Rutherford County Rejects Bible Park Zoning

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The Rutherford County Commission rejected on Thursday night a rezoning request for the proposed Bible Park in the Blackman community.

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Nine commissioners voted against the rezoning and 12 voted for the rezoning, but that was not enough to make the two-thirds majority required for the rezoning.

The vote fell two votes short of the 14 needed.

A petition, which required a two-thirds approval from commissioners, was declared valid on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the developers, Safe Harbor Holding LLC, had said they were confident that the rezoning would occur.

Safe Harbor Holding LLC wanted to rezone 282 acres in the Blackman community to allow construction of the proposed park developers expected to attract 1.3 million visitors a year.

The $200 million park, which developers wanted to open by spring 2010, has drawn heated opposition from residents and others in the county, who said roads and other infrastructure could not support the project.

Tom Jurkovich, an attorney for the developer, said his clients have tried to minimize any negative impact to neighbors.

Thursday's meeting lasted about seven hours before the final vote took place.

Kathy Chechin, whose home sits a half mile from the proposed park, was relieved about Thursday’s vote.

"I do believe in my heart that we'd see an inordinate amount of traffic, an inordinate amount of crime. That's no place I want to reside my family," said Chechin.

Blackman resident Donald McDonald favored the park, but he's concerned about the alternatives that the land may be used for, such as a huge housing development.

"At best case it would be 700 to 800 homes, 1,500 cars per day coming on the narrow Blackman and Florence roads. That doesn't count the amount of tax dollars that could have been gained," said McDonald.

A representative for Safe Harbor Holding would not say what counties in Tennessee or Kentucky were showing an interest in the Bible Park. They were in Kentucky on Friday looking at a proposed site for the park.

A spokesperson for the company would not comment on whether they were eliminating Rutherford County as a prospective site.