PARIS (October 23) – McKenzie Municipal Regional Planning Commission voted Tuesday to move forward with plans to expand its Urban Growth Boundary in Henry County, outside of the city limits. McKenzie lies within the counties of Carroll, Henry and Weakley counties. The proposed expansion will encompass 1531.9 acres of land north of the existing city limits and will include areas from the western-most Mitchell Loop to the easternmost Highway 79 past Skunk Hollow.

An UGB designates a city's potential growth area and is not annexation. Future annexation may occur only within a UGB. The proposal is subject to public hearings in McKenzie, and favorable votes by the McKenzie City Council, Henry County Coordinating Committee, city of Paris, city of Henry, and city of Puryear and approval by the state.

Planners voted to send a favorable recommendation for the rezoning of a house and land parcel along U.S. 79 to a designation of (HM) “hospital-medical”. The former Thelma Gaskins home, adjacent to the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie, was purchased by the McKenzie Medical Center and is located adjacent to the existing HM zone. State Planner Shelton Merrill gave a favorable endorsement to the rezoning request and city planners voted unanimously to send the recommendation to the city council.

Planners discussed the long-range transportation plan for the city. Merrell recommended parallel marginal access roads along State Route 22 South to eliminate future driveways along the new S.R. 22 “bypass”. Merrill submitted preliminary drawings indicating the parallel access roads exiting State Route 423 south along the undeveloped Pace Lane (adjacent to Sam Poole's home). The northern leg would begin at S.R. 423 north and continue to the hospital/Medical Center campus. An undeveloped lane from Eastwood Drive to Highway 22 would provide the northern-most lateral connector. Planners approved the concept, but requested more definitive drawings, the names of affected landowners, and if Pace Lane and the Eastwood Lane are owned publicly or privately.

A few years ago, the city of McKenzie contracted with a Memphis engineering firm to conduct the city's planning, but later returned to the services of the State Planning Office. Merrell said some of the changes made during that interim period were in conflict with current ordinances. He recommended the McKenzie Zoning Ordinance be readopted to reflect several changes in city ordinances. Among his recommendations was to disallow business owners from residing in their commercial businesses in the “highway business” district, while allowing such in the downtown Central Business District. Existing business/residential situations would be “grandfathered” to allow the practice to continue. Planners concurred with Shelton's recommendation. Chairman Dean Robb recommended a study session to review the document before readoption.

Planners Wade Allen and Lisa Norris were absent.

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