Planning Department Responsibilities
PLANNING DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
The Planning Department has three primary areas of responsibility: long range planning, strategic planning, and land use controls. Long range planning includes the preparation and update of a comprehensive plan for the future development of the city and the planning region. Strategic planning involves many activities including annexation, maintenance of the official street map, Geographic Information System, street naming, street and right-of-way closures, and disposition of surplus property. The land use controls prepared and administered by the Planning Department include the Municipal Zoning Code and the Regional Subdivision Regulations. The Staff of the Planning Department provide support and technical assistance to the City Council, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and Historic Zoning Commission.
Long Range Planning
Comprehensive Plan
The Cookeville Comprehensive Future Land Use Plan, 1999-2020 was approved by the Planning Commission on September 25, 2000 and adopted by the City Council on October 5, 2000. This Plan serves as a general guide for the physical development of the city and the urban growth area. It presents goals, objectives and policies for future growth and development. Major components of the Comprehensive Plan include the Major Street Plan, Street Improvements Plan, Pedestrian Circulation Plan and the Future Land Use Concept Plan.
The City Council approved amendments to the Future Land Use Concept Plan on November 1, 2001, February 6, 2003, and on February 7, 2008 (Review Future Land Use Concept Plan Online) and amendments to the Pedestrian Circulation Plan on June 6, 2002. On August 8, 2003 the City Council adopted the Pedestrian & Bicycle Circulation Plan as a supplement to the Comprehensive Plan.
Urban Growth Boundary
To comply with the provisions of Public Chapter 1101 the Cookeville Urban Growth Boundary Report was prepared in 1999. This report identified the Cookeville Urban Growth Boundary. The growth boundary was approved by the Putnam County Coordinating Committee in October of 1999 and incorporated in the Putnam County Growth Plan. The Putnam County Growth Plan was ratified by the City Council on March 16, 2000. This county-wide growth plan was approved by the State Local Government Planning Advisory Committee in April of 2000.
Strategic Planning
Annexation
The Planning Department prepares feasibility studies for all areas considered for annexation by the city. Annexations proposals are initiated at the request of property owners or they may be city initiated. The Planning Staff completes Plans of Services for all annexation areas. A Plan of Services specifies when and what services the city will provide to annexed areas. If an area is annexed, annual reports on the progress of completing Plans of Services are prepared by the Planning Staff and submitted to the City Council. Once an area is annexed the Planning Department is responsible for completing population certifications which are submitted to the State Local Planning Assistance Office.
Annexation Summary
2000 - Present
Area | Effective Date | Square | Population |
Old Sparta Rd./Horace Lewis Rd. | 6/15/00 | 0.92 | 165 |
Old Bridge Rd./Falling Water River | 6/15/00 | 1.16 | 233 |
Buck Mt. Rd./Dry Valley Rd. | 7/19/00 | 0.93 | 90 |
Shipley Rd. | 8/16/00 | 0.01 | 22 |
East Highway 70N/Interstate 40 | 1/7/01 | 1.89 | 632 |
| Matheney/ Cora Rd. | 4/21/02 | 0.05 | NA |
Population | |||
| West Cookeville/Interstate 40 | 8/18/02 | 3.75 | 907 |
| O'Neill/West 12th St. | 8/31/02 | 0.01 | 49 |
| Presley/West 12th St. | 11/3/02 | 0.08 | 31 |
| Putnam Co./ N. Washington Ave. | 4/19/03 | 0.13 | N/A |
| Hall/Salem Rd. | 3/5/04 | 0.10 | N/A |
| Population 2007 Special Census | |||
| Shag Rag Rd. | 3/18/06 | 0.10 | 37 |
Gaw-Dodson Branch Rd. | 12/17/06 | 0.00 | N/A |
Rebecca Place-Bunker Hill Rd. | 1/21/07 | 0.58 | 306 |
| Population 2008 Special Census | |||
Bunker Hill Rd. -Lovelady Rd. | 9/02/07 | 0.88 | 261 |
Special CensusIn May of 2001 the Planning Department and the Police Department completed a special census of the five areas annexed by the city between June of 2000 and January of 2001. A total of 1,142 persons were identified in this census. The addition of these 1,142 persons to the 2000 Census count of 23,923 placed the population of the city at 25,065
A special census of the areas annexed by the city since the 2001 special census was completed in April and May of 2003. A total of 987 persons were identified in this census. The addition of those 987 persons to the 2001 certified population of 25,065 increased the 2003 certified population of Cookeville to 26,052.
