to deliver city services of approximately $7,000,127. He said sewer improvements — including a previously omitted sewer lift station now estimated at about $1.3 million — are the most significant cost, with sewer service alone estimated at $6,164,475.
Ward described Resolution R25-0405 as an exploratory step that would direct the planning commission to review and recommend a plan of services. If the planning commission recommends moving forward, the council would return to schedule public hearings and, if appropriate, a referendum; Ward said annexation would require approval by referendum of the property owners and residents in the proposed area.
Councilman Bocce moved approval of the resolution; Vice Mayor Eldridge seconded. The council voted 5–0.
The council vote authorizes the planning division to contact property owners and residents to share information about annexation benefits and to solicit interest, but it does not change jurisdiction or impose city services until any annexation is approved via the statutorily required referendum.
Next steps: planning commission review and any subsequent public hearings and referendum scheduling would be handled as separate actions.
Speakers quoted or cited in this article are identified in the meeting record and appear in the speaker list below.
