A recommendation to rezone the Tusculum-Greeneville-Greene County Industrial Development Board property, behind the old Greene Valley Developmental property, was approved by the Tusculum Planning Commission on Tuesday. A rezoning request will have to go before the City Commission on two readings and there will be a public hearing before it’s officially approved.
The 336-acre property near Edens Road was owned by the state of Tennessee but recently ownership transferred to the joint IDB. It’s zoned as R-1 (residential use). The Tusculum Planning Commission recommended M-2 (mixed use district). The requested zoning would allow more employment opportunities such as businesses like medical offices, financial, business, and retail services, convenience stores, hotel/motels, or even restaurants, microbreweries, and distilleries. Chairman Dale Landers went over what’s allowed and what’s prohibited during the TPC meeting. Businesses not allowed in M-2 include gas stations, any type of fuel related service, permanent residential use, and package stores.
The Greene Valley Developmental Center closed in 2017. With $1.5M in funding from the state, the IDB was able to purchase the property and since they are now title holders, they can move forward with the financial investment.
Tusculum Mayor Alan Corley spoke with Radio Greeneville News regarding concerns from citizens for the property. He said the main concern is in relation to green space and the Tusculum Linear Trail. Corley expressed everyone is dedicated to maintaining the trail. He also said that people mostly are wondering what is going to be put on the acquired land. The requested zoning of M-2 will help control what’s allowed.
The state still owns the front section of the property between 11E and Edens Road. Two projects are planned on the state owned section, a new Tennessee College of Applied Technology building and an East Tennessee Regional Office for the Department of Disabled and Aging, formally known as the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The new DDA Regional Office will be one out of three in the state, serving below Knoxville and east, according to Corley. He’s not sure what other plans the state has for that section of the land.
The Tennessee Valley Authority created a concept plan but Mayor Corley said the IDB may also create their own master plan; nothing will happen immediately. There is no specific timeline for the IDB property. Corley added it could be a long time before the site is complete as roads still need to be built, and they have to put in water, sewer, and electricity. They are just in the beginning stage of the process. Any plans throughout the planning phase are all early concepts and have to be approved by the Tusculum Planning Commission.
The TVA concept plan for the IDB property includes space for 12 buildings, a day care facility, three commercial/medical buildings, and eights lots for light industrial use, with all lots on around 115 acres. They Greene County Health Department will be transferring out of their building. The concept plan also shows a future park and trail head, the Linear Trail, and buffering throughout, bordering the Tusculum Bypass, some of McAfee Road, and Ripley Island Road.
Tusculum Mayor Alan Corley explained the main entrance will be off of Edens Road and a front entrance is planned coming from the Tusculum Bypass. He said since McAfee Road continues outside of the property and onto a straight narrow road, it can’t handle much truck traffic etc. He feels McAfee Road should be closed off on that end, where it connects with the residential area, to avoid traffic on that road. No plans are permanent.
