Planning commission defers Foxland Harbor Marina amendment after extensive public opposition and staff concerns

The Gallatin Planning Commission on May 19 unanimously granted the applicant’s request to defer consideration of an amended preliminary master development plan (PMDP) for the Foxland Harbor Marina, after more than two hours of public comment and staff presentation.

The amendment under review adds a dry-storage building and a mixed-use hotel/condo/restaurant building to previously approved marina plans. Planning staff reported the dry-storage building would contain 200 covered slips and the mixed-use building’s preliminary layout showed about 10 hotel rooms, 20 condominiums and roughly 5,000 square feet of commercial space (about 3,500 square feet of that proposed as a restaurant and roughly 1,600 square feet as retail). Staff noted the applicant requested height exceptions and alternative building materials; staff recommended the change be treated as a major amendment and included conditions requiring masonry (brick/stone) facades that match existing nearby buildings.

Why it matters: Neighbors said the scale and commercial character of the revised plan conflict with Foxland and Fairview’s predominantly residential character. Speakers raised traffic safety on Douglas Bend Road, concerns about parking and trailer storage, shoreline and water-safety effects, and the adequacy and impartiality of prior studies. Planning commissioners said they needed more time and more detail on architecture, traffic mitigation and access before making a recommendation to the city council.

Details of community objections and developer response - Multiple residents said the revised plan represents a substantial change from earlier presentations and urged the commission to treat it as a "major" change rather than a minor amendment. Public speakers included Nick Meder (1443 Boardwalk Place), Robert Shellis (1231 Orton Circle), Mike Schulte (1489 Boardwalk Place), John Gardner (1145 McCroy Circle), David Shearer (Albatross Way), Barry Gray (original investor), Chandra Waller (Albatross Way), Edwin Mims (905 Ramsey Drive) and Lois Strong (end of Foxland Boulevard). Many warned that Douglas Bend Road is narrow and already congested, and that adding hotel, restaurants and a large marina would worsen public-safety and traffic access for emergency vehicles. - Friends of Old Hickory Lake, represented by attorney Tom Lee, submitted formal objections and asked the commission to treat the amendment as a major revision because of height exceptions, material waivers and other departures from the existing Foxland master plan. Lee also recommended the resolution language be revised to reflect the staff recommendation that the change is a major amendment. - Residents pressed the commission for a traffic study, argued that counting of parking spaces relied on existing public boat-ramp stalls that are unavailable at peak times, and urged protections to prevent storage of empty boat trailers in visible community parking areas. - The applicant (Goodall) and project team said the expanded plan became possible after acquiring additional land and that adding the dry-storage product was intended to make the project financially viable and to fund necessary roadway improvements (including a proposed access/turn lanes on Douglas Bend Road). The applicant said the public boat ramp will remain public under the current lease and that the developer would fund traffic improvements recommended by city engineering. The applicant agreed to work with staff on masonry requirements and said they would provide additional architectural elevations and lake- and street-level renderings at the final master development plan stage.

Commission discussion and outcome Commissioners repeatedly returned to a single planning question: whether the proposed plan can be reasonably conditioned to protect neighborhood circulation and character or whether the scope of changes requires more detailed materials, traffic analysis and a full major-amendment review before a recommendation to city council. Commissioners emphasized they were not opposed to a waterfront amenity but wanted the applicant to return with clearer elevations and binding traffic/access agreements.

Motion and outcome The commission accepted the applicant’s request to defer the amended PMDP. Motion to grant deferral: motion made by Chair Harris; seconded by Commissioner Thompson. Vote: approved (ayes recorded; no opposing votes noted). Public comment and staff presentations on the item were extensive and will be part of the record for the next hearing.

What’s next The applicant said it will work with staff to produce additional architecture, lake- and street-level visuals, and to pursue the access and traffic agreements discussed. The matter will return to the planning commission after those materials are submitted.