Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Everybody out there, if you don't mind, silence your telephone. And it is 4:00 on Tuesday afternoon, April the 28th, 2026. This is a meeting of the Coffee County Planning Commission. Uh I'm going to call this meeting to order. And we're going to start with public comments. If you have a public comment, please come to the microphone, state your name, and have say what you have to say. Who's first on the list? Uh It looks like John Skinner. We're just awaiting to be on the Goose Pond Road road project. Oh, so you're you'll be a presenter, correct? Okay. All right. Ernie West. Hi there. My name's Ernest West. All my friends uh they call me Ernie. And I own the property next to this uh uh parcel of land at at Goose Pond Road that belonged to that Diane Lewis. I own the back side of it all the way down the highway there, away from the highway, but down there. And uh I know he's trying to get his re-zoned from uh agriculture to commercial. And I've lived there for 70 years, and uh I just I don't think it's a good idea to get re-zoned. Uh the people that bought it knew it was zoned uh agriculture. It's always been agriculture. And I hate to lose our agricultural

property. So uh I I just hate to see a a commercial property come in right there. Cuz it affects me more than really anybody there. Cuz it goes the whole length of our my property goes the whole length of it. So I I just don't think it's a good idea. I've talked to a lot of people at Goose Pond. I haven't talked to one that that's for it. And I just think I I I just I just believe that it's it's not a good idea to re-zone it. So I'd appreciate it if it didn't get re-zoned. Thank y'all. Thank you. Thank you. I've got Donna West Fletcher. My name is Donna West Fletcher. I live at 7059 Woodbury Highway. I own a farm two doors down from the property at 39 Goose Pond Road. I represent the majority of the Goose Pond residents, especially those in close proximity of the property up for possible re-zoning. We strongly oppose the re-zoning of 39 Goose Pond Road from A1 to C1. Converting A1 to C1 results in a permanent loss of open space, and in and in this case, a small A1 zoned homestead property. Re-zoning this property would result in traffic challenges as Goose Pond Road is heavily traveled by residents and farmers moving equipment from field to field. A paved turnaround at the end of Goose Pond Road adjacent to Highway 53 is used by Coffee County school buses for turnaround purposes. Re-zoning to C1 would result in high volume commercial type traffic leading to congestion, noise, and higher accident risk. A fatal accident happened only a few weeks ago approximately half a mile from 39 Goose Pond Road. Increased traffic can slow down

emergency vehicles creating safety risks for rural residents. There are many families inside of this property who have multiple children playing in their yards. Farmers moving equipment on Goose Pond Road requires a flagger to be able to get in and out of the fields as the traffic on Goose Pond Road is heavy and many travel too fast. Re-zoning would erode the country feel of the neighborhood, changing the landscape from rural and agriculture to suburban urbanized. Studies have shown that residential and farmland property values can decline when they are immediately adjacent to commercial or industrial operations. An office building in the middle of the country will not benefit any local residents who who also have rights as long-time residents and multi-generational owners of property in Goose Pond. Approving a re-zoning request from A1 to C1 sets a precedent, making it much easier for other developers to also request [music] commercial encroachment. And in this case, there's no accountability to prevent the current owner from changing his mind once re-zoned and decides not to erect an office building, but to develop a minor subdivision containing four or more homes. Ma'am, can you uh we'll give you about another 30 seconds, okay?

