Speed limit, museum display and easement approved by county

Jul. 26—The speed limit for Cumberland Lakes Dr. will drop to 30 mph following approval of the Cumberland County Commission Monday.

While the county has the authority to set speed limits for county roads, Cumberland Lakes Dr. had a default speed limit of 55 mph. The resolution, sponsored by Nancy Hyder, 2nd District commissioner, notes the road in the Cumberland Lakes community has multiple curves, lacks shoulders and has many driveway openings, making that default speed potentially unsafe.

The environmental committee had recommended the lower speed limit following a request from residents along the roadway.

The resolution was unanimously approved.

The commission also approved closing a county road to public use.

Tanner Trail off Claysville Rd. dead-ends in a large tract of land. The owner had requested the road be closed from the point where Old Tanner Cemetery branches off. Old Tanner Cemetery Rd. provides access to multiple parcels before it dead ends.

At the corner of Tanner Trail and Old Tanner Cemetery is Tanner Cemetery. Members of the Tanner family had addressed the proposed road closure when it was considered by the county's environmental committee.

Wendell Wilson, 6th District commissioner, said, "When the planning commission sent this out, they did not notify family of anyone that was buried in the cemetery. That was omitted, and that was a mistake."

The planning commission published a public notice advertising a public hearing on the proposed road closure. It also sent a letter to the owner of record for a second lot, but planner Tommy Lee said he had not been able to locate contact information for the cemetery.

Family members said members of the planning commission could have reached out to contact them.

Wilson added the family was not opposing the road closure.

David Gibson, 4th District commissioner, said there had been issues of people going to the area "partying, leaving their trash."

"It's a dead-end lane is what it is," he said.

He added the property owner had said he would provide access to the family if they wanted to visit the old family farmland.

Gibson moved to approve the resolution closing the road, supported by Charles Seiber, 4th District commissioner.

Nancy Hyder, 2nd District commissioner, said closing roads near cemeteries had been a problem for the county in the past.

"Anytime we mess with these roads and cemeteries, it comes back on us years later. I'm going to vote no," she said.

Jim Blalock, 8th District representative, said, there would still be access to the cemetery on Tanner Cemetery Rd.

"There is another county road that can get to this cemetery," he said.

The motion was approved 14-3, with Wilson, Hyder and 5th District Commissioner Jack Davis opposed.

The commission also approved an outdoor display at the Military Memorial Museum on Main St. The display will be of a 16-inch projectile for a Navy cannon used on Missouri-class battleships.

The county granted Ben Lomand Communications an easement on county-owned property at 2089 West Creston Rd. to install fiber optic internet equipment. The company was granted a 99-year, non-exclusive easement on the property.

The county also adopted updated residential and commercial building codes. The county continues to contract building inspections to the city of Crossville Codes Enforcement office.

Agricultural buildings are exempt.

The county also amended its contract with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to set rates for mental health evaluations and treatment services for criminal defendants charged with misdemeanors.

A state law signed in 2009 makes counties responsible for the cost of outpatient and inpatient mental health evaluations and court-ordered treatment for defendants. Without a rate agreement, the county could be charged between $861.52 and $1,139.49 per day. The agreement sets the per day rate at $450 through June 30, 2022.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.