Page 2 - Murfreesboro, TN Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 7, Economic Development

7.2 Chapter 7

DRAFT 12.02.15

PLACE/ASSET-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT challenges. These include: increased traffic congestion
Although various economic doctrines abound, there is no both locally and regionally; an increased reliance on
set prescription, formula, or set of rules to do economic logistics and distribution facilities (which are land and
development at the local level. Each community faces infrastructure intensive and relatively job-poor); and a
a different set of challenges, opportunities, assets retail landscape dominated (and being siphoned-off)
and aspirations that call for unique combinations, by generic national franchises. Meanwhile, residential
applications and the mixing and matching of various development is occurring or is being proposed in areas
tools and actions. One thing is for sure however; the better slated for business development such as the I-24/
best economic development programs involve one or TN SR 840 interchange area.
more highly inventive responses to a local condition Notwithstanding the above, perhaps the City’s
or opportunity (i.e., a place/asset-based strategy), biggest challenge is in the area of offering diverse
while mediocre outcomes usually fall to less successful housing options that appeal to a broad cross-section
communities which are followers/hopefuls that rely too of the professional workforce. These include urban-
heavily on formulaic “best practices.” This more place/ format townhouses and apartments in active, diverse,
asset-responsive approach can be thought of more mixed-use neighborhoods. Such housing options are
simply as “opportunity development.” Finally, the City increasingly important in attracting lifestyle-driven
does not have any dedicated staff/resource capacity to talent workers.
carry out many of the recommendations outlined below. One commonly held notion needs to be debunked from
It will have to start virtually from the ground up to build the outset. That is, that a strong planning regime, with
Barren River Lake
this capacity. firm rules governing the placement, intensity and type
Despite its many opportunities, Murfreesboro is also of development, is anathema to economic growth. While
£
31
presented with a number of potential concerns and that may once have been partially true for jobs-strapped,
ROBERTSON £
31e

FIGURE 7.1: REGIONAL LOCATION
§ ¨ SUMNER MACON
65

41
£
MONTGOMERY £ 31W £ TROUSDALE
231
CHEATHAM § ¨ £ £
31e
24
431
DICKSON DAVIDSON Old Hickory Lake Cordell Hull Reservoir
Nashville £ SMITH
Cheatham Lake
70
70
§ ¨ £ Knoxville
24
§ ¨ § ¨
40
40
440
70
£ £ § ¨ £ £
231
70
70
Memphis § ¨ Map of Nashville Area 41 J. Percy Priest Lake WILSON Center Hill Lake
40
£
§ ¨
24
£
431
24
£ § ¨ Murfreesboro, TN
31
DEKALB
HICKMAN § ¨ 
65
£
41
WILLIAMSON § ¨ £
Huntsville
24
70S
MAURY CANNON
£ RUTHERFORD
31
£ £ £ Chattanooga
231
431
31
MARSHALL £
41
BEDFORD COFFEE