The environment and natural factors significantly affect the future development of a community. Ignoring these factors can prove to be extremely costly to specific property owners as well as the entire community. In this element of the Plan the environment and the natural factors affecting development in the Cookeville Urban Growth Boundary are identified and their impacts are analyzed. These include:
Air Quality
Climate
Drainage
Flooding
Geology
Sinkholes
Soils
Stormwater
Topography
Trees and vegetation
Water Resources
Wetlands
Land Type Factor
Not all land is suitable for development and some land should be protected from development. Some of the biggest natural constraints to development in Cookeville are slopes exceeding 20%, sinkhole retention areas, floodplain areas and wetlands. A large portion of the drainage system in the Cookeville area is accomplished by sinkholes so it is very important that these areas be protected.
Environmental Resources & Quality of Life
The environment and natural resources in the Cookeville area are major components of the quality of life enjoyed by residents. The results of the 2010 Citizen Survey indicate that protection of the natural environment is an important issue to many Cookeville residents. With lands available for development without significant natural constraints limited, more pressure for development in environmentally sensitive areas will occur. The Cookeville 2030 Plan (PDF) identifies the need for a comprehensive system-wide approach for the management and protection of natural resources for the future development of the City of Cookeville and its Urban Growth Boundary. This approach should include the encouragement of the use of low impact development principals, the utilization, protection and enhancement of green infrastructure, and the promotion of green building programs.