Developer seeks amended plan, final plat for Expanded Marketplace Phase 2; staff flags parking and stormwater details

Jim Carpenter, staff planner, told the Planning Commission the applicant seeks approval of an amended preliminary and revised final master development plan for Expanded Marketplace Phase 2, covering 4 lots on about 8.94 acres in the PGC (planned general commercial) district south of Nashville Pike and east of Wharton Crossing.

The proposal replaces a previously approved plan with six buildings (up from five), reduces total square footage by roughly 8,000 in some areas but increases restaurant space and adds two buildings in the parking field, including drive-throughs. "The applicant also requests approval of an alternate parking plan, that would provide 25 less spaces than what code would require," Carpenter said.

Ken Knuckles of Development Management Group, representing the owner and developer, said the team plans to revise plans and resubmit by the 14th and to provide the shared-parking analysis staff requested. "Parking, the previous plan was required 305. They had 314 on that. We're required to have 320, and we've got 295. So we're short 25 spaces," Knuckles said. He also said the three newly proposed restaurant spaces include drive-throughs, which the applicant expects will reduce on-site demand compared with all-inside seating.

Staff expressed concern about internal circulation, multiple drive aisles and conflict points, and asked the applicant to provide a shared-parking study to demonstrate adequacy for the proposed uses and future users. Staff also noted outstanding landscaping and stormwater conditions from the earlier FMDP that were not met and asked the applicant to show those items addressed on the revised submittal.

On the final plat, staff said comments were mostly minor but asked that maintenance responsibilities for drives and easements be clearly noted on the recorded plat and tied to the business owners association or reciprocal easement agreements if parcels are later sold. Chris Mayberry of Reagan Smith (the engineer representative) said the team will provide the requested note and work through outstanding stormwater and open-space comments.

No formal action or vote was recorded in the work session. Staff and the applicant indicated they expect to return to Planning Commission with revised plans and responses to conditions.

Ending: Planning staff said the applicant must submit the shared-parking study and revised stormwater and landscaping information before the item advances to a formal Planning Commission hearing; the applicant indicated a resubmittal within the week.