Planning Commission delays vote on Crothers Crossing road relocation for Tennessee Nature Academy after neighbor objections

The Planning Commission opened item 22, a major modification request to the Crothers Crossing urban design overlay (UDO), and voted to defer final action for two meetings after extensive public comment from neighbors and additional questions from commissioners.

Planning staff presenter Sarah Cook said the proposal would relocate an originally shown public through road (connecting Clement Street to Patcham Drive) and instead provide a private one-way-in, one-way-out access from Fairchild Circle. Staff described topography and environmental constraints: the site has steep grades (the grade from Clement Street to the centerline of the stream is about 26 feet and from Patcham Drive to the stream about 20 feet), three identified wetlands, two protected streams and associated 30-foot buffers. Cook said the proposed Fairchild access reduces grade change and crosses a single stream instead of two crossings and that Metro Stormwater reviewed and confirmed the streams and buffers were adequately identified and protected. The site is zoned MUL…