Okay. Uh as Ernie said, he knew the size of the property and the current zoning of it. And we ask that you do not uh agree to re-zone the property uh due to the wishes of all the residents. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. I got you. Thank you, Ms. Fletcher. I have Justin Uh I'll be representing. You'll be representing, okay. James Austin. My name is James Austin. Today is the day the Lord has made, and let us rejoice and be glad in it. That's the main thing. This was get brought up here, and I've lived in that area 40 years as of this year. Beautiful, wonderful place. Good people. Be out there to mail box, they'll pull in, "How you doing?" this that and the other. Just great, good people. So we had a few here at a few months ago. We the following residents of Goose Pond, Tennessee community community are strongly opposed to re-zoning for residential to C1, the property at 39 Goose Pond Road, formerly owned by the Diane Lewis family. We live in a farming community and are opposed to construction of office building or multiple homes or any type of business. If C1 is approved, we kindly request that the 39 uh Goose Pond Road remain residential. Now, the thing is, am I ill because young people has taken over and building stuff? No. We and they got to get on with the program. We've got to get We're getting older. I have no problem with young people doing but changing things. So let's just look a second here. Kids playing ball. We all deal with them, don't we? So hey, we're looking there on the ball field. Girls or boys out there having a big

time, and they fixing to bat the ball. You know how two strikes, and somebody on that side said, "Oh, it's going to be Hey, today is the third time. It's going to be a charm." Others on the other side said, "No, I believe it'll be a strikeout." So that's kind of how we are right here in this. But the thing is, when the ball game is over, you see the kids all back on the field having a big time? You see the parents of them shaking hands with one another and patting another on the back? That's how it needs to be after this is over. That's exactly how it needs to be. People needs to get along. So we started this here months ago before y'all. Turn right around, it went to the full commission. Well, there weren't enough people there evidently. The commissioners didn't show up. They probably didn't want to be there that night, or hey, I have no idea. So it was tabled, and so here we are back playing ball again. We're in strike zone again. Three. So here we're back again. Goose Pond community has already said what they I'm talking about the community. And the thing is, here it is. The Goose Pond community has already spoken. The petition that the residents signed was not against a person. It wasn't against a family. It wasn't against a company. It wasn't against the person. It was against changing a policy in a community. So is the government still by the people or for the people? Or we throw that out the window now, and we going to take money and power and politics and run it? 30 seconds, sir.

So we'll see. The thing is, here it is. The thing is, I'll give just a second here more. Well, you're too negative, James. No, what I want to tell you something. Every DC battery out there in them cars that are out y'all, if they didn't go from negative to positive, we wouldn't none of us be able to get home this evening. We'd be walking. So the thing is, negative has got to go to positive sometimes to get things done. And the thing is, that is y'all's place. We rely on you. Thank you. Thank you. Want to clarify one thing. I think you said, sir, this was not tabled. You don't You You were there. It was not tabled. It did not receive 10 votes either way. Am I correct on that? You had to have 10 votes. Four against. Uh Steve Perry. I'm representing the Fountain Grove job. Oh, okay. And Andy Basch, you're representing something, too, aren't you?

That's correct. Okay. Uh that's all I have on this You missed the sign-up sheet, Steve. Oh, he You were Okay. Yeah, go ahead. Name's Mike Brown, farm out in Hillsborough community. I'm here today to do something that's kind of different than what I've been doing. I'm here to speak on the behalf of Nick Graham and Men Trust in their rezoning request for the property on 55, known as the Buffalo farm, right? So, that fits uh the responsible growth that so many citizens have been asking to have. That fit It's on a major arterial. It's on a major highway. It has the infrastructure and everything in place. So, instead of speaking against development today, I'm here to speak for development because it fits the right place. And I think it's good to to support when it's in the right just as much as it is to fight when it's in the wrong. And today, I'd ask you to strongly consider the facts for in favor of Nick Graham. Thank you. Thank you, Bobby. All right. Anybody else? I guess that's it. Okay. We're going to move on to approval of the agenda. And if it's okay with everyone up here, I would like to move the rezoning the first agenda item on the Goose Pond. I would like to move it to the end. If If somebody make that motion, we'll do that. I'll make that motion. I've got a motion from Sammy to move the Goose Pond rezoning uh to the end after the uh uh rezoning request from Men Trust. I'll second. I have a second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Okay. All right. Now, we're going to move right on to our next item. She had a question. I'd Now, I'd like to remind everyone to speak into the microphone

and pull it closer to them cuz there's some people that cannot hear us online. Oh, you're listening, aren't you? Thank you. Thank you, Anastasia. That's That's a good point. Appreciate that. Uh Our first item is the major preliminary on MG England Road. Oh, we did not approve the agenda. We approved moving it, but we didn't approve the agenda. You want to make a motion to approve the agenda, Mr. Orr? [laughter]

