Council agrees to proceed with voluntary annexation for proposed DMV site on Bobby Hicks Highway

Kelly McGrew, a planning staff presenter, asked the council to proceed with a voluntary annexation application for approximately 3.9 acres along Bobby Hicks Highway. "This is a voluntary annexation of approximately 3.9 acres along the Bobby Hicks Highway," McGrew said, and added the applicant is seeking a zoning assignment of B-5, community business.

McGrew said the requested use is a Tennessee Driver's License Office and that the parcel is contiguous to city limits and lies within the city's urban growth boundary and service area. "We hope the final resolution will be passed on April 17th," she said. The property owner was present and available to answer questions at the meeting.

Staff recommended approval of the request to proceed. Council members moved and seconded the item and recorded affirmative votes; the motion to proceed passed.

Why it matters: Voluntary annexation begins the formal process to bring the parcel into city limits, which enables the city to apply city zoning and to provide municipal services to a site intended for a state Driver's License Office. McGrew said planning services would be completed after the council's decision to proceed and that departments would review the zoning assignment and concept plan if the annexation moves forward.

What remains unclear or next steps: Staff said departments will undertake planning review if the council proceeds; target final resolution date given as April 17th. Specific service commitments, infrastructure improvements, or any fiscal impacts were not presented at this meeting.