Cheatham County-A Promising Example of Future Quality Growth

Cheatham County is home to some the region’s most diverse outdoor recreation opportunities ranging from the 21,000 acre Cheatham Wildlife Management Area to the Narrows of the Harpeth State Park. In addition the county’s small rural communities and their proximities to large metro regions such as Clarksville and Nashville, make Cheatham County a very desirable place to live and a likely candidate for continued growth.

Ashland City, the county seat for Cheatham, is an emerging bedroom community due to its proximity to downtown Nashville and its secluded/small-town charm. Kingston Springs, originally a resort town on the railroad tracks from Dickson to Nashville is now home to an extensive park system along the Harpeth River and a charming downtown center. Pleasant View, a small but growing bedroom community in north Cheatham County is located halfway between Nashville and Clarksville and has become a strong commercial hub for Cheatham, Robertson and Montgomery County residents.

Cumberland Region Tomorrow has worked closely with Kingston Springs leaders and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to implement growth planning strategies that emphasizes quality design and comprehensive planning in the 2008 Quality Growth Toolbox Pilot Project.

Cheatham County began at the end of the 1800’s. The county was formally established in 1856 by dividing portions of Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, and Montgomery counties. The county seat was named Ashland City and was established with 50 acres being procured from Mr. Lenox for a sum of $713.00. Ashland City now consists of 24 square miles.

Cheatham County’s first newspaper, The Cheatham County Plain Dealer, was established in 1877. Today the county has three newspapers, The Ashland City Times, I-24 Exchange and The Advocate. One of the first industries in Cheatham County was Sycamore Mills, a black powder manufacturer which was established before the Civil War. The Mill is now a historic site.

Many manufacturers and businesses now operate in and around Ashland City. Ashland City is home to the largest manufacturer of water heaters – A.O. Smith and one of the most renowned boat builders – Triton Boats. Highway 12, which runs from Clarksville to Nashville, was originally established as the Hydes’s Ferry Turnpike. The turnpike was built in 1848 and tolls were charged to keep the road in good repair. What originated as a turnpike is now a four-lane highway form Ashland City to Nashville, making Ashland City more accessible to Nashville and other highways.

The old ferry which crossed the Cumberland River was replaced with the Montgomery Bell Bridge, and in 1997 construction began for a new bridge now called the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge. The southern end of Cheatham County was a thriving railroad community and a summer resort area for tourists. The town if Kingston Springs had two stores, a post office, a railroad depot, a Masonic Lodge, a blacksmith shop, and was the center of trade for the south Cheatham area. The railroad depot is now a restaurant and the summer resorts are historical sites waiting to be renovated. A new post office was built in 1995. All commercial trade now centers around the Interstate 40 exit, not the railroad. Pegram also centered around the railroad with a depot being built around 1860. Today, the depot is still there and is used as a community center for its residents. The railway is still in operation for freight traffic. The Harpeth River runs through this end of the county and many enjoy the recreation opportunities it provides. Pleasant View, at the Northern most tip of the county, was incorporated in August 1996 and is hopeful of much to come as Interstate 24 borders the town, bringing prospects of commercial and industrial development.

Kingston Springs: A Small Town’s Proactive Effort to Prepare for Growth on Their Own Terms

Quality Growth Case Study

Written by Kasey Talbott, 2010

Following CRT’s and AIA 150’s Visioning Workshops. Residents in Kingston Springs decided to work together and address the town’s interstate entrance corridor. The town commissioned plans to design and implement new standards to build on the town’s community character and make safer for walking and biking.

AIA 150 Kingston Springs Case Study

Revitalizing the Town Center(s) and Conserving Open Land in Kingston Springs

On Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, 2008, citizens of Kingston Springs, Tennessee convened at Harpeth High School for Community Assessment and Visioning Workshops on Revitalizing the Town Center(s) and Conserving Open Land in Kingston Springs. This was the third of three such sets of workshops being convened in Middle Tennessee as part of the American Institute of Architects 150 Blueprint for America Middle Tennessee Initiative.

Cheatham County: 2008 Agricultural Economic Profile

Employment in Agriculture and Forestry made up 15.5% of total jobs created in Cheatham County in 2008 with 2,312 total jobs in these sectors. Primary agriculture was the largest job creator with 1,806 jobs or 91% of total agriculture jobs created. Overall, the forestry industry created 336 jobs or 14.5% of total agriculture and forestry jobs created in 2008.
 
 

Progress On CRT Principles for Quality Growth:

Comprehensive Community Plans

Cheatham County encompasses a heavily forested, gently rolling landscape that is home to more than 39,000 residents. Though Cheatham County lacks a county-wide comprehensive plan, county cities have taken the initiative to draft their own community plans.

With the aid of Cumberland Region Tomorrow, The American Institute of Architects, The University of Tennessee Architecture and other partner organizations, the city of Kingston Springs created and endorsed their landmark Kingston Springs Comprehensive Plan in 2008, which focuses on historic town center re-development and open space preservation. Through these efforts Kingston Springs was able to secure a TDOT grant allowing the creation of a streetscape plan for its I-40 gateway.