I have a motion from Mr. Orr to approve the agenda. Do I have a second? I'll second. I have a second from Anastasia. All those in favor, say aye. Uh We're going to approve the approval of the previous minutes. I'm sure you've all had time to read those on the back. Uh I'll uh take a motion to approve the previous minutes. I'll make that motion. Sammy Anderson approve makes a motion to approve the previous minutes. Do I have a second? I'll second. I have a second from Miss Laura. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Okay. Unanimous again. Okay. Cindy, no bond reviews? No bond reviews. Okay. Now, I'll get Instead of getting ahead of myself, I'll get to where I'm supposed to be. We're going to the major preliminary MG England Road, map 087, parcel 003.00. Cusick, is that how I pronounce that? Pardon? I've got Quick. I think it's a typo.

Oh, it is a typo. I did my best. [laughter]

Uh so, yes, we're we're here to um get a preliminary plat approval for uh Nolan Farms, which is over on um MG England Road and Wards Chapel Road. Uh I guess not last month, but the month before last we were here in front of this board uh and got um sketch plat approval. I I don't know the exact uh d- d- definitions y'all have, but we got approval for that. Uh we finally got the soil sites done. I've got right here a copy of the soil map from the soil scientist. Uh we've also started the TDEC lot approval process. I filled out that application and paid that fee. Uh Yeah, that could be a a month or two away before we get that from TDEC. Um but I'm here to answer any questions. I'm the land surveyor, by the way. Is that A1 zone? It is C1. C1?

Mhm. If I understood Kurt correctly last meeting, all they lacked was the signature on the soils. Is that correct? And if that uh this puts them with all the check marks to this point. Okay. Any more questions? I'll hear a motion to approve or disapprove, whatever you guys think. According to Kurt, it has everything it's supposed to have. That's what I just asked him. Yeah, when it came before us last time, Rodney, and we put it off until now because they didn't have signatures for the soil. I'll make a motion to approve. I have a motion from Rodney Duncan to approve. I have a second from Miss Laura. Any more discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Thank you, sir.

Thank you. We're looking now at the minor final plat on Fountain Grove Road, map 046, parcel 011.09 and 011.10. Jonathan Skinner. Yep. Steve Perry, I'm with Elkin Survey, and I'm representing Mr. Skinner. We've got our soils, TDEC signed off on it. Just need y'all's final approval, and I think we're good to go. That's just the PDF, but the original copy she has over there has all the signatures. We just need to get Mr. Skin- Skinner's signed tonight if if it's approved. This is the same thing as we had last time.

Yep. We We postponed this one until now.

Yeah, we postponed it. And he does have the signatures. Yep. Cindy, everything's good? I was counting the signatures, so it's good. You good, Anastasia? You want to make a motion to approve it? I'll make a motion to approve. I have a motion from Miss Anastasia to approve the final plat on Fountain Grove Road. Do I have a second? I'll motion a second. Rodney Duncan seconds the motion. Any more discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay, it's passed. Uh Thank you very much.

