Planning Commission defers Triune East and West concept plans after public comment on trails, traffic and access

The Williamson County Planning Commission on Thursday voted to defer concept-plan hearings for the Triune Community East and Triune Community West developments after residents and property owners raised concerns about traffic, trail access and whether neighboring parcels would be landlocked.

The pair of concept plans together would add hundreds of dwelling units north of Interstate 840 at Murfreesboro Road and Horton Highway; developers asked for deferrals to address staff comments and community concerns.

Commission staff said the two separate proposals would create a mix of single-family and townhome lots, include proposed greenway easements, and rely on private internal road networks. The staff presentation said several proposed lots encroached on slopes steeper than 25 percent and that tree-canopy retention standards had not been met. The applicant asked to defer both items to the March meeting; the commission granted both requests.

The concept for Triune Community East, presented as 61 single-family lots and 62 multifamily/townhome lots on about 64 acres, included a dashed line the staff identified as a proposed greenway easement running from Murfreesboro Road toward the I-840 right of way. The companion Triune Community West plan proposes about 103 single-family lots and 130 multifamily/townhome lots on roughly 156 acres, with a perimeter trail shown in green on plan sheets.

Public commenters at the hearing urged the commission to preserve multimodal trails that accommodate equestrians as well as pedestrians and bicyclists. Penny Kimley, representing Williamson County Equestrian for Shared Greenways, told the commission, "We're urging the planning commission to endorse horse trails with the multimodal trail in Triune." Mary Ellen Sloan and other speakers cited USDA horse-density data and asked that Triune's special-area plan be honored for trail and equestrian access.

Residents also pressed the commission about traffic and intersection capacity. Commissioner-level questions and staff responses indicated a joint traffic analysis for the two projects is under way and that the preliminary study anticipates a signal at Malachi Lane and turn-lane adjustments on Murfreesboro Road. Staff said the intersection of Horton Highway and Malachi Lane will be signalized and that timing adjustments at the Horton–Murfreesboro signal are part of the study.

Owners of adjacent land said the removal of stub-street connections from one concept plan could leave their parcels effectively controlled by the proposed development. Rob Adams, a landowner whose family farm abuts the site, described an understanding reached with staff in 2020 and said, "With all connections being removed from the concept plan, our property is completely controlled by this development." Adams requested the developer add road connections to preserve future access to his property.

Applicant representatives told the commission they had worked with staff and had developed alternatives. Developer John Powell said his team "figured out a way to make a southern entrance into Mr. Adams' property and contemplate on having it as a public road," and said they were proposing right-turn access treatments at Nolensville Road and other geometric changes agreed with Tennessee Department of Transportation staff.

Commissioners and staff also discussed whether proposed internal roadways would be gated and how private road networks would interact with any public greenway easements or future trailheads. Staff said trailheads and public access are being considered in the countywide multimodal greenway master plan the county is developing with Design Workshop; staff described the greenway shown on the plan as an easement at this stage, not a finalized user type or surface.

The commission made no final zoning or approval decisions Thursday. Both Triune Community East (Item 40) and Triune Community West (Item 41) were formally deferred to the March meeting so applicants can revise plans to address staff and community concerns and provide clearer access and greenway details.

Looking ahead, staff and applicants said revised plans will return to the commission for public hearings in March with updated drawings, traffic findings and clarification on proposed public or private road connections and trail easement alignment.