The Algood Planning Commission considering the implementation of a historic overlay to regulate building facades and exterior designs within the downtown area as part of an update to the 20-year land use transportation plan.
Planning Director Tommy Lee said the commission is currently reviewing sections of the planning document to modernize terminology and formatting after the previous version expired in 2023. Lee said the plan serves as a non-binding guide for officials when making decisions regarding rezoning requests and site plan reviews.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with use, it doesn’t have anything to do with interior, it’s just about the look,” Lee said. “It’s making sure that everything that any changes that are made complies to a certain set of specifications.”
Lee said Algood does not currently have protected historic heritage designations similar to those found in Cookeville. Lee said establishing a historic zoning district would require the creation of an additional board to review property changes.
“And if you did want to do a historic zoning district, you would have to have another board that would when people would make changes they’d have to come in front of that board and get what’s called a certificate of appropriateness,” Lee said.
Lee said the central business district strategy prioritizes compact, pedestrian-oriented development and the adaptive reuse of vacant buildings. Lee said the plan also distinguishes these historic areas from regional commercial corridors located along Main Street and Highway 111.
“To support Algood’s broader land use goals, commercial growth is managed through a balanced dual track framework that distinguishes between the historic downtown core and regional commercial corridors,” Lee said.
