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Cleveland looks to annexation for commercial growth

By: Randall Higgins
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Tom Rowland & Greg Thomas

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — In advance of expected development from the Volkswagen plant coming to Chattanooga, Mayor Tom Rowland on Monday asked the Cleveland City Council to consider annexing land around Interstate 75’s exit 20 interchange.

The VW assembly plant being built at Chattanooga’s Enterprise South industrial park a few miles west of exit 20 is expected to begin production in 2010.

Mr. Rowland also said a long-sought interchange on APD 40 (U.S. Highway 64 Bypass) near exit 20 has been put on a planning fast track by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

“They have reprioritized both exit 20 and the new interchange because of Volkswagen,” the mayor told council members.

He and Bradley County Commission Chairman Dr. Michael Plumley attended a recent TDOT meeting in Nashville arranged by state Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland.

Mr. Rowland said several hundred acres available in the exit 20 area must be annexed before proposed development.

Some other areas also need quick annexation by the city for commercial development, Mr. Rowland said, including Ellis Circle at Paul Huff Parkway, or exit 27, and a tract Paul Huff Parkway and Frontage Road.

“Things are happening, and we need to be proactive,” the mayor said.

Council members received an annexation timetable from Community Development Director Greg Thomas.

The schedule calls for annexations by Jan. 1.

Before that can happen, the city and Bradley County will have to renegotiate the urban growth boundaries they agreed to a decade ago. Mr. Rowland said he has talked to County Mayor D. Gary Davis about changing the growth boundary agreement.

Mr. Thomas said, “We are going to have to open up the growth boundary in order to annex a lot of property around exit 20.”

City Councilman David May suggested Cleveland officials consider annexation along I-75 south beyond exit 20, as well.

He and Councilman Richard Banks surmised that the future city limits of Cleveland and Chattanooga may end up a good bit closer than the seven miles separating them now.

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