Planning Commission approves annexation of 325.53-acre Gregory property north of Brights Lane

The Gallatin City Planning Commission unanimously approved annexation of roughly 325.53 acres owned by Gregory north of the Facebook site, near Brights Lane and Rountree Drive.

City staff presented the request and recommended a single staff condition altering the annexation boundary: change the length of two property lines (identified in staff materials as lines L28 and L30) from 25 feet to 10 feet to minimize how much of Brights Lane is included in the annexation. The commission approved the annexation with that condition; Commissioner John made the motion and Commissioner Albert seconded.

Why it matters: the property owner has submitted a concurrent comprehensive-plan amendment request seeking industrial land use for the acreage, and public-comment testimony at the meeting urged industrial zoning because commercial and manufacturing interest in the city remains high. Annexation is the preliminary step that allows the city to later process rezoning and site plans.

Details: staff said the annexation includes a narrow “sliver” of Brights Lane to establish contiguity; the applicant noted parts of Brights Lane remain privately owned by the Gregory family and that the 10-foot connection is the smallest area necessary to join the parcels. During questions commissioners pressed staff and the applicant about access, potential connections to Rountree Drive, and future site-plan-level issues including intersection geometry. The applicant said the owner intends industrial zoning and has submitted a comprehensive-plan amendment; staff clarified annexation does not by itself change zoning and that Rountree Drive is not part of this annexation but is being discussed separately for potential future annexation to facilitate driveway permits and access.

Public comment and applicant representation: Rosemary, representing the Gallatin Economic Development Agency, urged a favorable vote and said the community is nearly out of industrially zoned land and that manufacturers remain interested. Andy Leath of Greenlit Design represented the applicant and answered technical questions about property ownership and contiguity.

Next steps: annexation approval allows the applicant to pursue rezoning and site-plan approvals; the commission and staff said several development issues (access points, intersection alignment, and detailed utilities/engineering) will be handled during rezoning and subsequent site-plan review. The applicant has also submitted a comprehensive-plan amendment request to show intent for industrial use, but no rezoning or site-plan approvals were granted at this meeting.