Resident asks county to resolve 1970s plat discrepancy for Rustic Hills Drive

Colleen Donath, a Rustic Hills Drive resident, told the Cheatham County Commission during the Sept. 15 workshop that county maintenance records recognize only 0.2 miles of Rustic Hills Drive while original plat maps and planning commission minutes from the 1970s show the road was designed as roughly 0.45 miles and included a 49-foot-wide section of original asphalt plus a 24-foot-wide segment ending in a cul-de-sac.

Donath said she reviewed plat maps dated Feb. 25, 1978, and a revised map dated Aug. 14, 1978, and asked why the county now maintains a smaller portion of the road. She said she also reviewed planning commission minutes from the 1970s and that minutes from Dec. 18, 1976, and June 24, 1978, indicate planners approved the road pending bonds and signatures.

The issue matters, Donath said, because the portion of the original road that the county does not currently maintain remains in uncertain condition and residents are unclear whether they are responsible for upkeep. "If the road was originally approved and developed as approximately 0.45 of a mile, why is the county only recognizing and maintaining 0.2 of a mile today?" she asked.

Roads Superintendent Bob Binkley told Donath earlier that the roads department does not maintain archived documentation going back to the road's original development and that the department presently operates from its 2025 records. Commissioner Greer (identified in the workshop by surname) asked that Binkley and planning staff consult the county attorney and return to the commission with clarification and documentation.

No formal vote was taken at the workshop; commissioners directed staff to investigate the discrepancy and report back with records and a recommendation.

Residents seeking answers should expect follow-up from county roads and planning staff once the attorney and staff complete the records review.