Planning Commission approves UDO modification for Tennessee Nature Academy site, removes Patcham Drive through-connection

The Planning Commission approved a modification to the Carothers Crossing Urban Design Overlay (UDO) that removes a required public street through-connection between Clement Street and Patcham Drive and instead allows a private access drive from Clement Street for the proposed Tennessee Nature Academy (TNA) school site.

Sarah Cook, presenting for planning staff, summarized the modification: the applicant withdrew a prior request to use Fairchild Circle and revised their design to provide access from Clement Street. Staff recommended approval with conditions after analysis found the site contains sensitive environmental features (three wetlands, a stream with a 30-foot buffer and steep topography) and that those constraints aligned with the overlay’s allowance for variations “where physical site constraints exist.” Cook also reported that Metro Parks does not support a private drive through the adjacent Cane Ridge Park because a new drive would likely require significant tree removal and park disturbance.

John Gorham of Barge Civil Associates, representing the applicant, said the site is about 23 acres and the revised plan accommodates bus and car queuing on site (the applicant reported about 60% of students would ride buses and 40% arrive by car, with staggered pick-up/drop-off windows and separate bus/car loops). Gorham noted revised grading and stormwater design and said the applicant accepts NDOT conditions, including a contribution toward a future signal and other mitigation measures.

Tennessee Nature Academy principal Jay Renfro and several parents and supporters urged approval, describing the school’s nature-focused curriculum and saying staff had held multiple neighborhood meetings to refine access options. Supporters said the Clement Street alignment follows the UDO’s illustrative plan and reduces tree removal compared with other options.

Many nearby residents and organized groups (including Cambridge Community Club and Carruthers Crossing residents) opposed allowing the school access to be routed through the subdivision. Opposition speakers described traffic congestion on Crothers (Carothers) Road and local collector streets, questioned adherence to the UDO phasing plan and asked the commission to delay approval until an outside access via Battle Road or other options could be pursued. Some asked that the Planning Commission treat multiple small modifications cumulatively as a major change to the UDO so the original town-center connector could be prioritized.

Planning staff and the applicant responded with technical analysis: an MMTA (multimodal transportation analysis) was reviewed and approved by NDOT, NDOT required removal of some temporary traffic-calming bollards to accommodate bus turns, and staff said on-site queuing and staggered schedules would limit streetside stacking. NDOT conditions included a funding contribution toward a potential future signal at Carothers Crossing and Battle Road and other mitigations that are memorialized in staff conditions of approval.

Commissioners discussed the record, policy and constraints on the site, and then voted to approve staff’s recommendation, with conditions that reflect the NDOT mitigation items and additional site requirements. The motion passed with the chair noting the conditions.

Why this matters: the approval sets access and mitigation conditions for a charter school site; the decision balances conservation policy and site constraints with a permitted community-education use on a MUL-zoned parcel. The debate highlighted long-running questions about UDO phasing and the availability of alternative public access routes from Battle Road.

Ending: The commission approved the modification with conditions; staff and the applicant said they will continue coordination with NDOT, Metro Parks and the community as the project moves to implementation and construction.