(Oakland, TN) Dump trucks are moving dirt and crews are laying the final ground work of what will be 385, or the rest of Bill Morris Parkway.
The stretch of highway between Collierville and Millington is slated to be done in December.
Fayette County Chamber of Commerce Board President Arnie Birmingham says he believes this will cause more homes to be built in Fayette County.
“I think some of the things that are happening in neighboring Shelby county are causing people to consider what I call a better quality of life,” said Birmingham.
Compared to neighboring Shelby County’s current property tax of $4.02, with a chance of going up soon, Fayette County’s rate is just $1.47 per $100 of assessed property value.
In Oakland city limits, it’s just $ 0.17 more per hundred.
That means you could save thousands a year just by living a few miles further east.
Birmingham is also a developer.
He says Fayette County is ready for a building boom because there are still a lot of empty single family lots after the economy tanked in 2008 and put developers out of business.
“Oakland has the infrastructure to take care of all the existing developed lots today and I think that Oakland can support more development,” said Birmingham.
Oakland’s Mayor Chris Goodman says the city is getting about 25 new home building permits a month and he expects that to jump once 385 is complete.
He also says the highway will help attract businesses and jobs to Fayette County.
