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Bradley County commissioners ask county attorney to clarify interlocal agreements and annexation options in growth plan process
Summary
Commissioners sought written timelines and legal guidance on how interlocal agreements and annexation referendums interact with the county growth plan, and asked staff to produce a written schedule of deadlines and decision points.
Bradley County commissioners on a work session asked the county attorney and staff to clarify how interlocal agreements and annexation referendums interact with the county's growth plan and to produce a written timeline of deadlines and decision points.
Commissioner Blake said the county needs a clear schedule explaining “how long this committee has to report back to how long these 3 respective legislative bodies have to make a decision, what happens if they don't, and all that kind of stuff.” He added, “I think it needs to be spelled out in writing so we all, 14 of us, the mayor, the people of Bradley County know everything about what's going on so that there's no confusion.”
The request followed discussion that the county has received interlocal agreements from the City of Cleveland in the past and that some parcels under consideration lie inside — and some outside — the current growth plan. Commissioner Blake asked County Attorney Lori to provide a written answer on whether a city whose interlocal agreement request failed could pursue annexation by referendum for a parcel inside the growth plan; Lori and other staff were asked to report back at the upcoming voting session.
Chairman Mullenix (referred to in discussion) agreed to the request and asked staff to prepare a timeline. At Blake's request, the chairman asked, “Lori, can you ask Bentley to come up with that for us, please?” The transcript shows staff member Bentley was tasked with producing the written timeline.
Commissioner Alford noted what he characterized as the current plan's remaining capacity, saying the city has used about 20% of its growth-plan allocation and has about 80% remaining, a point commissioners said they wanted clarified as the process moves forward.
No formal action, motion, or vote was recorded on the matter during the work session. Commissioners said the county attorney and staff would provide legal guidance and a timeline at the next voting session so the commission could decide how to proceed on specific interlocal agreement requests.
Questions and next steps recorded in the meeting included staff preparing a written timeline of deadlines and requirements, a county attorney opinion on annexation options for parcels inside and outside the growth plan, and follow-up at the next voting session.