Okay, we're going to move on to the site plan on 763 AEDC Road, map 095, parcel 044.02, Lawson Real Estate Group. Cindy, do you want to explain this just a little bit? Um Lawson Electric actually Is somebody here? Okay, there you go. I'm Ryan Patterson. We're Saint John Engineering. I'm representing Lawson Electric for this site plan. Uh I mean, this is an existing site. It's already been developed. We're just adding on a new building addition to the rear of this site. Uh and then touching up what we need to bring it up to code. So, we're adding a 10,000 square foot warehouse just to the back of what their existing building has. And then there's a little bit of asphalt pavement that we're having to add uh just to make sure that trucks aren't having to drive through gravel to get get back out to the main road. And that's really the big things about this site. Now, your whole lot is not is not paved, is it? Part of it is gravel, correct? Yeah, everything behind the existing building is gravel at this point. We're proposing to add pavement for everything to the front of the proposed building. Mhm. Um but everything behind the proposed building would stay gravel. Did I hear something about using

[clears throat]

reclaimed asphalt to do that? Yes, we are asking to use reclaimed asphalt. Um it's a little bit It's kind of a mixture between gravel and the asphalt that you see on a roadway. The biggest difference is it's essentially gravel that has a light coating of tar on it, so you don't have to worry about the dust with it. It is dust proof. It saves on Yeah. Yeah. See if you want to bracket about 40 ft up, wouldn't you? Has Kurt waited on this? The only thing

[clears throat] that was even a question about was the exception of reclaimed asphalt as opposed to pavement or concrete, and that's up to y'all. Everything else is

That is basically a dust-free That is basically a dust-free service, and I think that's what it says in our zoning uh codes. Uh Anybody have a question? And make a motion to approve or disapprove. I'll make a motion to approve. I have a motion from Ms. Laura Nettles to approve. Do I have a second? I'll second. Have a second from Ms. Gonzalez. Is there any more discussion about this? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Thank you. All right, thank you. Thank you. Okay. We're down now moving to the rezoning request from A1 to RS1 on McMemble Highway map 066 parcel 009 uh the Man Trust. Hey, good evening. I'm Nicholas Northcott, and I'm representing Mr. Graham on this. Um We are um seeking rezoning of this property, and really just the southerly portion of this property um from A1 to RS1. We're seeking this rezoning for a couple of reasons um that were a couple of reasons that were mentioned before. Uh first off, uh Mr. Graham is wanting just all of his property to be the same zone. So, what doesn't show up on here is the first probably uh probably 500 ft at least 5 or 600 ft of his property is already currently zoned to RS1. So, he's just seeking to get his entire property zoned RS1. So, you can see it in green right there. So, the the northerly probably third of

his property is RS1, and then the south 2/3 is what we're seeking rezoning for. So, there again, he's just wanting to have one one cohesive zone on his property. But, uh two um we're seeking this rezoning, you know, based on the recommendation of this planning commission as to properties that would be appropriate places for um you know, for this type of development. So, um this property fronts on a major highway, and it has the appropriate utilities that can be extended into it, and it also has multiple other road frontages on Taylor Road and a little bit on Haskell Winton Road. Um but basically, we feel this is the perfect property for responsible growth, and we hope you vote favorably for this rezoning, and I'd be happy to answer any questions that y'all may have on it.

Is any of this in the UGB? The RS1 is. The The one that's Yeah, you But, that's not in this request, correct? That's correct. Cuz I Cuz I started at the city first, and then Brittany recommended like, "Well, if it's only the the rear portion that's not in UGB, then you should go to the county." So, kind of been all around the block on it.

Thank you, Brit- Thank Brittany for it. We appreciate that. Uh Anybody have any more questions about that? Questions at all? Do you have any idea about how many homes will be on that? Have you I I don't guess you've gotten that far, have you? Oh, no, sir. But, really, the main driver on that would probably be the soils. The soils would determine that. Any questions? I'm going to say that I agree with Michael Brown over there. If there are certain places in the county that we're going to have to allow some growth and I can't think of a better place to add to what uh Mr. Northcott, Mr. Brown said. It's on a four-lane highway with a turn lane in the middle of it. There's plenty of It should be plenty of water from what I understand. It's got a firehouse sitting in one corner of it. So, you know, when you talk start talking about And it's close to Manchester's to help with the fire. Uh I feel like it's I feel like y'all do. I feel like it's a good place to be to do it. I agree with that statement. I agree. Well, anybody want to make a motion to approve? I'm going to have Sammy Anderson is going to make that motion to approve. I'll second. Have a second by Ms. Gonzalez. Any more discussion? All those in favor say I. Opposed? Thank you, Nick. Thank you all for your time. Thank you. Okay. The last one's been deferred, so that's no longer up. Is that correct? Yeah, they've They've uh

