Summary
The Town of Nashville granted an easement allowing BuildLABS and Braswell Family Farms to build and maintain a joint wet detention stormwater pond on a parcel adjacent to the town's west water tower; the town will retain ownership of the land while private owners will maintain the pond under a recorded operation and maintenance agreement.
The Town of Nashville approved an easement allowing BuildLABS and Braswell Family Farms to construct and maintain a joint wet detention stormwater pond on town-owned property adjacent to the west water-tower lot to serve new impervious areas on both companies' industrial sites.
Kevin Varnell, the town engineer, described the proposal as "a fairly straightforward wet detention pond" located north of the water-tower site and said the design includes a six-foot vegetated shell around the pond. He said pedestrian and future greenway access would be maintained: "We did discuss during the TRC meeting to make sure that the pedestrian access, greenway access is, allowed to remain. And so we have given provisions in the design for that to be able to allow that access through and around this pond and down to the future greenway."
Varnell told the council the town would retain ownership of the parcel and that maintenance responsibilities would be handled by the two private property owners under a property-owners agreement. "Ultimately, that is what the easement is for. So the town will still own the property that the pond sits on. The maintenance of that will all take place with the 2 property owners, and then they'll work out a property owner's agreement to maintain that bond," he said.
Council members pressed for assurances on vehicle access for maintenance and for future park/trail uses; Varnell said state requirements mandate at least a 10-foot maintenance access around the pond and a 20-foot access for heavy equipment. He also outlined planting options for a more natural wetland edge: "We certainly can incorporate plants that are natural to wetlands, locally and also have some flowering capabilities as well to help make that look as good as we can." Varnell added the operation and maintenance agreement will follow the state's guidance and be recorded to bind future owners.
The council voted to grant the easement, with a motion described in the meeting as "to grant BuildLABS and Braswell Family Farms an easement on the town's West Water Tower lot to construct and maintain a joint storm water detention facility." Council discussion noted that the easement area is outside the fenced water-tower compound and that the pond footprint would occupy hillside land unsuitable for building. The council also asked staff to ensure the operation-and-maintenance obligations are included in the easement documentation and that vehicle access be preserved.
The transcript did not record a roll-call vote count; the motion carried.
