CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Cleveland and Bradley County are taking another look at the urban growth boundary they agreed on a decade ago.

The Tennessee General Assembly approved legislation in 1998 that each city and county should agree on boundaries inside which cities are likely to grow and to annex. The Cleveland and Bradley County boundary was negotiated in 1999.

The Cleveland City Council approved a new map that amends the existing growth plan.

Mayor Tom Rowland said extending the current boundary is important for business and industrial growth in the immediate future. Business prospects are looking at the Exit 20 area of I-75, an area where the Tennessee Department of Transportation has plans for an expanded interchange.

"It is important that we expedite this,'' he said.

Mr. Rowland appointed developers Tom Cate and Bruce Renner and attorney George McCoin to a new committee that will study the amended growth plan. The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce appointed banker Mickey Torbett. Mr. Torbett served on the original committee.

Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis said Friday he hopes to announce a complete committee, with representatives from utility companies and other agencies, by July 6, the next County Commission meeting date.

"After that I will convene the committee as soon as possible,'' Mr. Davis said. Cleveland is now sandwiched between the Volkswagen development at Enterprise South just a few miles away in Hamilton County and the Wacker Chemical plant site near Charleston. Both German companies represent $1 billion local developments. And both are expected to create spin-off industries here and in Southeast Tennessee.

A May study by city staff states that it is "now appropriate" to add the area south of the U.S. 64 bypass and an area on the north side of the city where the new airport is planned at Tasso Lane.

The south area includes the I-75 right-of-way to the Hamilton County line, plus a White Oak Mountain area of Bradley County.