That's continued. But, we still got to go to the uh rezoning request A1 to C1 39 Goose Pond Road, and I know there's somebody here to present that. Yeah, that's why I was just scratching it off. I'm uh Justin Kuhn representing Shady Grove Homes on this. Um obviously, this has been before y'all already, so y'all are familiar with it. I'll just let you know why we're back. Um we after we tried to get it past the first time, obviously, there wasn't enough commissioners to uh swing it either way, but um we decided we were going The reason we didn't appeal it, we were going to try to just do what we wanted to do under the current zoning. Um so, I went talked to Kurt. We couldn't figure out a way to do that.

[clears throat]

And um we I I also talked to some people in the BZA and asked if there was a way that we could get a variance on that or if they recommend the rezoning. And they said that they would recommend rezoning, so that's why we're back asking for rezoning again. How much land is it? 3 acres 3.3. So, there's not really any agricultural going on on it for sure. No agriculture whatsoever, no, sir. Um we have all the fire flow. It's on the state route. Uh corner lot. We feel like it's in prime location. In your conversations with Kurt, did you Did I Do I not understand that you were going to put an entrance from 53 into that property? Is that correct? If we need to. I mean, I would rather use it off of Goose Pond, especially an employee entrance. I could do a main entrance off the front. Um Just because we all live I would think that if you're to go to a C1, mhm, y'all stop me if if you think I'm wrong, but I think you need to have an entrance off the off of Highway 53.

a problem. I think so, that's what we doing in the last time. That's what I That's what I That's what I remember, too, Laura. Yeah, that's no problem. Uh and that might alleviate some of the traffic concerns of some of these folks. Yes, it's not a problem. I think so. Home building business, is that correct? Uh and siding and roofing will be the I mean, siding and roofing is my main company. Are you going to live there? Not sure. Okay. It's going to be an office building If I was to live there, then I wouldn't have to I could do it under the current zoning. Okay. But, because it's not my primary residence.

It's going to be a little office, I think, so that's Yeah, it's like I'm planning to do a barndominium style office. Yeah. Is it going to be like storage for Um we really don't keep any material there. It's It's literally going to be an office. I'll park park a couple of work trucks in the garage. That's it. All our material is shipped directly to job sites, not we don't house any material ourselves. And And you understand why you're back here, correct? I want everybody to understand that. We did not get a resolution That's correct.

from the county commission, so it falls back here. Correct. And when we were there, even the commissioners, it was highly discussed that everyone thought I they could I could do what I wanted to do without having it rezoned. After talking to Kurt and everybody, that doesn't seem possible, so that's why I'm back. I think this is the right way to go. Any more questions? We approved it once. It's on a main highway. And highways got businesses all the way up and down it.

And uh Dollar General on the other end. If anybody has had a change of heart, I'll listen to that, but if not, I'll make I'll listen for a motion either way. If it goes C1, it does It can't go back. Is that right?

No, C2 can't go back. C2 can't go back. C2 doesn't allow any residential, basically. But C1 still could be residential. He could He could swap that back and forth, no problem. I'm listening. I'll make a motion to approve. Ronnie Duncan makes a motion to approve it. Do I have a second? I'll second. Sammy Anderson seconds. Any more discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? I don't know how many people voted I. Did everybody vote I? Yeah. Okay. Thank y'all. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. That looks like all the business. Am I missing anything? Well, that last one is that going to be deferred? The The last one

And it's going to the planning It's going to the commission meeting, right? This one. Yes, that This Let me explain this before you guys leave. This will go back to the full commission. What we just did will go back to the full commission. It will it be at the next full commission meeting? Hm? It won't. It'll be June 9th. It'll be June the 9th.

