January 6, 2023 – The Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development announced that three sites have been certified through the Select Tennessee Certified Sites program. A site at the East Tennessee Progress Center in Morristown/Hamblen County is among them.
Seventy sites across Tennessee have been certified to date. The newest certified sites and their local sponsoring agencies include: Macon-Layette Industrial Park, Tennessee Central Economic Authority; PowerCom Industrial Center, Tennessee Central Economic Authority; and East Tennessee Progress Center Lot 12, Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce.
“A lot of hours and effort have gone into certifying Lot 12 in the East Tennessee Progress Center,” said Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce President Marshall Ramsey. “This graded 86 acre site prepares our community for growth in years ahead. Morristown has always taken a proactive approach to industrial development and this certification sets our community ahead of other communities around our country that still focus on ‘selling the farm’. Jodi Barnard worked diligently on this certification, and it includes documents such as ALTA surveys, environmental studies, archaeological studies, wetlands studies, threatened and endangered species studies, as well as resistivity testing.”
“Supporting Tennessee communities in developing shovel-ready industrial sites is essential as our state continues to lead the nation with one of the fastest growing economies,” TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter said. “Through the Select Tennessee Certified Site program, we are ensuring that both our rural and urban regions have the assets in place to continue recruiting new projects to the state, and we look forward to seeing the future growth and opportunities that result from these new certified sites.”
The Select Tennessee Certified Sites program has helped communities prepare industrial sites for private investment and job creation since 2012. The program sets rigorous standards to give companies detailed and reliable information during the site selection process.
The Select Tennessee certification process ensures that each certified site meets high quality standards and are primed for development. Qualifications for certification include having at lease 20 acres of developable land for industrial operations, documented environmental conditions and geotechnical analysis, existing onsite utilities or a formal plan to extend utilities to the site and truck-quality road access.
“This certification also examines your local utility system partners to ensure the site is utility ready and Morristown Utilities and Jefferson Cocke Gas have partnered as well to ensure this site is well prepared for the expected growth,” Ramsey said. “This certification eliminates questions on a property before they are even asked and puts you 30-90 days ahead when an industry shows serious interest in a site.”
TNECD has partnered with Austin Consulting to administer the certified sites program. “Like many of the Select Tennessee Certified Site, this process was a long-term effort for these communities,” said Jonathan Gemmen, Austin Consulting senior location consultant. “Each of the three applicants showed both patience and attention to detail throughout the process. Most importantly, all three sites are in a better marketable position today than at the time of application.”
Source: Citizen Tribune
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