Spring Hill’s rezoning of just under 720 acres has become a point of contention due to growth outpacing tax revenue.
The College of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously this week to rezone two large plots of land from C-3 to I-2. The former is a district designation for commercial, agricultural, and traditional districts—the latter being the more likely outcome—but I-2 codifies a general industrial district. Specifically, it allows for the creation of data centers, certain types of manufacturing centers, technology facilities, light industrial facilities, and others.
The move reflects the city’s recognition of its own growth as it prepares for significant change. The industrialization of the city is considered by some city administrator Pam Caskie to have started with the Saturn plant which has since become the General Motors plant. Now the city needs a bigger daytime population, she says, which means “more people working here during the day.”
“It has long been understood that when it comes to property taxes, residential homes cost the city money,” Caskie said. “Commercial and industrial break-evens generally offset commercial ownership. The advantage in this state is sales tax, but that means people who live here have to shop here. We need restaurants, stores, entertainment, and sales tax generated things. »
Residential growth therefore impinges on the city’s ability to fund necessities such as emergency services infrastructure. Caskie said that – despite the great need for another police station and a fire station for example – such capital improvement projects are currently unaffordable due to the lack of sales tax revenue due of the shortage of retail businesses and restaurants to serve what the US Census found in 2020 to be a population of about 50,000 people compared to less than 1,500 people enumerated in 1990.
“All you have to do is take a quick walk or drive around your neighborhood and you’ll see dumpsters popping up everywhere like spring flowers signaling a variety of home improvement projects underway,” after Jarod Tanksleya broker with Brentview Realty.
Likewise, this comes after BOMA approved funding for the Chamber of Commerce as an investment in tourism. The decision came with significant concerns from residents and even aldermen on the grounds that the town was not attracting people due to the lack of attractions. Alderman Hazel Nieves quoted local respondents to the survey as saying that before promoting tourism, the city should develop a walkable urban neighborhood downtown.
The rezoning also anticipated the development of no fewer than 1,400 homes for which there is currently no road or utility infrastructure. Caskie also acknowledged that some rural residents around the rezoned land are against the big development.
“But from the city’s perspective, reducing the number of housing units and moving to something we need more of is important to the overall development of the city,” Caskie added.
The 717 reserved acres are in Maury County, but plans could also spill over into Williamson County in the future.