Murfreesboro, TN – Over the past 2 to 3 decades, residents have seen multiple annexations to extend the city limits of Murfreesboro into the county. But, annexations have since slowed... That was Assistant City Manager Sam Huddleston. One recent example of the city not approving an annex occurred in the area of Highway 96, west of I-24, which happens to be one of the fastest growing areas in Rutherford County. The property in question is land that is being developed for a retirement community.

The new Del Webb subdivision for those who are 55 and older is currently taking shape, but because the land was not annexed into the city, it is being developed under the county's rules and regulations... Long before developers broke ground on the neighborhood, Huddleston said they approached Murfreesboro to discuss annexing their 522-acres into the city limits... No annexation equaled no city water or sewer lines, which meant the new subdivision would have to be built around a STEP system (Septic Tank Effluent Pumping). Without city water and sewer, builders were forced to make adjustments to allow for septic field lines. The biggest adjustment meant that builders would have to reduce the number of homes by about 780 residential addresses. Huddleston told WGNS the Del Webb plans originally included about 1,900 homes, but that number later changed to 1,111 homes.

Properties like the Del Webb community are not being annexed into the city, because they are not within the city's boundary of services... That said, other builders may see the denial of additional annexations in several areas, not due to the scope of the project, but due to the service boundary established by representatives of the city to better protect the growing infrastructure and services that are provided by the City of Murfreesboro.