A special census of the areas annexed by the city since the 2003 special census was completed in May of 2007. A total of 343 persons were identified in this census increasing the municipality's population to 26,395. In May of 2008 a special census of the areas annexed since 2007 was completed. A total of 261 persons were identified resulting in a state certified population of 26,656.
Official Street Map
The Planning Department is responsible for the maintenance and update of the Official Street Map. The Official Street Map depicts those streets for which the City of Cookeville is responsible for maintenance. The current Official Street Map was adopted by the City Council through Ordinance No. O08-04-04 on May 15, 2008. Review the Official Street Map Online.
Geographic Information System
The city’s Geographic Information System (GIS) is maintained and updated by the staff of the Planning Department. GIS is the computerized mapping of information. A vast array of information is available on the Cookeville Geographic Information System including land use, infrastructure, topography, and aerial photographs.
Street Names
The Planning Department reviews and makes recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council for the naming or renaming of all public and private streets located within the city.
Street and Right-of-Way Closures and Abandonment
The Planning Department reviews and makes recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council on all requests for street and right-of-way closure and abandonment.
Traffic Counts
The Planning Department in conjunction with the Public Works Department compiles average daily traffic counts for most of the major streets within the city. These traffic counts are depicted on the Average Daily Traffic Map that is periodically updated by the GIS Division.
Surplus Property
The Planning Department reviews and makes recommendations to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding the disposition of surplus property.
Land Use Controls
<u><font size="2" face="Verdana">Municipal Zoning Code</font></u>
The Planning Department is responsible for the preparation and administration of the city’s Zoning Code. The current Cookeville Municipal Zoning Code was adopted by the City Council on December 20, 2001 through Ordinance No. O01-11-15 and became effective on January 4, 2002. The new Zoning Code and Map replaced the 1988 Code and Map. The 2002 Zoning Code has been amended a number of times since its adoption, the most recent being on December 20, 2007 through ordinance No. O07-11-31.
The Zoning Code contains specific requirements for various zoning districts. Additionally the Zoning Code includes the city requirements for parking, street access, sidewalk construction, signs, landscaping, screening and buffering and floodplain development.
All requests for rezoning and code amendments are submitted to and reviewed by the Planning Department. The Planning Director presents recommendations on these matters to the Planning Commission and City Council. The department also reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeals on all requests for variance, special exception, and administrative review. Applications for BZA requests must be submitted to the Planning Department.
Historic Zoning
Historic Zoning provisions are contained with the Municipal Zoning Code and were established by the City Council on November 11, 2000 through Ordinance No. O00-10-35. The first Historic Zoning Commission was appointed by the Council on April 5, 2001. On August 4, 2005 through Ordinance No. O05-06-09, the membership of the Commission was expanded from 5 to 7 members for the purpose of improving the representation from the established historic districts. The Planning Department serves as staff for Historic Zoning Commission. All petitions for Historic Zoning Designation are submitted to and reviewed the Planning Department.
The city’s first Historic District, the North Dixie Avenue Historic District, was established by the City Council on November 15, 2001 by Ordinance No. O01-10-12. Design Guidelines for this Historic District were approved by the Historic Zoning Commission on April 9, 2002. In 2008, through ordinance Nos. O08-08-13 and O08-09-17, 15 additional parcels were placed within the North Dixie Avenue Historic District.
On May 1, 2002 the City of Cookeville was approved as a Certified Local Government by the National Park Service from United States Department of the Interior through the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act. Cookeville is one of only twenty-five Certified Local Governments in the State of Tennessee.
The city's second Historic District, the East Broad - Freeze Street Historic District, was established by the City Council on May 15, 2003 by Ordinance No. O03-04-06. Design Guidelines for this district have not been developed.
The city's third Historic District, the Cream City Historic District, was established by the City Council on September 16, 2004 by Ordinance No. O04-08-13. Design guidelines for this district were approved by the Historic Zoning Commission on June 14, 2005.
A database of all properties within the Historic District was completed by the Planning Department in 2008. This inventory provides detailed information on each parcel and includes photographs. The database report may be viewed on this site here.
Sign Regulations
The location, number, and dimensions of on-premise and off-premise signs in the City of Cookeville are regulated through Section 207, General Sign Regulations, of the Municipal Zoning Code. These regulations are administered by the Planning and Codes Departments. Sign permits are required for all signs. Permits for on-premise signs may be obtained from the Sign Inspector with the Codes Department. Off-premise sign permits are obtained through the Planning Department.
