Williamson County planning commissioners voted to defer consideration of the Owen Valley subdivision — a proposed 72‑lot conservation subdivision on 374.29 acres off Owen Hill Road — and required additional cemetery surveys, after residents and the Tennessee Historical Commission raised concerns that graves and the site of a former church and school may be on or near planned infrastructure.

The commission accepted staff’s recommendation to delay action to the Aug. 20, 2025 meeting and voted to keep the public hearing open so residents can comment again after the applicant conducts the requested surveys. Staff asked the applicant to delineate the cemetery limits using ground‑penetrating radar (GPR), identify any other burial locations, and locate any remaining vestiges of a church and school so those features can be shown and labeled on the concept plan.

The move followed more than 30 minutes of public comment from neighbors, descendants and preservation specialists who described a site variously referred to in testimony as Lisonbee Chapel, Alysona (also called Allison) Chapel and an associated cemetery and school. Graham Perry, identified as the historic cemetery preservation specialist for the Tennessee Historical Commission, said he walked the site, has communicated with the developer and that Tennessee law requires graves be protected: “If there's erosion underneath the grave, that could be an issue, and that would be something that our office would consider to be desecrating a grave,” Perry said, adding that state law requires that construction follow notification procedures if human remains or grave goods are found.

Multiple residents and descendants urged preservation and said the graves are associated with a historically African American church and school that served generational families in the area. Jasper Hatcher Jr., who said his family has farmed the property since 1865 and that his father and siblings attended the former chapel school, asked the commission to preserve the grave sites and to relocate any septic or retention infrastructure that would overlap them.

Staff and the applicant said they had provided the planning commission with an email and site notes from the State Historic Preservation Office indicating there may be additional graves beyond the visible headstones. Richard House (identified in the record as “with SCC”) told commissioners the building is no longer standing and confirmed that a handful of headstones remain; he said the developer plans to perform the GPR staff requested. Jason Holloman, an attorney representing adjacent property owners, asked that the public hearing remain open so that neighbors can comment once the survey results are available; commissioners agreed.

Commission discussion recognized the site plan review (item 22) and the related concept plan for the subdivision (item 27) are linked: the site plan review included the identified headstones and the concept plan shows the proposed wastewater treatment/disposal area. Staff noted the subdivision will use a nontraditional wastewater treatment and disposal system and that roads will be public; water service was listed as provided by the Millcroft Utility District. Commissioners emphasized state and local legal limits on development over burial sites — Graham Perry referenced Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) provisions and the Family Burial Grounds Protection Act — and the commission’s motion requires compliance with the requested field work before returning to the agenda.

Outcome: The commission approved the staff motion to defer the Owen Valley site plan and concept plan to Aug. 20, 2025 and voted to keep the public hearing open to accept further public comment after the requested surveys are complete.

Looking ahead: Staff and the applicant must complete GPR and any additional archaeological or historical assessments the State Historic Preservation Office or county staff request. The open public hearing gives neighbors and descendants the opportunity to review and comment on the survey results before the commission resumes formal consideration.