Planning commission denies rezoning request after neighbors cite noise, traffic and storage concerns

The Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission on June 9 denied a rezoning request that would have reclassified 7474 Lebanon Pike from residential medium density (RM) to commercial general, a change applicants said would legalize on-site repair activity for cars sold there.

The action matters because the request would have removed the limits in a preexisting conditional use permit and allowed repair work the county says exceeded the site’s original 2005 approval, prompting months of complaints from nearby residents.

Planning staff member Doug DeMasi told commissioners the rezoning application grew out of a zoning enforcement action. He said the property had a Type 3 conditional use permit from May 2005 allowing automobile sales but that county staff later discovered repair activities and numerous vehicles stored outside that were not covered by the CUP.…