Planning Commission approves 107‑acre Lemuel Road SP for mixed‑use housing and street connections

The Metropolitan Planning Commission on March 20 approved a specific plan (SP) for a roughly 107‑acre site west of Dickerson Pike along Lemuel Road to permit a mixed‑use development with a maximum of 1,081 multifamily residential units and approximately 3,700 square feet of nonresidential uses. Staff recommended approval with conditions, citing consistency with the urban neighborhood evolving, urban mixed‑use neighborhood, conservation policies and the Dickerson North supplemental policy.

Staff described the plan as a large, interconnected subdivision that would construct new public streets across the site, including a north–south extension of Stanwick Drive, an east–west extension of Lemuel Road and a new Oak Street connection to Locust Street. The plan proposes a variety of unit types—detached cottages, townhomes, stacked flats and four‑story buildings—with building heights up to four stories in portions of the site. The SP provides buffers and natural open space in areas with slopes and stream buffers and includes a walking trail and central park and plaza.

Applicant representatives said the site is a rare development opportunity close to the urban core and near planned bus rapid transit investment on Dickerson Pike. They told commissioners the development will provide for‑sale housing across price points and that several agencies, including water and transportation, had placed conditions on the project—new water main connections, traffic signals, sidewalks and pedestrian signals along Dickerson Pike.

Two representatives of adjacent industrial properties spoke in opposition, expressing concerns about truck and semi traffic, noise near a rehearsal space and periodic low water pressure that has tripped the fire sprinkler system inside an industrial building. The applicant said the project will extend a 10‑inch water main to tie into a high‑pressure zone and that the proposed plan provides a landscape buffer and offsets between the new homes and existing warehouses.

Commissioner Leslie moved to approve staff recommendation to approve with conditions and disapprove without all conditions. The motion passed. The transcript does not list a roll‑call tally. The SP approval included standard conditions and coordination with Metro departments for utilities, street design and stormwater; the commission will review final engineering and site‑plan details at permitting.