Cookeville planning staff presented proposed amendments to the city’s urban growth boundary (UGB) and the City Council opened a public hearing on Dec. 4, 2025.

Mister Ward, a planning division staff member, told the council the city had received annexation requests and that staff had drafted an expansion to the UGB to respond to a neighboring municipal amendment. "The proposed amendments include approximately 6.6 square miles or 4,225 acres," Ward said, which would increase the UGB to about 21.48 square miles. He said the Planning Division and multiple city departments reviewed infrastructure extension and maintenance implications.

Ward said areas inside the UGB can be annexed by owner consent while annexation outside the UGB generally requires a referendum. He told the council the proposed UGB additions are intended to reflect areas the city expects to grow over the next 20 years and that the Putnam County coordinating committee and each jurisdiction will review any final revisions.

The council opened the floor for public comment and, after no speakers came forward, closed the hearing. The council voted 5–0 to accept the staff presentation and to continue the process; Ward said a second public hearing is scheduled for the council’s Dec. 18 meeting before any submission to the Putnam County coordinating committee.

Why it matters: Expanding the UGB affects which parcels are eligible for annexation and city services, and it sets the framework for future land-use planning and infrastructure investment.

Next steps: Staff will publish the draft amendments and present them again at the Dec. 18 council meeting before submitting any revisions to the coordinating committee.