Commission approves Paddock senior housing rezoning; developer to help pay for Pleasant Grove left-turn lane

The Mount Juliet Board of Commissioners approved land-use and rezoning ordinances for the Paddock Senior (Weller Life Communities) project on second reading June 9, and the board adopted conditions requiring a traffic improvement on Pleasant Grove Road.

Key points of the action: - Land-use and rezoning: The commission approved both the land-use plan amendment and rezoning ordinance for the Paddock senior housing project (ordinances read together). The proposal changes the plan designation for parcels at 535 Pleasant Grove Road from interstate commercial to multifamily residential and rezones approximately 33.52 acres to an RM/PUD classification to allow the age-restricted plan. - Traffic mitigation and developer contribution: Commissioners amended the approval to require a left-turn lane on Pleasant Grove Road, with design per Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) standards: at least 100 feet of storage and appropriate bay taper. The developer agreed to construct the improvement or pay a per-lot contribution of $7,500. The board also agreed that the developer may receive a credit against that per-lot contribution for the construction cost of the turn lane (credit limited to construction costs; engineering/design costs excluded). Any remaining contribution balance after crediting construction costs is to be collected at the time of the erosion-control permit issuance and allocated to Pleasant Grove Road or the Central Pike interchange at Public Works' discretion. - Playground waiver: Staff and planning recommended omitting a play lot because the development is age-restricted; planning staff supported the omission.

Why it matters: The requirement for the turn lane addresses traffic-safety concerns at the Pleasant Grove Road approach; the per-lot contribution structure lets the developer fund the mitigation without delaying the project, while ensuring the city benefits if construction costs are lower than the aggregate voluntary contributions.

Vote and next steps: The ordinances passed on second reading (commission recorded a 4-1 vote for final passage). Staff will finalize the developer contribution agreement and confirm the construction scope and letter-of-credit amounts before final permitting.

Ending: The developer will prepare construction drawings and a letter of credit for review by Public Works and TDOT standards. The board will record the final agreement and schedule any follow-up inspections during permitting.