The Cookeville 2030 Plan is intended to perform at least three primary functions.
Future Growth Plan
First, it serves as a vision for the municipality’s future growth and development. This vision is spelled out with goals and objectives and with strategies for achieving these objectives.
Decision Making Guide
Next, it serves as a guide for decision making. The most common way the plan will be used in this manner is the zoning process. Rezoning decisions should be based on compliance with the plan. The plan will also be used in making decisions for capital improvements. For example it can be used as a guide for determining priorities for street improvements and for the construction of sidewalks.
Legal Requirements
Thirdly, the plan is intended to meet certain legal requirements. Tennessee Code Section 13 4, 201 states that “it is the function and duty of the commission to make and adopt an official general plan for the physical development of the municipality.”
Plan Preparation Process
The preparation of the comprehensive plan required a great deal of fieldwork and research. The process can be broken down into three steps.
Data Collection
First, every parcel of land in Cookeville and the Urban Growth Area was physically checked to determine how each was used and every street and sidewalk was inspected to determine existing condition. Pertinent data on what makes a community work must be collected, such as:
Environmental
Existing land use
Historical data
Natural factors
Population and employment
Transportation facilities
Data Analysis
Second, this data must be examined to identify trends and determine affects on future growth and development. Data was placed in the city’s Geographic Information System. Once this digitization was finalized, analyses of the data collected were completed. The analyses included determination of acreage by:
Housing types
Land use classification
Physical restraints to development
Street mileage by classification and condition
And more
Also the digitization of this data was used to produce the illustrations that are necessary to visually present the findings and recommendations required in a comprehensive plan.
Result Interpretation & Implementation
Lastly, the results of these analyses are used to formulate a long-term development program for the municipality.
Public Participation
Public participation and input was a vital part in the development of the 2030 Plan (PDF). In preparing the plan the Planning Commission and staff meet with numerous agencies, groups and individuals to gather data and information. A random survey of 400 residents of Cookeville was completed to gather opinions on important issues affecting the future growth and development of the city. The findings from the survey were incorporated into the Development Plan element of the 2030 Plan. In addition to the random survey, the Planning Commission held several public hearings to solicit citizen opinions regarding the plan.