Staff outlines draft subdivision-regulation changes; commission weighs street-tree placement, greenways and specimen-tree definitions

Town staff presented a package of proposed revisions to the Town of Nolensville subdivision regulations on May 13, focusing on required improvements, street-tree standards and design criteria for sidepaths and greenway trails.

What staff proposed: Chuck Down, assistant town manager, summarized edits intended to clarify construction and dedication requirements. Changes included a requirement that mail kiosks include a protective overhang; expanded traffic-impact-study requirements for certain developments; new design guidance for sidepaths and greenway trails including cross-slope and planting guidance to avoid sight-line conflicts; and street-lighting guidance aligned with the utility provider’s standards.

Street trees and planting location: Staff presented two options for street-tree placement and recommended "Option A," which allows flexibility: trees may be planted in the planting strip between curb and sidewalk where that strip is at least 10 feet deep, or alternatively in the front yard (street yard), with an allowance to place trees up to 25 feet from the property line on large lots. Staff also recommended mandatory bands of root-protection measures and a street-tree plan to accompany subdivision applications.

Specimen trees: The draft references specimen trees; staff asked for direction on the diameter threshold. The zoning ordinance currently defines specimen trees at 24 inches in diameter, while prior subdivision provisions used 12 inches. Commissioners expressed a preference for treating 12 inches as the lower specimen threshold (i.e., count specimen trees starting at 12 inches) to avoid excluding older but narrower-canopied trees. Staff said they would reconcile the definitions across the code and subdivision regulations.

Greenways and e-bikes: Staff advised against embedding a posted speed limit for bikes into subdivision rules, saying such operational restrictions would be better handled in the municipal code and enforced by law enforcement. Commissioners noted growing concerns about e-bike speeds on trails and sidewalks and asked staff to research best practices for municipal regulation, enforcement and design measures to mitigate conflicts.

Maintenance and liability: The draft carries explicit language assigning maintenance responsibility: street trees planted by a developer in public right-of-way become the HOA’s responsibility after dedication and acceptance by the town; street-yard trees outside right-of-way remain the property owner’s responsibility or the HOA’s, as designated by the developer. Commissioners asked staff to ensure the language is clear and avoid conflicts with CC&Rs and platted easements.

Next steps: Staff will reconcile specimen-tree thresholds with the zoning ordinance, finalize detail drawings for Appendix F, and publish the full draft for the June meeting. The commission indicated support for Option A on tree placement and for having staff produce a single consistent set of standards and cross sections for final adoption.