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 (Mixed Use Limited), and community education (a school) is a permitted use in that zone.

Staff reported the Tennessee Nature Academy (TNA) would occupy four buildings and serve grades 5–12 with a total enrollment of 684 students (351 middle and 333 high school), about 75 teachers and staff and 24 classrooms. Because the UDO regulates form and access but not base uses, staff recommended approval of the road relocation with conditions; NDOT required a revised multimodal transportation analysis and included several traffic-related conditions.

Applicant John Gore (Barge Civil Associates) described environmental and topographic constraints and listed traffic mitigation measures agreed with NDOT and in the proposed conditions: a $50,000 contribution toward a new signal at Carruthers Road and Battle Road, re-timing an existing signal at Birgit Road and Battle Road, traffic calming measures on Fairchild Circle, school-provided traffic control officers at arrival and dismissal, restriping of an eastbound left-turn lane on Carruthers Road to Clement Street and other pedestrian enhancements and queuing on-site intended to keep loading on-site.

Neighborhood speakers voiced safety and traffic concerns and asked the commission to defer, seek alternate access and continue discussions with Metro Parks. Dave Whistler, representing the Neighbors of Caruthers Crossing, asked the commission to either defer and keep the hearing open so Parks, planning and neighbors could pursue a park-based access easement or to disapprove the Fairchild alignment. Several residents described narrow local streets, recent traffic-calming installations, and concerns about the volume of cars and buses (residents questioned whether the site will generate hundreds of private vehicle trips during peak periods). Neighbors also said many supportive commenters live outside the immediate area and will not be affected the same way residents who live adjacent to the proposed access would be.

Applicant representatives said they had met with Parks staff earlier in the process and that Metro Parks had declined to accept a through-connection across park property; the applicant said it would continue to engage Parks if the commission desired. The applicant also stressed that the TNA high-school component is limited by state approval processes and that the plan includes on-site queuing loops designed to avoid queuing onto neighborhood streets.

Commissioners discussed the narrow, winding neighborhood streets and the tension between preserving sensitive environmental resources (streams, wetlands, mature trees) and neighborhood traffic impacts. Several commissioners said they would like staff to continue coordination with Metro Parks and NDOT and to review alternatives and potential mitigation. The commission voted to defer two meetings and to keep the public hearing open so staff can work with Parks and NDOT and present alternatives and any additional conditions; the motion carried.

The deferral preserves the applicant’s ability to continue permitting work but keeps the item on the commission’s agenda for additional scrutiny and a further public decision.