Commissioners like idea of large development in North Jackson

When the Madison County Commission’s budget and capital committees had a joint meeting on May 3, the main item on their agenda was that of The Crossings at Exum Place.

The day before, the developers from McAlexander Construction brought the idea before the Jackson City Council, who approved the first reading of a plan to start a new TIF district in the area, which will be on both sides of Ashport Road between the Highway 45 Bypass and North Highland Avenue.

The plan is to have at least 600 single-family homes and 500 multifamily units with an apartment complex, various retail outlets and restaurants, walking trails, a few water features and two dog parks on 208 acres.

The group laid out the plan and purpose of the area, which is in line with what economic developers at the local and state level have said in multiple public meetings recruiting people connected with Blue Oval City is needed to bring people to Jackson.

“People are looking for places where they can live, work and play,” Greater Jackson Chamber President Kyle Spurgeon said at the March County Commission meeting.

That statement was referenced during the meeting as the committee members discussed whether or not to recommend approving the move at the May County Commission meeting on May 15.

The developers repeated their statements they’d made a day earlier at City Council to the committee, that the TIF district would generate $39 million in tax revenue over 20 years.

All present Commissioners who spoke during the meeting, did so in favor of the project.

Tony Black, who is also the Jackson City Parks and Recreation Director and went on a group trip to Greenville, S.C., in October on a fact-finding permission about preparing for Blue Oval City to the region, said the development is exactly what Jackson needs.

“I applaud your work and trying to bring something like this to Jackson,” Black said before turning to the other Commissioners on the committee and others in the room watching the meeting. “If we want to attract more people to Jackson to live here and be a part of this community as opposed to any other committee they can move to, developments like this are what we need.”

County Highway Superintendent Bart Walls got confirmation from the developers that the plan is to work with City leadership as part of the 208 acres are already inside city limits to access the remainder of the development for infrastructural purposes.

The majority of the land in question is undeveloped land currently covered by trees.

All three Commissioners who represent the district the area is in – District 9 – were also in attendance with two of them – Kevin Hicks and Jeff Wall – confirming their approval of the project.

Wall did ask if they’d communicated with others who own businesses or property adjoining the area. While some conversations have happened, not all of them have occurred yet.

The developers were invited to the Republican Caucus meeting set for May 10 to speak more about the project as well as the Commission meeting the following Monday.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news