Wilson County industrial park tied to Perot family gets negative planning recommendation
Wilson County planning commissioners recommended denial Friday for requests connected to a huge industrial park development in a rural part of eastern Wilson County after residents staged a tractor parade protest and showed up in force to speak against the measure during their meeting.
Texas-based Hillwood, a company tied to the Ross Perot family, can still seek approval for the project by appealing to the full Wilson County county commission within 10 days. However, Hillwood representatives did not comment on future plans and whether they intended to move forward on Friday.
The planning commission's first vote was 8-2 to recommend denial of a land use plan amendment for the area referred to as part of the Tuckers Crossroads community.
Conceptual plans show 10.35 million square feet of industrial style office, warehousing and light manufacturing space. The approximate 1,380-acre location is near Linwood and Bluebird Roads just off Interstate 40.
The planning commission also voted unanimously against a rezone request for the property after more than three hours of debate that included about 40 speakers during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Roughly 30 landowners near the area of the development went to the Wilson County Courthouse on tractors in a protest convoy through Lebanon.
"If Hillwood decides to take this to the county commission, I hope this sends a message to them," said Perry Neal, an area landowner who lives near the proposed site and participated in the convoy of about 30-35 tractors. "We won the first battle, but the war's not over."
Hillwood representatives said the project could bring 3,400 direct jobs over 15 years and more than 6,400 direct and indirect jobs combined. Representatives also said the project could bring more than $138 million in local taxes. More than $3 million in new property tax revenues was also projected by Hillwood representatives.
The project also presented an extension of public water totaling approximately seven miles to a number of homeowners that currently don't have that service. Several nearby landowners did speak in favor of the development in order to bring water to their properties.
A convenience store and gas station and protecting 352 acres as agricultural property through zoning and easements are also part of the plan.
But the majority of residents attending the meeting were against the plan. Traffic and flooding were concerns, but speakers opposing the plan were unified in a desire to keep the agricultural feel of the community, even with the possibility that by voting down Hillwood's project, it could leave the land open to a residential development and more residents.
"It was exactly what I was hoping for," said resident Michael Swope after the vote.
The location encompasses two commission districts – one represented by Commissioner Chris Dowell and the other by Commissioner Terry Scruggs, officials have said. Dowell has said his constituents overwhelmingly do not want the industrial park plan.
Dowell spoke at the meeting and said he would "stand with" the majority in his district who were against the industrial park, but urged the community to "pull back together."
Scruggs also spoke and said he had feedback from those for and against the project, but he sided with those who needed public water.
About the plan
The portion of land listed as Area A includes one building at 1.2 million square feet, six buildings at 1 million square feet, one at 900,000 square feet and one at 800,000 square feet. There was also a 550,000-square-foot building and three 300,000-square-foot buildings, according to the plans.
A retail mix at the northwest corner of the grounds is also proposed with remaining areas to include maintaining agricultural uses or a conservation easement on the proposed master plan.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wilson County denies Perot family company industrial plan, for now
