Cookeville council weighs zoning change for adaptive housing reuse

Cookeville City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on July 2, 2026, on Ordinance O26-06-11, a proposal that would add adaptive residential multi-family reuse to the zoning code. In plain English, the change would create a special-exception path for turning certain existing buildings into housing instead of starting from scratch.

The ordinance would amend Section 227.3 so adaptive residential multi-family reuse could be permitted on appeal, and it would also add the use to the chart of permitted uses. This is still a proposal, not an adopted zoning change.

What the city is trying to do

Planning materials say the idea is aimed at converting older hotel and motel properties into residential units. The planning division’s memo says the city has received inquiries about converting commercial hotel and motel properties into multi-family housing and wants to reduce barriers to creating a more diverse housing inventory.

The same memo says the approach would lean on existing buildings, infrastructure, and circulation systems, which city staff say could support housing goals without as much new public investment. It also says the planning division is proposing affordability conditions, including below-market rental rates and acceptance of housing vouchers, as part of approval conditions.

Why residents may be watching closely

The local reporting around the proposal connects it to the Fall Creek Inn/Suburban Suites property near Highway 111 and I-40. That site is useful context, but it is not the same thing as a final redevelopment approval. Even if the zoning change moves forward, any project would still have to work through the city’s review process.

For nearby residents, the main questions are practical ones: how the city defines this new housing category, which buildings could qualify, what safeguards will apply, and whether the affordability language stays in the final ordinance. For business owners and property owners, the bigger issue is whether Cookeville is creating a workable reuse path for underused buildings that no longer fit their original use.

What happens next

At the July 2 meeting, council will hear the public hearing and consider the ordinance. If members amend the language, those changes could matter a lot, especially around the affordability requirements and the conditions for approval. If the ordinance is approved, it would still need to move through the rest of the council process before becoming law.

For now, the key point is simple: Cookeville is considering a zoning tool that could turn some older motel-style or commercial buildings into housing, but nothing has been adopted yet.

Sources

• Cookeville City Council agenda, July 2, 2026
• The UC Now report on Cookeville housing-change proposal