At its April 2025 meeting, the Smyrna Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception allowing a religious facility on two R1 zoned parcels associated with 509 Nissan Drive, applicant Arnoldo Chavez.

Planning staff summarized the request as involving two parcels — one about 4.18 acres and the other about 4.2 acres, for roughly 8.4 acres total — and said the applicant plans to remove an existing residence on one parcel and develop the site for a religious facility. Staff noted the Municipal Zoning Ordinance (Section 7.06 and related provisions) lists religious facilities as a special exception in the R1 district and outlined criteria the board must consider, including ingress/egress, parking, buffering and compatibility with surrounding residential properties.

Mitch, the town planner, told the board the site could meet bulk and parking regulations (staff cited the ordinance requirement of one parking space per three seats for religious facilities), but staff expressed concern that the use “may negatively affect other property in the area due to the additional traffic and noise” and recommended conditions: (1) install a minimum Type C landscape buffer on the northern, eastern and southern property lines; (2) do not construct the proposed connection to High Point Drive; and (3) restrict hours for waste removal to 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Staff also said the plan must return to the Planning Commission for site-plan review and that any road access would require coordination with the Tennessee Department of Transportation ("T dot").

Two nearby residents spoke at the public hearing. Beverly Cooper of 541 High Point Drive and Cynthia Myers of 540 High Point Drive asked that the board ensure the rear connection to High Point Drive not be used, citing neighborhood pedestrian activity and concerns about increased traffic. Jennifer Caprell, who identified herself as a church administrator and said the congregation’s current address is 102 Bracken Court, told the board the concept plan showed the rear access because it already exists but said the church does not plan to use it as a main entrance and that the organization could close or barricade that connection. Caprell said the church currently has about 500 members and that larger attendance is expected on Sunday services.

Board members asked clarifying questions about parking, traffic and how approval would affect future property owners; staff clarified that an approval would stay with the parcels (not be limited to the current applicant) and that conditions would remain in place. A board member moved to approve the special exception with staff recommendations; a second followed and the motion passed by voice vote.

The board’s vote grants the special-exception zoning approval; further development remains subject to Planning Commission site-plan approval, traffic/access approvals, permitting and applicable building and code inspections.