Certain minor subdivision plats can now move forward in Cookeville without requiring a formal Planning Commission hearing.
Community Development Director Jon Ward said the change aligns local regulations with Tennessee state law to speed up the development process for smaller projects. Ward said the amendment specifically applies to plats involving no more than 25 lots if they previously received preliminary approval, or five lots if no preliminary plan was required.
“It used to be one and two lot subdivisions, but the state legislature amended state law where the municipal planning commission and the city council could delegate authority based on different criteria,” Ward said. “So essentially it’ll allow up to five lots that don’t require any new infrastructure.”
Ward said the new approval process could save months of time, with developers not having to wait until the next planning commission meeting to get a plat approved.
“If you’re dividing up a track of property on existing city streets that has existing utility infrastructure, sidewalks, everything that’s necessary to subdivide the property, you wouldn’t have to bring that to the planning commission for approval. It could be approved administratively,” Ward said. “So we can, you know, kind of streamline those through the process.”
Ward said the new authority covers combination plats, lot line adjustments, and minor subdivisions that do not require new public infrastructure or utility construction. Ward said any request involving a variance or new road construction will still require a vote from the Planning Commission.
“I think the legislator has received a lot of pressure statewide about how the permitting process takes too long,” Ward said. “Recently they approved third-party building inspectors, anything like that to speed up the development process because development is time and money is always involved and if they recognize any situations through through the administrative process where that can be improved, you’ve seen movement in that direction.”
Planning Commission Member Ali Bagci said he also understands the value of bringing houses to market quicker in a rapidly growing area like Cookeville.
“Putting my councilman hat on, I think it’s a good idea simply because it’s going to bring housing to the market faster to help with cost of housing, increase the supply to meet the demand,” Bagci said.
The commission granted a 90-day conditional approval for Callie Square, a four-unit townhome development on South Jefferson Avenue. Ward said the project was initially approved three years ago and has already been constructed, but required a final plat recording to finalize the lots.
Ward also said the city is currently working on a joint meeting between the Planning Commission and the City Council to present findings from a recent public engagement session regarding the city’s long-term plan.
Ward said the amended regulation would allow the planning commission to approve three-lot plat on Crescent Drive and West 9th Street administratively
