Residents oppose construction-use special exception at New Hope Road; board questions compliance with 2017 BZA ruling

Dozens of residents and property owners told the Sumner County Board of Zoning Appeals they oppose permitting construction-sales-and-services activity and a proposed 10,000-square-foot storage building at 2340 New Hope Road, a 12.05-acre parcel owned by Charles Roberts that lies in the county floodplain.

Staff opened the item by summarizing a long regulatory history. Planning staff told the board the property had multiple prior applications dating to at least 2017, including a denied application to store commercial equipment, subsequent approvals and a building permit granted around 2019–2020 for a 10,000-square-foot pole barn that was not built. Staff said those earlier approvals have lapsed after five years and that the county adopted a substantial zoning rewrite in 2020 that changed applicable rules. Staff asked the board two questions: whether the property’s current use and proposed building comport with the BZA’s October 12, 2017 decision, and whether a building permit may be issued at this time or if additional zoning…