We’re glad 1101 plan is finally submitted
Local officials worked up to the very last minute and in the end were successful in filing the county’s Chapter 1101 growth plan by the state-mandated deadline.
It should have never become a down-to-the-wire issue, but at least representatives from Morrison, McMinnville and the county itself were able to reach an agreement.
There were a number of problems which prolonged the 1101 process. Lawsuits fighting McMinnville annexation efforts caused their share of delays. Morrison and McMinnville both wanting to eventually extend into the Smartt Station area was another stumbling block. And the fact Morrison submitted its entire fire district as its growth area was still another.
When it comes to the whole 1101 process, and the philosophy behind it, the logic worked backward in Warren County. One of the primary 1101 premises is that by submitting a 20-year growth plan, it will prevent city officials from annexing land because of fear.
But that’s exactly what happened here. When metro government failed and it was obvious the county was going to have to finalize 1101 plans, McMinnville promptly annexed three new areas extending toward the country club. And Morrison tried to claim land on its growth plan that was 11 times its current size. Those were two of the reasons behind the 1101 delays.
Perhaps the growth plan can be helpful to Warren County in its underlying goal and that’s preventing urban sprawl. When state lawmakers agreed each county should have to submit growth plans back in 1998, stopping urban sprawl was the driving force behind that decision.
We can see how uncontrolled growth is not beneficial to a community and its residents by looking up the road to Murfreesboro. There, the city has grown so quickly, the infrastructure hasn’t had time to keep up with the population boom.
Traffic is horrendous, especially around major intersections where it might take two or three green lights before cars make it through. The school systems are also a mess. The new paint at Blackman High School has barely had time to dry and the city is still on the verge of needing more schools. If there’s an open field in Murfreesboro, chances are it won’t be long before it’s turned into an apartment complex.
These are all reasons state lawmakers adopted 1101 several years ago. It wasn’t to force cities to fight over land and create turmoil. Rather it was to help local officials identify needs and plan for the future.
Now that Warren County’s growth plan has been submitted, the Standard is hopeful it can indeed benefit this community and its citizens. That’s what 1101 was designed for in the first place.