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Smyrna council moves to require 20-foot landscape buffer where new PRDs abut single-family lots after residents press for protection
Summary
After months of disagreements between homeowners and a developer over buffer space at Hidden Springs, the council approved an amendment to the town’s Planned Residential District rules that requires a 20-foot landscape buffer where a PRD abuts R-1 or comparable county lots.
Smyrna Town Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance amendment requiring a 20-foot landscape buffer inside any Planned Residential District (PRD) that borders R-1 single-family zoning in town or comparable RM zoning in Rutherford County.
The change was prompted by repeated public comments from county property owners opposed to the way Weekly (Weekley) Homes had handled buffering at the Hidden Springs development on Lee Road. Several residents said the developer cleared much of the tree line shown on preliminary plats, and that protracted negotiations with the builder had not produced an agreed buffer.
Resident Patrick Beauchene told the council the October 10, 2023 approval of Hidden Springs included a motion asking the developer and the affected homeowners to negotiate a buffer. “We have had nine meetings with the builder since July 2024,” Beauchene said, and he said the parties had been unable to reach an agreement. Dawn Boucherne, who owns property adjacent to the development, said work began on the site in July 2024 and that “the majority of that tree line” she expected to protect was removed before the homeowners were able to negotiate.
What the ordinance does: Planning staff’s amendment adds a specific, 20-foot landscaped buffer requirement to the PRD rules when a proposed PRD abuts R-1 (in-town) or RM (county) parcels. Planning Director Kevin told the council the change codifies a minimum standard rather than leaving mitigation to post-approval negotiation.
Council response and next steps: Counsel and staff told residents the town cannot retroactively change vested approvals for PRDs already approved under previous rules, but council members said the new language will apply going forward and will give future adjacent homeowners clearer protections. Staff said the planning department will review existing plats and implementation as part of enforcement; planning and code staff agreed to inspect the Hidden Springs site and report back to council about whether the developer met the terms of its recorded plat.
Votes and motion: The council voted to adopt the ordinance amendment after a motion and second; roll call earlier in the meeting showed seven council members present and the measure passed with unanimous support.
Ending: Residents said they were grateful the town moved to codify a buffer. Town staff said they will return to the council with site-review findings and will confirm whether the approved plat for Hidden Springs required additional buffering or other improvements.
