Agreement Needed for Sewer Line Expansion in North Coffee

Talks began again earlier this month concerning a possible sewer line expansion around exit 105 in Coffee County. Coffee County and Manchester leaders are looking at the possibility on an expansion in the North Coffee area to accommodate North Coffee Elementary and future commercial projects.
Speaking of commercial projects, you might remember that County Mayor Gary Cordell at one time estimated the project to cost $1.3 million and would be able to support the school, as well as two 50-room hotels, a 2,400-square-foot retail store, a 100-seat restaurant and two convenience stores. You might also remember that the county has implemented a hotel/motel tax in case some are built in the county, even though there no motels or hotels in the county at this time. The tax rate on rooms has not yet been determined, but county officials have discussed setting it at 6 percent, which is the same as Manchester and one percent lower than Tullahoma.
Manchester Alderman Ryan French says he is urging the city leaders to maintain the integrity of what tax payers pay for inside the city limits. French says he thinks any kind of expansion in the area would have to be tied to the long-term growth of the City of Manchester.
Manchester Water and Sewer Director Bryan Pennington agreed and added that this plan is big plan.
Despite Mayor Cordell and other county leaders back in May talking about the expansion and implementing the new tax, City Mayor Lonnie Norman says that no one had approached the city until November. He said Director Pennington was the only person that anyone had spoken too. He said the two governments needed to work together to help Manchester and Coffee County grow.
French also spoke about the “Urban Growth Boundary” (UGB) and to give the options of citizens in the UGB the option of annexing themselves into the City of Manchester. In return, they would be connected to the city’s expanded sewer lines.
French added that the city cannot force anyone to be annexed, it has to be voted on by that community. However, French saw potential to marry these two projects together to promote residential and commercial growth in the area between I-24 exits 105 and 110.
To move forward, the county would need approval by the city of Manchester.