Commission OKs rezoning on John Bragg Highway for proposed self-storage facility

The Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission voted Sept. 8 to rezone a 2.6-acre parcel at 6525 John Bragg Highway from Residential Medium Density to Light Industrial to permit construction of a proposed self-storage facility.

Doug Mosse, planning staff, described the applicant’s plan to use less than half the property for a modern, community-oriented indoor storage facility with low-impact lighting, perimeter fencing and no permanent staff or restroom facilities, and said staff recommended approval. Mosse noted access would be from John Bragg Highway, a state road, and that any new or modified entrance requires Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) approval.

Applicant Joan Reichen told the commission she had personally contacted neighbors and said she had "overwhelming support" from roughly 80% of nearby residents she reached; she said the facility would primarily generate low traffic levels. Reichen told commissioners she had looked into a planned unit development but considered that process too time-consuming for the scale of the proposal. When asked if she would agree to limit uses to self-storage, Reichen said, "I would have no objection to that." Mosse noted, however, that restricting uses in that way would generally require a planned development rather than a straight rezoning.

Commissioners asked about median cuts, turn lanes and stormwater; staff said TDOT could require a traffic study and that industrial zones must provide a Type 3 buffer adjacent to residential zoning (typically 50 feet, reducible to 25 feet with a solid visual screen). A neighboring landowner, Daniel Koonifer, spoke in support; several other supporters were also present. The motion to approve carried on roll call; one commissioner recorded a no vote.