Residents of rural eastern Wilson County near Interstate 40 are bracing for a potentially massive industrial park now that requests for land use plan amendments and official rezoning of the property have been submitted.
Conceptual plans related to Texas-based Hillwood, a company related to Ross Perot family, were submitted and show 10.35 million square feet of industrial-style office, warehouse and light manufacturing space if the rezoning and land use plan changes are ultimately approved, the city’s planning director said. Wilson County, Tom Brashear.
A combination of retail in the northwest corner of the land is also proposed, with remaining areas to include continued agricultural uses or a conservation easement on the proposed master plan.
The total area of the site is just over 1,380 acres. A rendering includes the name Legacy Park, although it is unclear whether it is used for the development plan.
Many area residents and property owners opposed the development plan after Hillwood representatives met with the community several months ago at Crossroads Fellowship Church to answer questions.
Efforts to reach a Hillwood representative for comment were unsuccessful.
The portion of the land classified as Zone A included one 1.2 million square foot building, six 1 million square foot buildings, one 900,000 square foot building and one 800,000 thousand square foot building. There was also a 550,000-square-foot building and three 300,000-square-foot buildings, according to the plans.
About 475 signatures were obtained several weeks ago through lobbying against the industrial park’s rezoning and development plan, said Wendy Miller, owner of Crossroads Salon. She takes care of the petition.
It is an “untouched area,” Miller said of the land. “My clients are farmers, and this would greatly affect them. »
Jack Pratt, Jr., an area resident, said the topic has often been discussed among community members.
“I would say 90 to 95 percent is a resounding no,” he said of the public consensus.
Area residents recently held another community meeting for informational purposes.
“We’re getting ready to fight it,” landowner Perry Neal said after the rezoning and land use plan amendment applications were submitted. “We don’t think it’s appropriate for this community and could be very harmful.” We feel like once you start this, it sets a precedent. There are still many large farms here that are not yet developed. In 10 years we might have something like (Interstate) 840.”
The site includes two commission districts — one represented by Commissioner Chris Dowell and the other by Commissioner Terry Scruggs, officials said.
“The people of Tuckers Crossroads don’t want an industrial park,” Dowell said of the feedback he’s received so far from his constituents.
Efforts to reach Scruggs were unsuccessful.
Modification of the land use plan…
