Hendersonville approves Lincoln Rockland Commercial Plaza rezoning despite traffic, road-extension concerns

The Hendersonville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 9‑3 on Aug. 26 to rezone about 26 acres on Rockland Road to allow the Lincoln Rockland Commercial Plaza, approving the Lincoln Property Company’s development plan with an exhibit amendment that realigns the project entrance and requires on‑site road improvements.

Supporters said the project will add Class A industrial space and daytime jobs; opponents raised safety and drainage concerns and pressed the developer to fund a longer road connection to South Centerpoint Road.

The rezoning vote followed a lengthy public hearing and questions from aldermen about traffic flow, drainage and whether the developer could or would extend the new road beyond the development’s property. Tyler Jones, representing Lincoln Property Company, said the applicant will “spend more dollars out there on Rockland Road to make it safer for the constituents based on the comments we heard last time,” and that the company planned to construct roughly one third of the connection labeled in plans as Public Road A. Parks Ball, a civil engineer with Kimley‑Horn, described the planned roadway as an asphalt three‑lane section with concrete curb and gutter, a 10‑foot multi‑use trail on the new public street and related drainage and lighting work.

Aldermen who opposed the rezoning argued the developer did not control all the necessary right‑of‑way to complete a longer western extension to South Centerpoint Road and warned the board against exacting significant offsite improvements on private property. City staff clarified the city’s capital improvement plan includes the longer connection as a future project, and that the developer agreed to realign the driveway and add a deceleration lane at Rockland Road as shown in the amendment exhibit.

During the meeting, developers and city engineers discussed cost estimates. One developer representative estimated a total project cost “plus or minus 59,” which attendees understood as roughly $59 million. The applicant also acknowledged it did not own all of the land required to extend the road to South Centerpoint; aldermen were told the developer could not absorb the entire cost of an offsite extension that crosses other private parcels and a ravine that would require a bridge.

Alderman Skidmore and others raised localized safety issues on Rockland Road, including standing water that can pond in heavy rain and the AM peak stacking that already backs traffic up on the roadway. The developer said the project team would coordinate with the city’s engineering staff to address drainage and alignment problems and noted plans to construct a deceleration lane and realigned access to improve sightlines.

The board added the developer’s roadway exhibit to the approved industrial plan development as an amendment. The measure passed 9‑3; Aldermen Burgdorff, Skidmore and Martin cast the three no votes.

The approved plan requires the applicant to dedicate the new internal public road to the city and build the specified roadway improvements shown in the attached exhibit; final details of offsite work, additional right‑of‑way acquisition and utility relocations were left for engineering and permitting stages.

City staff and the developer said additional traffic and drainage design will be part of site‑plan review and permitting. Aldermen also asked planning and public works staff to continue pursuing the longer westward connection in the city’s capital plan so future developments can join the roadway in phases.

The ordinance took effect as the board directed following second reading.

Developers: Lincoln Property Company; engineer: Kimley‑Horn; counsel and applicant representatives present at the hearing.

Votes at a glance: second reading, ordinance 2025‑13 (rezoning for Lincoln Rockland Commercial Plaza) — approved 9 in favor, 3 opposed.

Next steps: final engineering during site‑plan review and permitting; potential further discussions about right‑of‑way acquisition and funding for the western extension.