The Crossings at Exum Way projected to bring 1,100 homes, tax revenue

The Crossings at Exum Way has officially been approved.

After the Jackson City Council approved the mixed-use residential development planned for Ashport Drive between Highway 45 Bypass and North Highland Avenue, the Madison County Commission unanimously approved the development on Monday.

The project appears to be something that has potential to add some housing to Madison County that’s expected to be needed for the next few years with an influx of jobs coming to the area because of Blue Oval City and other industries coming to rural West Tennessee.

The plan is to have 500 two- and three-bedroom townhomes and more than 600 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The development group – The Crossings Partners – have appeared before multiple committees of the commission in recent weeks before presenting to the full body on Monday.

A few questions they received included the price of the development, which is a $350 investment.

There was also a question about what the charge would be for the living spaces. The townhomes are planned to be in the $200,000 range, while renting the apartments look to be somewhere around $1,300 per month.

Along with the living spaces are planned retail and restaurant areas, green spaces, walking trails, dog parks, a farmers’ market and multiple small lakes.

The approval vote from the Commission, City Council and Industrial Development Board was regarding a new TIF district.

In previous presentations, The Crossings Partners asked for the TIF district in the area to help them in their investment while also generating tax revenue for the County toward education and debt service first then to the County’s general fund.

The group said there’s no up front risk for the County, so the only thing the County needs is for The Crossings to be successful to generate the revenue, which garnered a unanimous approval by the Commission.

In other news from the meeting:

• There was an extended conversation about rezoning an area of land on Providence Road on the western end of the county between Highway 70 and Interstate 40.

Turpin’s Wrecker Service plans to move its operations to the site. The site is currently zoned for farming, agriculture and recreation, but it would need to be rezoned to

There was confusion about public notice about the vote because it had been on the agenda for April’s meeting but was tabled, and it wasn’t put on the agenda for the May meeting.

Two neighbors were there to speak – one in favor and one against.

“I lack confidence that this property would be in any better condition in a few months,” said Gina Morton in opposition to the rezoning. “I don’t want to be in a position where I want to sell my property a few years down the road and can’t because of an eye sore across the street from me.”

Another neighbor, Diane Bonds, spoke in favor of it.

“The fence has already been built, and you can’t see anything on the other side,” said Bonds, who sold the land to Turpin’s. “This business has been in the area for decades and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be allowed to be there.”

There was added confusion because the Planning Commission recommended denial of the motion to rezone, but the outer region committee of the County Commission recommended approval.

The Planning Commission, according to Planning Commission’s Stan Pilant, said the Commission recommends rejection because there’s an expectation for Blue Oval City wanting to develop the land for its workers for possible housing or other needs.

The land was rezoned by a vote of 16-2 with five Commissioners abstaining or passing on the vote.

• Commissioner Jeff Wall (Republican-District 9) asked new Greater Jackson Chamber representative Kyle Barron about the latest regarding Great Wolf Lodge.

Barron and Mayor A.J. Massey both assured the Commission the Great Wolf Lodge project is still progressing with possible announcements coming later in the summer and tentative plans for a groundbreaking ceremony in the fall and construction hopefully set to begin next spring.

• David Lacy was appointed constable by the Commission to fulfill the unexpired term by his father, Phillip, who died in March. Two applied for the position and spoke before the Republican caucus last week.

In the caucus, Lacy was outvoted 9-5, but Commissioner Mike Taylor (R-10) recommended Lacy, as did fellow constable, Frankie Lax.

Claudell Brown (Democrat- 5) mentioned a traditional agreement among Commissioners in many cases when a specific appointment within a district is up for a vote and the Commissioners of that district make a recommendation, the trend is to go with that recommendation.

Lacy was approved unanimously.

• The Commission voted to budget for a 5% raise for all employees of Madison County by a vote of 17-3 with three Commissioners abstaining.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news