Smith family seeks Envision Franklin amendment to allow 1,350‑unit mixed neighborhood on 495 acres

Steve Smith, a member of the Smith family that owns the parcel, and Jeff Hines, the project planner, presented a request to amend the City of Franklin’s long‑range plan to permit a "village green" development on roughly 495 acres currently in Williamson County.

Jeff Hines, a planner with Catalyst Design Group, told attendees that the amendment would "preserve 3 32 acres of the 4 95 acres and develop 162 acres," and described a proposal for about 1,350 residences and 15,000 square feet of neighborhood‑scale commercial. Hines said the project would use a new state infrastructure development district law to finance public utilities and road improvements without using taxpayer dollars.

The Village Green designation the applicants seek differs from the site’s current county policy by requiring 70% of the site to remain as open or natural area and allowing a mix of housing types, small‑scale commercial, and institutional uses such as independent and assisted living. The applicants’ plan shows three phased "villages" (South, North,…