Commission approves Franklin City Hall site plan with underground parking and one-acre public park

The Franklin Municipal Planning Commission approved the site plan for the new Franklin City Hall at 109 Third Avenue South. The plan calls for a three-story, roughly 103,156-square-foot office building, about 4,444 square feet of commercial space, subterranean parking for approximately 200 vehicles, a large plaza and a one-acre public park at Church and Third Avenue South.

Anna Ruth Kimbrough, representing the applicant, said the project includes several public improvements: expanded meeting spaces, enhanced downtown restrooms, a new public park on the corner of Church and Third that the presentation described as about one acre, streetscape improvements and accessibility upgrades. The property is zoned downtown district and is within an historic-preservation overlay; the project has received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Zoning Commission, staff said.

Commissioners asked about historic water-table issues beneath the site and how the design addresses potential subgrade water and uplift. The project team said geotechnical studies are complete and additional studies are underway; the design includes under-slab drainage, a redundant pump system and stormwater detention with a cistern as an alternate water collection method. The project team said pumped groundwater will be sent to the city storm system.

Staff recommended approval with conditions; the commission voted to approve the site plan on roll-call vote. Commissioners said the project is an important reinvestment in the downtown square and emphasized that engineering details addressing subsurface water and drainage must be followed during permitting and construction.

Votes at a glance: - Franklin City Hall site plan (109 Third Avenue South): approved with staff conditions (site plan review).