Planning board recommends rezoning to allow Nash County senior center expansion

The Town of Nashville Planning Board on Tuesday voted to recommend approval of rezoning request RZ202503, a county-initiated proposal to rezone two parcels at 100 and 103 North Austin Street from OI (Office/Institutional) and R-10 (Residential) to B-2 (Central Business). The Nash County Planning Director, Adam Tyson, told the board the primary purpose is to allow a planned expansion of the existing Nash County Senior Center and to consolidate zoning for two adjacent parcels that include the Nash Arts Center in front and the senior center behind.

The rezoning application covers a 0.91-acre tract owned by Nash County. "The primary purpose behind this rezoning is a planned expansion of the Nash County Senior Center," Adam Tyson, Nash County planning director, said. Tyson said county staff will relocate the property line so the arts center front parcel and an expanded senior-center parcel with associated parking will be separate parcels once the zoning and future platting are complete.

The request is identified in the application as consistent with the town's 2021 comprehensive plan, which designates the site as town center and lists institutional and government facilities among preferred uses. The county also noted the proposed B-2 classification would be an extension of an existing B-2 district across North Austin Street that includes the county administrative campus and courthouse.

Why it matters: The B-2 district permits a wider range of institutional, commercial and higher-density uses appropriate for the downtown/town-center designation, allowing the senior center expansion without variance from the town's table of permitted uses.

What the board heard: Board staff said required notifications and materials were submitted: rezoning signs were posted, public notices mailed to approximately 67 property owners within a 500-foot radius, and the town's technical review committee (TRC) met and recommended approval. "Since the applicant has made all the necessary documents turned into the town... and the TRC team did meet yesterday on this rezone request and finally favorable for approval, I would recommend the planning board to vote this approval to send to the town council for their public hearing," a staff member stated during the meeting.

Concerns and public comment: Several board members and a public commenter raised concerns about possible unmarked graves in a grove of cedar trees on the rear portion of the property where the expansion is planned. "I'm concerned whether there might be a small family grave or two back there in that section," said Mr. Strickland, a planning board member, who described a concrete border in the northeast corner that could be the outline of graves dating to the late 1800s or early 1900s. Mr. Strickland asked whether ground-penetrating radar (GPR) or probing could be used to verify the presence of graves; he and staff acknowledged that, if graves exist, relocation and disinterment would involve heirs, the county as property owner, and likely the county health department and county attorney.

Elaine Robertson, a resident who spoke during public comment, described a past experience in which remains recovered from an old burial were placed in a small box and reinterred after the funeral home located a surviving relative. "The funeral home director told him to bring a box... and lo and behold, they went to the cemetery and his marker was already there with his name on it," Robertson said, offering a procedural anecdote about identifying and relocating remains in other local work.

Board action and next steps: After discussion, the planning board made a motion to recommend approval of rezoning request RZ202503 to the Town Council, including a statement of consistency with the comprehensive plan. The motion passed; the board recorded the recommendation for the council's public hearing. The motion text in the record directs that the Town of Nashville recommend approval of rezoning RZ202503 to B-2 and states the board's findings of consistency with the comprehensive plan.

The county said it will continue to work with town staff on permitting and to comply with applicable zoning and development rules for the facility expansion. The next formal step is the Town Council public hearing and decision on RZ202503.

Votes at a glance: Planning board recommendation — RZ202503 (100 & 103 North Austin Street): recommendation to approve forwarded to Town Council; outcome at the Planning Board: approved (motion passed). The transcript records the vote as passed unanimously; a roll-call tally was not read into the record.

Additional details: The application materials state the site is served by town water and sewer, is not in the floodplain, and lies within the Upper Stony Creek subwatershed. The rezoning sign and public notices were posted and mailed in March, and the county submitted the application in March 2025. The county staff noted they will seek a zoning permit for the specific expansion design once property-line adjustments and final plans advance.