The Cookeville City Council received a proposal Monday to annex a part of the Dodson Branch area.
Cookeville Community Development Director Jon Ward said the city did an annexation study on the Dodson Branch Area which revealed two possible scenarios. One includes 131 acres. The other, 252 acres. Ward said the estimated cost to provide city services to the proposed annexed area around $5.8 million.
“This is mostly developed property but it does extend the city limits out to where there are parcels that you know, could be annexed that would make this a continuous annexation of vacant tracks for future development also,” Ward said.
Ward said the Community Development Department will reach out to property owners and residents to see if they would be in favor of the annexation. If residents are interested, a referendum would be required.
“There will be cost to put this to referendum,” Ward said. “The last estimate I got was around $25,000 from the election commission is what it would cost us to hold a special referendum to annex this property.”
Ward said if the annexation went to referendum property owners who are not an LLC and residents of the annexed area would be allowed to vote. Ward said the city will try to make the case that being annexed by the city would be good for the area.
“There’s many benefits you know, our emergency services, utility rates can be decreased, Public Service and all of the services they provide, you know, property insurances should drop being served by a class two ISO (Insurance Services Office) fire department, but we will make that case and see what kind responses we get,” Ward said. “Sewer is a big desire for folks out there, you know, all of these apartment complexes are on septic systems so you know would they feel like sewer would be to their advantage to pursue.”
Ward said the annexation would add an estimated 800 people to the city’s population and generate an estimated $450,000 per year in property tax revenue.
City Manager James Mills said annexation is not an easy process and that there are still many hoops to jump through to get to a referendum. The city council will vote on whether they want the planning commission to review a city services plan at the council this Thursday.
