The Journal. — “Can a Farming Community Resist a Development Boom?”

Date: August 22, 2025
Hosts: Jessica Mendoza & Ryan Knutson
Guest Reporting by: Cam McWhirter

Overview

This episode of The Journal. delves into the intensifying conflict within Coffee County, Tennessee, where the surge of urban development from neighboring cities threatens the area’s deep-rooted farming legacy. As expansion pressure mounts, the local community is split: economic growth promises jobs and opportunity, but risks eroding rural traditions and family land. Anchored by the recent and unexpected death of the county’s pro-development mayor, the episode chronicles a dramatic political shift, personal stories from both sides, and the broader implications for rural America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Coffee County's Crossroads—Rural Roots Meet Urban Expansion

• Setting the Stage: Coffee County offers rolling hills, sprawling farmlands, and a slower pace, but it’s surrounded by urban growth—Nashville, Chattanooga, and booming areas near Huntsville, AL (00:05–00:48).
• Development Pressures: Growth from nearby cities spills over, leading some to see opportunity and others to fear cultural and economic loss.

2. A Political Shift: Development vs. Preservation

• Mayor Judd Matheny’s Era:
  • Matheny championed aggressive development: subdivisions, new businesses, and especially a vision centered on industrial “megasites.”
  • “[W]e have to strike that balance for the new things that are coming our way. Because it will eat our lunch and run right through us and we'll do nothing but play catch up for 20 years if we don't get ahead of it now.” — Judd Matheny (03:25)
• Sudden Change:
  • Matheny’s unexpected death led to Dennis Hunt, a pro-farmer, anti-growth leader, taking over, radically changing the county’s trajectory. Planning and zoning rules shifted to restrict development (01:34–05:07).

3. The Personal Stakes: Farmers Divided

• Sean Jones (Preservationist Farmer):
  • Land represents family, legacy, and identity:
    • “The farm I live on is three generations. My grandpa's got his blood, sweat, and tears in this...” (02:18)
    • “If I walk out my front door, I see the mountains... We refer to this part of the country as God's country... words can't describe it.” (05:48)
  • Fear of development: More people means more traffic, less workable land, and an eroded way of life (07:36–08:15).
  • Deep emotional connection: “I'm emotionally attached to what I have... I just can't. There's not enough money out there to buy it from me.” (13:05, 13:55)
• Nick Graham (Pro-Development Farmer):
  • Views land as an asset and investment: “It's no different for me than everybody else's 401k, that's mine, you know... I've invested heavily in that.” (09:54)
  • Pursued subdivision development, citing economic demand and affordable housing needs:
    • “We could create a larger tax base. We could have better restaurants. We started this fight for everybody in the county, not just me.” (15:00)
  • Surprised by hostility and scope of local opposition (10:13–10:44).

4. The Values Clash: What Does 'Conservative' Mean?

• Dueling Definitions:
  • Some equate conservatism with stewardship, heritage, and minimizing change—“preserving traditional values and communities, not selling them off for short term gain.” (Facebook post, 13:55)
  • Others emphasize individual rights and freedom from government control: “Conservatism is about their freedom to exercise their rights... Less government, less rules, less regulations, lower taxes.” (14:39)
  • Nick Graham: “They shouldn’t have control over our land and be able to force us into doing [anything]. As long as we’re doing it legally ... they should not have the right to do that.” (14:39)

5. Political and Legal Outcomes—New Restrictions

• Moratoriums Imposed:
  • March: Temporary ban on subdivisions in agricultural zones.
  • Followed by law requiring 5-acre minimum lot sizes, making most subdivision development impractical (15:13–15:40).
• Workarounds:
  • Existing proposals like Nick’s adjusted (from 51 to 39 homes).
  • Future development much harder; options include rezoning or seeking variances (16:00–16:26).

6. Larger Economic and Cultural Context

• Farming Economics:
  • Thin margins mean farmland is often a retirement plan for owners; developers pay more than other farmers can (17:12).
• The Broader Battle:
  • Coffee County’s struggles mirror those across rural America—urban expansion, housing shortages, and cultural rifts between tradition and growth (18:07–19:31).
  • “This fight is happening everywhere in rural America... America is on the move and families are looking for a way to find affordable housing.” — Cam McWhirter (18:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Judd Matheny on Growth:
  “[W]e want to make it still as rural and agrarian as we can, where we can. But at the same time we have to strike that balance for the new things that are coming our way...” (03:25)

• Sean Jones on Attachment to Land:
  “...the farm I live on is three generations. You know, my grandpa's got his blood, sweat and tears in this. My daddy, my uncle, and now me. I just can't. There's not enough money out there to buy it from me.” (13:05/13:55)

• Nick Graham on Property Rights:
  “They shouldn't have control over our land and be able to force us into doing [anything]... They should not have the right to do that. No, ma'am.” (14:39)

• Community Values Clash:

  • “[Historically,] conservatism has emphasized order, prudence, stewardship, and a deep respect for heritage. It's about preserving traditional values and communities, not selling them off for short term gain.” (13:55, Facebook group)
  • “Vote like a conservative. Less government, less rules, less regulations, lower taxes.” (14:39, local meeting)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:05–00:48 — Introduction to Coffee County, setting the rural scene
• 01:24–02:33 — Political shift after Mayor Matheny’s sudden death
• 03:25–03:44 — Matheny articulates his development vision
• 04:44–05:07 — Mayor Hunt reverses course, restricts growth
• 05:48–06:18 — Sean Jones describes his farm and legacy
• 07:10–08:15 — Sean reacts to proposals for development near his land
• 09:21–10:44 — Nick Graham on why he wants to develop part of his land
• 11:58–12:22 — Opposition rallies at local meetings
• 13:05–13:55 — Farmers on preserving rural culture and family farms
• 14:39–15:13 — Nick and others frame the fight as land rights and opportunity
• 15:13–16:26 — County bans subdivisions, restricts growth with 5-acre minimums
• 17:12–17:47 — Economic reality: farmland as a financial safety net for older farmers
• 18:07–19:31 — Broader impacts and summary; development debates across America

Conclusion

The Journal. episode spotlights a community at a critical juncture, wrestling with the meaning of progress, the preservation of heritage, and the realities of modern economic pressures. Through intimate interviews and sharp reporting, it unpacks how a local conflict over zoning has become a canvas for national debates on land, values, and the future of rural life. The story is human, nuanced, and unresolved—mirroring the evolving landscape of rural America itself.