Commission backs seeking state-park designation for Arrow Lake property

The Maury County Commission on July 25 voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting efforts to seek state-park designation for Arrow Lake and the surrounding roughly 1,400–1,500 acres of private property.

County Mayor Budd introduced the item and asked Chris Hable, an attorney with the law firm Frost Brown Todd representing the property owner, to give a presentation. Hable said the property — he identified the owner as an entity tied to Starlink Logistics and Sanofi — totals just under 1,500 acres, with Arrow Lake itself about 60 acres. He told commissioners the owner has voluntarily spent more than $20 million on investigation and cleanup and has worked with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to remediate the upland areas "to a recreational use standard," while the lake remains subject to further work.

The request to the commission was a nonbinding resolution of support to pursue having the state consider the property for a park. Hable said the company is not asking the county for funding and that the company "would rather just retain" involvement on environmental matters rather than attempt to transfer liability. He described plans for trails, wetlands and possible cabin or camping areas as conceptual and said the firm paid for master-planning work that incorporated community input. Mayor Bill White of Mount Pleasant said his city previously passed a similar resolution and called the proposal "a game changer for Mount Pleasant and Maury County as a whole."

Commissioners pressed for details on remediation, operations and oversight. Hable said most of the former industrial site has been cleaned to recreational standards but that the lake will need to be drained, dredged and otherwise addressed because of sediment and elevated salts and ammonia; he characterized those chemicals as more harmful to fish than to people but said TDEC and the state must sign off before reopening. He also said a lawsuit with a neighboring property owner over lake pollution remains unresolved. When asked who would have the final say on accepting and operating the park, Hable said the Tennessee State Parks Division (TDEC parks) would have the ultimate authority from the state side and that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has shown interest in the lake from a fisheries perspective.

On funding and operations, Hable said his client would propose to cover the work needed to address the lake and remediation and that the company seeks a public–private approach, including possible state support for long-term operations and capital work. Commissioners were repeatedly told the county would not be committing funds or taking on liability by passing the resolution: the measure is an expression of support to pursue state consideration, not a pledge of county money.

After discussion and a motion by Commissioner Grooms, seconded by Commissioner Woliver, the commission approved the resolution 21-0. Commissioners who spoke in favor noted potential tourism and local economic benefits; several asked for follow-up briefings and the opportunity for site tours that Hable said he would make available.

The commission's action is an initial, nonbinding endorsement. Next steps described during the meeting include further state review, potential agreements (including memoranda of understanding) if the state pursues designation, and resolution of outstanding environmental matters — especially work on Arrow Lake and the pending lawsuit — before any park could open to the public.