Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Annexation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cleveland council annexes 82 acres along Old Freewill Drive, adopts plan of services and rezones to PUD75
Summary
The Cleveland City Council unanimously approved annexation of about 82 acres on Old Freewill Drive, adopted a Plan of Services outlining utilities and public safety coverage, and rezoned the parcel to PUD75. Council cited existing water/sewer access, estimated school and fiscal impacts, and potential electric upgrades.
The Cleveland City Council voted unanimously April 27 to annex roughly 82 acres along Old Freewill Drive and adopt a Plan of Services that lays out how the city will extend utilities and emergency coverage to the area.
Councilman Tom Cassada moved to accept Resolution 2026-35, the Plan of Services for the owner-consent annexation of Tax Map 049 Parcel 017.00; Councilwoman McKenzie seconded and the motion passed 6-0. The council then approved Resolution 2026-36 to annex the territory and on the same day voted to approve Zoning Ordinance 2026-16 to change the property from FAR (county) to PUD75 (city), also on a 6-0 vote.
The Plan of Services submitted with the annexation states that domestic water and sanitary sewer mains already cross or run adjacent to the property and that one fire hydrant is located about 360 feet south of the parcel, which staff said allows routine police, fire and emergency responses to begin on the effective date of annexation. The report also notes Cleveland Utilities has electric facilities in place but that the parcel’s size could require line upgrades and additional primary feeds estimated at about $100,000.
City staff estimated the annexation would add approximately 115 school-age children, at an annual cost to the city of $129,157, and roughly 750 residents to the 3rd City Council District. The Plan projects net city revenue from the annexation at about $104,107.50 per year. The Plan of Services also explains that new development will be subject to the city stormwater ordinance and may need hydrological studies and state permits (TDEC concurrence, ARAP) before land disturbance.
Councilman Tom Cassada, who moved the resolutions, thanked the property owner for donating land intended as a greenway connector and said the annexation and zoning align with city implementation goals and the previously established urban growth boundary. The Planning Commission had recommended the annexation and zoning by an 8-0 vote at its prior meeting.
Under the adopted resolution, the city will begin providing routine public-works services (refuse collection, debris routes, street maintenance and emergency drainage) at the time of annexation, with major reconstruction or resurfacing scheduled under the city’s normal capital-priority process. The Plan states no immediate capital expense was identified for domestic water or sewer in the initial estimate, while electric upgrades were noted as a potential capital cost.
The annexation and zoning become effective according to the ordinance and the city’s adopted processes for post-annexation mapping and implementation. The council’s approval directs the City Clerk to forward required notices (Bradley County mayor, Tennessee Comptroller, county assessor and affected emergency communication district) and adopt the Plan of Services as filed.
The council did not amend the Plan of Services at the meeting; next steps described in the documents are standard post-adoption notifications and implementation tasks.
