Council sends Hollingshead annexation and zoning map change back to planning after developer altered proposed commercial acreage

Council voted to return an annexation petition and associated zoning map amendment for land south of West Jefferson Pike to the Planning Commission after staff identified that the developer’s revised map increased the amount of C‑2 commercial acreage beyond the map Planning had recommended.

Kevin (planning staff) told council the developer had increased the proposed C‑2 area from about 23.6 acres to roughly 30 acres after the planning commission made its recommendation; Tennessee law requires the planning commission to review and re‑recommend when the applicant submits a different zoning map after the commission’s review. Staff and the planning commission had no substantive objection to the change but recommended the re‑referral to comply with state procedural requirements.

Council opened public hearings; no members of the public spoke on the plan of services or the annexation during the meeting. Councilmember discussion referenced earlier workshops and the timing of map submissions: staff reported the applicant submitted revised maps late in the week and too late to be added to the most recent planning commission agenda.

Council moved and passed a motion to send the annexation and zoning map back to the Planning Commission for a new recommendation. Staff told council that, if Planning returns a favorable recommendation, the annexation and zoning would be scheduled on second reading at a future council meeting (anticipated in September). Staff emphasized this was a procedural referral under Tennessee Code Annotated and not a rejection of the substance of the request.