June 9th. June the 9th, if you want to put those put that down. Okay. I got couple things. Trying to keep some things straight here. Uh I had a little We got We had a little I had a little talk at the last one. And tried to explain about the UGB. And I about 3 days later, I got a call and they said, "Hey." Said, "Somebody said you lied about that. You You Half the county is not in the UGB." And I never said half the county is in the UGB. I said the UGB Manchester and Tullahoma and their UGBs almost cut the county in two. That is not exactly saying that half the county is in the UGB. Uh but I wanted to straighten that out and uh the person that put this in there drew a county map and I understand what they were trying to do. They were trying to show how much of a percentage of the county was in the UGB, but they put it up by Viola. In Grundy County and Coffee and uh Grundy County and Warren County, when it's actually down here in the southeast corner up Highway 55 and it spreads out a little in the cities. But anyway, uh just to give you a little bit better understanding, there's 51,617 acres including both cities and both of their UGBs. There's 12,160 acres in Tullahoma's UGB, 14,527 acres in Manchester. So, uh and remember, the UGBs are county property. They're They're They are They belong to the county. So, population's counted in the county and all that. Uh the 5-acre minimum that we keep talking about ad nauseam,

as the mayor said, is is its effect on the county is being mis- misrepresented and misunderstood. And I'm not blaming anybody. It's just a hard Most people don't like to get in the technical part of this. But for the hundredth time, the A1 area outside the UGB is where the 5-acre minimum is. There also RS1, C1, and planned growth areas that are not affected by the 5-acre minimum. There's four There's 61,285 people in this county. 14,000 of those people are in Manchester, about 21 and 1/2 in Tullahoma, which leaves the population of Coffee County at about 25,632. Now, these are all estimates. They Of course we don't have a census, but these are all estimates from 2020 to 2026. So, that area in Coffee County, 25,632 uh acres, about half of that I mean, population, excuse me, people, about half of that is in the UGB and about half of it is outside the UGB in the in the A1 areas. So, this 5-acre minimum, where it's being said out there that it's affecting everyone, it affects one in five people in this county. And most of those people in that areas are for the 5-acre minimum. So, it it's not it's not a big deal. How And and one of our reasons for doing the 5-acre minimum was to push the growth into the urban growth boundaries. The cities ought to be very proud of that for what we've already said before. That's It's got to be in the urban growth boundary to be annexed. And uh even the mayor of Manchester said that the county's not growing. Well, at

this point, and I believe Cindy will back me up on this, we're we're about at the same number of houses that we were last year. So, you know, it hasn't stopped the county from growing. A lot of us wish It It had, but it hasn't. But like I said before, if you have any questions, call Kurt and Cindy at the office and they can explain it to you. Uh but uh again, please get out and vote. Everybody, it's your it's it's your civic duty to get out and vote. And uh whoever you vote for, good luck and uh I'll take a motion to adjourn. I'll make that motion. All right. I got I can depend on you. Yes, sir. [laughter]

I have a motion from Sammy. I'll second. I have a second from Miss Laura. All those want to adjourn, say I. I. Now, see, I make you come to stop talking when I do that. Thank you. Thank y'all. Thank you, sir. If you want to let him sign them now Okay. Yeah, all right. I'm sure I can look it up online. This is the zoning map. The gray is A1. All the gray is A1. The gray is A1, your pink is C1. C2 is commercial and can never be go to be anything but commercial again, which is weird to me. I don't see Oh, yeah, UBG and RS1 is gray.

[clears throat] The commercial uh Yeah, they they've got one of those for the Dollar General, too. See, it's a See that property right there in that corner? But if you go down Woodbury there, there's Dollar General. Isn't that where the Dollar General is? Dollar General and then Oxford and someone else. Yeah. Yeah, that little small corner.