Commissioners Greg Calfee, Tony Young and Stacey Tucker voted to recommend approval to the Bradley County Commission. Tom Crye and Bradley County Commissioner Dr. Mel Griffith voted against the study and Janie Bishop passed.
Bradley County Planner Corey Divel said during a short explanation the countywide strategic plan would be useful tool for planning capital improvements as the county grows.
Griffith said the plan represented too many new restrictions and regulations and he would not support the strategic plan the city and county have worked on for more than a year.
Young asked if the plan was a binding document.
County Attorney Joseph Byrd said it is not binding in terms of a legislative act and does not have the effect of law. It is a plan based on projections and variables.
“Instead of just waiting for things to happen and being reactionary, the idea is to be proactive by looking statistically at what has occurred and what we should encounter by defining areas of growth, where we should look for growth and how we should prepare for growth in those areas.”
The growth areas of most interest are within the city itself, McDonald in south Bradley County and the Mouse Creek corridor in the northern part of the county.
The plan was accepted by a vote of 7-0 by the the Cleveland Municipal Planning Commission on Jan. 25, with very little discussion.
The growth plan includes three primary government jurisdictions that are being asked to partner throughout on the BCC2035 Strategic Growth Plan — the cities of Cleveland and Charleston, and Bradley County.
The population of Bradley County is expected to grow by 33,000 people. This includes 14,000 new households and a projected 19,000 new jobs.
