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Commission sends Moore property to economic development for study after split over price and purpose
Summary
The Jefferson County Commission untabled an 86-acre Moore property near the county landfill and voted to ask the county economic development partner(s) to evaluate best uses, infrastructure needs and feasibility before any purchase decision.
The Jefferson County Commission untabled a proposal for the 86-acre Moore property and directed the county's economic development organizations to evaluate the parcel's best use and infrastructure needs before any acquisition decision.
The motion to remove the Moore property from the table passed 13-6. Commissioners later approved a motion to send the parcel to the Jefferson Alliance (economic development director) and the Industrial Development Board for study; that motion, as amended to include coordination between the Alliance and the Industrial Development Board and to have the Alliance director coordinate with the county chairman and mayor, passed 16-3.
Why it matters: The parcel adjoins county-owned landfill property and would be funded from hotel-motel tax revenue, which state law restricts to economic development and entertainment purposes; commissioners debated whether the county should use accumulated hotel-motel funds for purchase and whether the site is suitable for industrial, tourism or landfill-related use.
Concerns and support
Several commissioners and residents questioned the $1,750,000 asking price (about $20,000 per acre) and whether access, wetlands, endangered-species surveys, or other conditions would make the land suitable for industrial development. Commissioner Brooks noted the price, questioned ingress/egress, and asked whether the county has engaged the Alliance, Industrial Development Board or Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Mark Potts said the offer originally came to his office and that the parcel adjoins county property. He cautioned that a thorough geotechnical and environmental review would be required before any plan could be finalized.
Sanitation and landfill context
Sanitation staff told commissioners the tract abuts the county landfill and that, if the county later needed a strip of adjoining land to support landfill operations, owning adjacent acreage would simplify future acquisitions. Sanitation staff also said the county previously had a written agreement with the owner about a boundary area and that state permitting and permitting contacts at TDEC would need to be involved for any landfill-related work.
Next steps
The commission directed the economic development alliance director to coordinate an evaluation with the Industrial Development Board, the county chairman and the mayor and to return findings to the full commission. Commissioners said the evaluation should include TVA or other available feasibility resources, infrastructure needs (water, sewer, roads), environmental checks (wetlands, flora/fauna), and potential marketability.
Ending
No purchase decision was made. The commission asked staff and economic development partners to return analysis and recommendations to a future meeting before any acquisition or expenditure of restricted hotel-motel funds.
