County planner calls public hearings on three zoning items; coordinating committee schedules growth plan hearing

FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. — Lincoln County planners on Aug. 19 notified the Board of Commissioners of three zoning matters and the commission agreed to call public hearings for all three before the September meeting. Separately, the county’s coordinating committee is holding public hearings on the county growth plan this week, officials said.

Tracy Perkins, Lincoln County planner, summarized the three items the planning commission had recommended on Aug. 4: a rezone on Right Church Road (file 2025‑R4) for a 15‑acre parcel; a rezone at 71 Morgan Circle in Petersburg (file 2025‑R5) from A‑1 to C‑1 to continue a truck repair use and add a used‑car dealership; and a proposed amendment (ZR2025‑3) to shorten the planning commission’s timeframe to submit recommendations on zoning amendments from 35 days to 30 days to align with the Tennessee Code Annotated.

Perkins said of the time‑frame amendment: "Our the zoning resolution reads 35 days right now, but, TCA actually did dictates 30 days max on that. So we're just trying to get that in line with TCA. And, all 3 of those were recommended and approved by the planning commission on August 4." The commission voted to call a public hearing for all three items prior to the September meeting at 5:30 p.m.

Why it matters: The rezones, if approved after public hearings, would change allowable land uses for the identified parcels. The time‑frame amendment would adjust the statutory window in local procedures to match state law as described by the planner.

Coordinating committee and growth plan Commissioner Daniel Eldridge reminded commissioners that the coordinating committee will hold an additional public hearing and a meeting this week as part of the county’s growth plan amendment process. Eldridge described the process as iterative and encouraged public attendance: "This is an iterative process. So every time we meet, we we get a better product. So I encourage everybody to come out, to, Thursday night and give their input," he said. He further explained that municipal decisions on urban growth areas could change the county’s planned growth areas and that local municipalities must hold their own public hearings under state law.

What’s next Each of the three zoning matters will be the subject of a public hearing before the September commission meeting; the planning commission's recommendation and public comments will be provided to commissioners for final consideration. The coordinating committee will continue public meetings on the growth plan and the full commission will review and must approve any final growth plan amendments after the statutory municipal processes are completed.

Quoted from the meeting "This is an iterative process. So every time we meet, we we get a better product. So I encourage everybody to come out, to, Thursday night and give their input," Commissioner Daniel Eldridge said when reminding the commission of the coordinating committee public hearing schedule.

Reported facts in this article come from the county planner’s and commissioners’ statements during the Aug. 19 meeting.