The Cookeville Planning Commission approved the final plat for phase two of the River Ranch subdivision Monday night.
The approval cleared the way for 49 new single-family homes on Mine Lick Creek Road. Cookeville Community Development Director Jon Ward said the subject property consists of approximately 64.2 acres and is zoned for low-density residential use.
“The Planning Commission we discussed this thoroughly, I mean, what our current regulations, the requirements and there was a desire to see some larger lot subdivisions being submitted and this was the Planning Commission wanted to work with the developer to make this to move forward with this development when it was presented,” Ward said.
The approval follows the first phase of the project, which was authorized in December 2025 and has already seen several homes constructed. Ward said the developer is required to submit a two-year warranty of improvements and must coordinate with Public Works regarding financial guarantees for curb and sidewalk installation.
Ward said the development includes a 50-foot greenway along Cane Creek and a sidewalk along the western side of the newly constructed River Ranch Drive.
Cookeville resident Lois Squires, who lives on Apple Valley Drive, raised concerns regarding fire safety and the length of the road, as well as the general aesthetic of the new neighborhood.
“I have a problem with that ‘huge lot,’” Squires said. “If you look at them, they’re skinny. They’re long and they’re skinny. It’s not ideal, let’s put it that way.”
Ward said the entrance was designed with a wider pavement base to accommodate fire department aerial equipment and noted the project was approved based on its low-density nature.
“Through the fire department’s review, they wanted to maintain that wider pavement base so they can put out the outriggers if they have to use their aerials or something like that,” Ward said. “So final plat, the entrance is divided for so many feet, but we’re just maintaining it’s essentially a collector street width, back to the point where it reaches that 1200 feet where it ends, where it narrows back to two lanes.”
Squires also expressed concern about the amount of dust present as a result of the project and called the houses “cheesy”.
As far as the dust, Ward said developers are planting grass to reduce the dirt and erosion in the surrounding area. Ward also said that, while planning and zoning is a public process, it can also be subjective. Ward said developments offer housing options that can appeal to a certain type of buyer.
“We don’t regulate that in single-family development,” Ward said. “I mean, one person’s tacky house will be one person’s beloved home. There’s definitely a different taste in housing, but this will be an option that somebody, I’m sure, will enjoy having.”
In other business, the commission approved a three-lot line revision for the Ting property at Crescent Drive and West 9th Street and the final plat for Callie Square, a four-unit townhome development on South Jefferson Avenue.
The commission also voted to take two items for study: the rezoning of the newly annexed Dodson Branch Road area and a request to declare city property on West Stevens Street as surplus.