Planning commission recommends annexation of 32.8-acre Crestwater site for 61-home subdivision amid traffic and stormwater concerns

At a meeting of the Hendersonville Planning Commission, members voted 5-3 to recommend that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approve voluntary annexation and rezoning of a 32.8-acre property at 1765 Avant Lane to allow a 61-lot single-family subdivision under the Mixed Residential Planned Development (MXRPD) district. The applicant, Century Communities (represented in the hearing by Kimberly Horn and consultant Josh Roland of Kimley‑Horn), also proposed dedicating 5.36 acres of playing fields and a gravel parking area to the city.

The recommended plan would rezone land currently classified as rural residential in Sumner County and located in the city's urban growth boundary. Planning staff told commissioners the proposal calls for 61 single-family lots with minimum lot sizes of 6,600 square feet, sidewalks and street trees, a four-foot fence along Avant Lane and no driveway access from Avant Lane for lots fronting that road. Staff said letters from utility providers are on file confirming capacity for gas, electric, water and sewer service.

Why it matters: Residents who live in adjacent Durham Farms and nearby neighborhoods urged the commission to pause the annexation until major off-site road and stormwater projects are completed. Speakers said existing congestion and repeated flooding in the Drakes Creek corridor have made travel and drainage hazardous; developers and staff said the project includes public benefits intended to mitigate local impacts.

Residents' concerns and developer response

Several residents who live next to or near the site urged denial or postponement. Mark Evans, a 33-year Hendersonville resident who said he represents BOMA at times, told commissioners: "We cannot consider any new homes in this area until the roads are improved greatly."…