With the aid of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, the city of Pegram also completed a Land Use and Transportation Plan in 2006, which projects planning needs for the next twenty years. Pegram’s plan focuses on preserving the area’s many acres of agricultural land and open space, especially its many sensitive floodplains.

Ashland City, the county seat, has completed the first construction phase of its “Renaissance Ashland City Plan”, which earned a Cumberland Region Tomorrow Award in 2003 for excellence in planning. The city is currently seeking funding for further construction outside of the downtown strip.

Updated zoning, subdivision and building codes to implement plans

Kingston Springs has begun updating zoning codes to reflect the town’s commitment to open space preservation, tightening requirements for open space in all new development contracts. Town planners are also revising building codes to encourage setbacks that preserve rural character. Likewise, Pegram community leaders are instituting new zoning measures to discourage floodplain development and incentivize infill redevelopment. Pegram planners are also working to acquire better measurement and information of environmental, economic and social conditions in order to improve the effectiveness of these new codes. The process of updating is continual, but each of these towns has made rapid progress and has begun implementation.

Design for protection and enhancement of community character

Cheatham County boasts a rich history, embodied in the very character of its towns and rural landscapes. Kingston Springs aims to cultivate and preserve the small-town character of its downtown developments by re-adapting historic buildings and creating zoning overlays for the downtown built environment. The town also plans to carefully develop the I-40 interstate exit area so as not to compromise the unique spirit of the community. Renaissance Ashland City, similarly, prioritizes “the heart and soul of a small town” in its zoning and incentives, especially in the historic downtown area. Pegram’s plan implores local leaders to fund programs designed to keep young people in the community, thereby ensuring future vitality.

Redevelopment of cities, towns, rural communities

In conjunction with preservation of community treasures, Cheatham County communities are also encouraging historically sensitive redevelopment. Kingston Springs, though a relatively young community incorporated in 1965, has taken the initiative to establish a legal tradition of redevelopment for future generations, especially in the Main Street strip downtown. Ashland City’s award-winning plan also provides economic incentives that reduce cost for redeveloping designated urban revitalization areas.

Housing

Mixed-use development forges strong community relationships by blending business, residential and natural functions. The Kingston Springs Plan embodies that mission by encouraging mixed-use, more affordable housing along the interstate exchange, the corridor connecting the town middle school and high school, the Moore’s Circle area and trailer park developments. Ashland City revised their housing codes to more accurately define and encourage mixed-use developments in both rural and urban areas. Likewise, Pegram has passed zoning laws that concentrate high-density mixed-use housing along traffic corridors with existing infrastructure, specifically that along Highway 70.

Conservation

Kingston Springs is committed to preserving the integrity of its many environmental assets, especially the Harpeth River and the wooded lands cocooning it. Their Comprehensive Plan protects large tracts of open space along the river and promotes mixed-use development to increase density and relieve pressure on existing lands. More specifically, Kingston Springs residents plan to preserve a large tract of park space in the downtown area to serve as a community gathering spot and outdoor recreation area.

Ashland City also boasts a robust conservation plan, earning a Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for outstanding conservation efforts. The Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail that meanders through the town limits is also protected as a member of the National Rails to Trails Conservancy. Pegram has also taken steps to protect its environmentally sensitive floodplain areas, tightening development standards and disincentivizing floodplain development; furthermore, planners are drafting a Stormwater Ordinance to prevent erosion and other damages caused by overdevelopment. The city has also begun offering financial awards for landowners with large acreage who apply for “greenbelt” status.

Land use and transportation

Kingston Springs is focusing its development efforts around two areas: its busy I-40 exit corridor and downtown. With the aid of CRT and its partners, the city was able to request assistance from TDOT for interstate development planning. To accommodate more holistic transit options, the city has embraced Context Sensitive Design, an interdisciplinary, participatory approach to transportation planning that ensures that projects serve a diverse group of community interests. The town of Pegram’s transportation plan provides for increasing funding for sidewalks, as well as for speed restrictions that encourage a safer pedestrian environment.

Efficient use of preexisting infrastructure

Kingston Springs features two distinct focus areas: the downtown strip near the train depot and the I-40 interstate exchange. Both offer a strong preexisting infrastructure prime for infill and compact development, thereby cutting construction time, cost, and threats to the natural environment. Pegram is cracking down on potential sprawl by requiring developers to foot the infrastructure bill for developments outside of designated growth areas.

Thinking and acting regionally

The next step for Cheatham County is to pursue a comprehensive county plan. Once Ashland City, Pegram and Kingston Springs complete the construction phases of their respective community plans, they will be primed for a county-wide initiative. By reaching out to smart growth advocates like CRT, the Nashville Civic Design Center, and the Greater Nashville Regional Council, these leading cities of Cheatham County have laid the groundwork for a groundbreaking county growth plan.