Commission approves Stuart Creek Veil retail plan after discussion of lighting, access and TDOT coordination

The Smyrna Planning Commission approved the Stuart Creek Veil retail site plan at its Jan. 9 meeting after extended discussion about access, lighting and coordination with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Staff described the proposal as a 9,000-square-foot general retail center near the Olmerville/Poplarwood intersection with a single right-in, right-out driveway on Olmerville Road, additional access from a future parcel to the west, and proposed upgrades in the Almondville Road vicinity tied to earlier gas-station improvements. Vehicle use area and landscaping met town requirements (0.61 acres vehicle use area, 2,750 square feet of landscaping shown; parking shown at 51 spaces where 45 are required). Staff said the applicant revised elevations to meet material-percentage standards and moved a dumpster fully onto the parcel.

Commissioners and staff addressed neighborhood concerns about lighting and noise. Staff said the ordinance prohibits commercial lighting from shining onto adjacent residential lots and that lighting will be reviewed during plan and permit reviews. For noise, staff said the drive-through and queuing design place noise-generating elements away from the adjacent single-family lots; the commission asked the applicant to consider speaker/microphone orientation if a drive-through tenant later installs such equipment.

Traffic and access dominated the discussion: TDOT required a continuous right-turn lane in the corridor and the applicant provided an escrow account to fund required signal upgrades; staff said a traffic study already accounted for the retail development. The commission discussed whether a raised median or painted/striped treatment would best prevent left turns at the right-in/right-out access; staff said the approved gas-station site-plan work and a public-works project to modify signal timing were proceeding and that the town will coordinate with TDOT on corridor design (sidewalks, bike facilities remain under discussion with TDOT).

The commission voted to approve the site plan with staff comments and to ask staff to consider the entrance-area details and vehicle turning treatments in coordination with fire and public-works staff. Minutes show voice approval; numeric vote tallies were not read into the record.

Why it matters: The project advances a commercial node near residential neighborhoods, with potential effects on lighting, noise, pedestrian access and intersection operations. Coordination with TDOT and the escrowed funds for signal work are central to mitigating traffic impacts.