Mount Juliet approves Silver Springs Phase 8 annexation and rezoning after residents press traffic, amenities and HOA concerns

The Mount Juliet Board of Commissioners on Monday approved the annexation, rezoning and preliminary master plan for Silver Springs Phase 8, a roughly 47.39‑acre addition to the existing Silver Springs subdivision, after more than an hour of resident comments about traffic, school capacity and homeowners association control.

The vote, on a package of five related items, passed 4–1 following amendments that require a 10‑foot sidewalk along Benders Ferry Road, a separate construction entrance when physically possible, and a voluntary contribution of $7,500 per lot to a city fund for Lebanon Road improvements, to be collected at the erosion‑control (grading) permit stage.

Why it matters: The project would add new lots directly behind established low‑density neighborhoods along Lebanon Road, an area residents said already experiences heavy congestion at school drop‑off and peak commute times. Commissioners and staff said the developer’s commitments reduce the traffic and infrastructure risks the city must manage while allowing the subdivision to continue under local zoning rules.

Resident objections and developer commitments Residents pressed the board during the public comment period. Ryan Carr, a resident of Silver Springs at 320 Midtown Trail, told commissioners he opposed the annexation and feared long delays in when homeowners would gain control of the subdivision’s HOA: “The builder 100% controls our HOA. And he has for the past 16 years, and he will until every home in there is completely sold,” Carr said, adding that adding about 96 homes would strain the existing pool and amenity areas and increase HOA fees.

Veronica Bender, a Bender family member and longtime Mount Juliet resident, spoke in favor: “We chose Universal Builders really because we saw the beautiful homes in Silver Springs … I respectfully ask that you approve it,” she said.

Tom White, an attorney representing the developer and members of the Bender family, told the board the applicant had worked with staff after the prior hearing and would make several binding commitments if the board approved. White said the developer agreed to the $7,500 per‑lot contribution toward Lebanon Road widening, to reduce the number of lots in the phase so the new portion stays below the 100‑lot threshold that would otherwise require two full access drives, and to provide a designated construction entrance onto Highway 70 to limit construction traffic through the established neighborhood. “We listened very carefully to the comments that were made … and we’re willing to make the following commitments,” White said.

Engineer Mike Rye told the board the developer can reduce the phase’s lot count from 96 to 92 and provided a revised drawing to staff during the meeting to show how the southern cul‑de‑sac would be shortened to meet fire and access requirements.

Planning and public‑works details Planning staff told the commission the requested RS‑20 PUD base zoning is lower density than earlier portions of Silver Springs (which were developed under an RS‑15 base zoning in 2003). Staff said the proposed lots in the new phase average about 11,000 square feet, up from roughly 7,700 square feet in the original neighborhood, and that the proposal provides about 7 percent open space within the PUD. Staff also confirmed the developer had provided a traffic analysis; that study estimated roughly 10 percent of new trips would use Cairn Drive, and that the intersection of Lebanon Road and Karen Drive already operates over acceptable LOS (level‑of‑service) during peak times.

Amendments and conditions Before the board vote, commissioners adopted several changes: assign a 10‑foot, curb‑separated sidewalk with a grass strip along the Benders Ferry frontage to be completed by the project’s 35th CO (certificate of occupancy) instead of the originally proposed 6‑foot sidewalk; require the developer to collect the $7,500 per lot at the grading permit (erosion control) stage and deposit those funds in the city’s Lebanon Road improvement account; and require the construction entrance from Highway 70 to be completed and operational before construction activities for the new phases commence. The applicant also agreed to explore relocating a mail kiosk and to provide a new, local amenity area within Phase 8 rather than rely solely on the existing pool.

Next steps The board approved the annexation, land‑use changes, rezoning and preliminary master plan 4–1. Planning staff will track the commitments in the ordinance and bring the final master development plan (FMDP) and subsequent administrative permits back through staff review and the planning commission as required.

Editors’ notes: The developer identified in the meeting as Universal Builders. The city packet and staff presentations were the basis for the planning analysis. Specific lot counts, construction schedule and final amenity location will be finalized in the FMDP stage.