Municipal Subdivision Regulations
The Cookeville Subdivision Regulations were adopted on April 24, 2000. Amendments to the Subdivision Regulations were approved by the Planning Commission on March 25, 2002, May 23, 2005, and on March 23, 2009. The Subdivision Regulations provide the standards and procedures for the subdivision of property in the city. The Planning Department reviews all subdivision plats to ensure that they comply with regulations and completes inspections of required improvements such as streets and utilities to ensure that they meet required construction standards.
Summary of Approved and Pending Major Subdivisions 1999 - Present
| SUBDIVISION NAME | LOTS | LOCATION | APPROVAL STATUS |
| Eighteen Grand Place | 18 | Buck Mt. Rd. | Final 2-99 |
| Manning Place | 14 | Flatt Hollow Rd. | Final 1-99 |
| Northaven Estates | 29 | Carolina Ave. | Final 9-99 |
| Crown Pointe | 38 | N. Washington Ave. | Final 9-99 |
| J. P. Terry Farm | 6 | Hillside Dr. | Final 9-99 |
| So. Willow Industrial Park | 4 | Foreman Dr. | Final 8-99 |
| Stonebridge | 26 | Old Walton Rd. | Final 4-00 |
| Perimeter Place Phase II | 9 | Neal St. | Final 8-00 |
| Old Kentucky Place | 17 | Old Kentucky Rd. | Final 9-00 |
| Copperfield Phase II | 20 | Fisk Rd. | Final 12-00 |
| Hunters Pointe | 14 | Tanglewood Dr. | Final 4-01 |
| Langford Woods | 17 | Ferguson Ave. | Final 9-01 |
| Copperfield Phase III | 46 | Fisk Rd. | Final 8-02 |
| Avery Place | 16 | Old Kentucky Rd. | Final 8-03 |
| Armand Bussell Division | 8 | Bill Smith Rd. | Final 2-04 |
| Essex Road Division Phase I | 10 | Essex Rd. | Final 4-04 |
| Sam's Club Division | 3 | Bunker Hill Rd. | Final 6-04 |
| Katelyn Place | 11 | Bayview Dr. | Final 1-05 |
| Cypress Creek | 5 | W. 9th Street | Final 1-05 |
| Town Place Phase I | 3 | Mahler Ave. | Final 3-05 |
| Town Place Phase II | 10 | Mahler Ave. | Final 3-05 |
| Milfred Knoll | 5 | Milfred Ave. | Final 3-05 |
| Soard Park | 11 | Mississippi Ave. | Final 11-05 |
| Villas at Maple Point | 28 | So. Maple Ave. | Final 9-05 |
| Spruce Court | 5 | Spruce Avenue | Final 11-05 |
| Williams Division | 4 | Country Club Rd | Final 1-06 |
| Southern Woods | 10 | Bunker Hill Rd. | Final 2-06 |
| Crown View Estates | 6 | Crescent Dr. | Final 2-06 |
| The Meadows | 43 | White Rd. | Final 4-06 |
| Forrest Cove | 19 | Forrest Rd. | Final 5-06 |
| 10th & Fisk Properties, LLC | 4 | E. 10th St. | Final 6-06 |
| Deason Division | 6 | Shag Rag Rd. | Final 12-06 |
| Essex Rd. Phase II | 5 | Essex Rd. | Final 2-07 |
| Mack Industrial Park | 4 | Mill Dr. | Final 4-07 |
| St. James Place Condos | 34 | S. Walnut Ave. | Final 6-07 |
| Stone Creek, Phase I | 17 | Braswell Ave. | Final 6-07 |
| South Jefferson Business Park | 8 | S. Jefferson Ave. | Prel. 7-07 |
| The Villager Condominiums | 16 | E. 10th St. | Final 7-07 |
| St. James Place West Condos | 30 | S. Walnut Ave. | Prel. 8-08 |
| H.V. Lewis | 7 | Holladay Rd. | Final 10-08 |
| Magnolia on 10th Condos | 32 | E. 10th St. | Prel. 10-08 |
| Reserve at the Country Club | 109 | Shag Rag Rd. | Final 9-08 |
| Blackwell Park | 13 | Blackwell Rd. | Final 11-08 |
| Greg Lane | 9 | Whitson Chapel Rd. | Prel. 2-09 |
| Ridgecrest Northend | 5 | E. Gate Cir. | Prel. 2-09 |
| University Center Condos | 28 | E. 12th St. | Prel. 2-09 |
Planning Department Staff
Director / City Planner
Planner
Planning Assistant
Technology Specialist
GIS Manager
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