Planning commission approves rezoning, multiple site plans and plats; refers land-use amendment and rezoning to county commission

The Wilson County Planning Commission on Aug. 22 approved a package of development actions — including a rezoning application, multiple site plans and several plats — and took separate action to defer one rezoning to the September meeting.

Rezoning sent to county commission: The commission approved a request from property owner Paul Goddard to rezone about 11 acres at 4881 Murfreesboro Road from A-1 agricultural to C-3 highway commercial and to amend the county land use designation from low-density residential to higher-intensity commercial. Christopher (planning staff) told the commission the county’s growth plan does not direct commercial uses in that area but noted prior nearby rezoning approvals and described standards that would apply if the property is later developed.

Tori Goddard, who said she represents Goddard Construction, told the commission the family bought the parcel to use an existing house on site as a construction office and that the business will move from Mount Juliet to Lebanon. Commissioners approved the rezoning by voice vote; the planner recorded the count as 9 in favor and 2 opposed (Miss Nicholson and Mr. Rempro voted no). Christopher said the land-use amendment requires 30 days’ notice and will be scheduled for the county commission; the county commission will hear the land-use amendment in October.

Deferral: Hillwood Investments, representing property on Highway 452, requested deferral to the Sept. 19 meeting; the planning commission voted to defer that rezoning at the start of the new-business agenda.

Site plans: The commission approved multiple site plans during the meeting: - Martin Marietta quarry, 2147 Murfreesboro Road: Staff recommended approval; planning commissioners approved a site plan that includes an on-site office. Christopher noted the city of Lebanon will not accept pump-and-haul from that site and that the developer has arranged for sewer hauling to an out-of-county facility; the planning department concluded the plan met requirements. - Jeton 93 (listed as Castle Pike; address amended to 75 Maddox Road): The commission approved a contractor’s office and storage yard in a C-4 district with conditions. Staff said the developer agreed to a fully opaque screen along road frontage and to a dust-control surface for the storage yard in lieu of paving; Charlie Dean (Dean Design Group) told commissioners the applicant will apply an emulsifier (calcium chloride) annually and enter a stormwater maintenance agreement. Commissioners discussed enforcement and accepted staff recommendations. - Calvary Baptist Church site plan, 1702 Sparta Pike: The commission approved the plan. The church’s civil engineer, Jerry Warren, said the project has coordinated with the county fire marshal and that the proposed sanctuary is currently not required to be sprinklered under the county’s code as presented. - Tower Cove Gladeville (new cell tower), 8074 Stewarts Ferry Pike: Staff recommended approval after the applicant submitted a balloon test and a utility-lot plat; planning staff reminded commissioners that the utility plat must be recorded before site-plan stamping and that the tower pad will be built up to the base flood elevation because part of the parcel lies within the 100-year floodplain. Jim Murphy (TowerCo representative) said the tower would be 125 feet plus a 5-foot lightning rod (130 feet). The commission approved the site plan; staff will require the recorded plat and balloon test before final stamp.

Plats and subdivisions: The commission affirmed and approved multiple subdivisions and boundary surveys listed on the meeting agenda, including the Tower Cove utility lot plat tied to the cell-tower site plan and several two-lot resubdivisions and consolidations. At the meeting’s close the commission corrected the address for a Jordan Fleming subdivision to 2291 Cooks Road and approved that affirmation plat.

Administrative items and other business: The commission approved minutes from the July 10 meeting, affirmed the current slate of officers by unanimous vote, and handled multiple ministerial agenda items during the session.

Ending: Approved items (rezoning, site plans and plats) will move to the county level where required: the Goddard rezoning and land-use amendment will be forwarded to the Wilson County Commission for further action in October; other approvals (site plans and plats) proceed through the county’s permitting and recording processes as specified by staff.