Council advances Wedgwood Townhomes rezoning to city council after developer revisions

The Gallatin City Council voted on July 8 to send the Wedgewood Townhomes preliminary master development plan and rezoning application forward to the full council for final consideration.

Why it matters: The proposal would rezone about 10.18 acres from R-15 (medium-density residential) to MU (mixed use) to permit 72 rear-load townhome units organized in 13 buildings with internal alleys, a collector extension and a small reserved commercial parcel. Proponents say the layout keeps driveways off the primary new collector, provides alley-loaded garages to reduce curb cuts, and creates a transitional edge to adjacent single-family neighborhoods.

Applicant Cal Gentry of Veil Land Company told the council that the design team extended a full road cross-section (two travel lanes, a left-turn lane and on-street parking) from the existing Wedgwood Drive connection toward the Highway 109/Nexus direction, and that the plan now preserves buffering between the proposed townhomes and adjacent single-family lots. The applicant also proposed on-site stormwater areas and committed to additional landscape buffering adjacent to existing houses.

Planning staff noted that Plan Gallatin recommends densities between 5 and 15 units per acre at this location and that the proposed density (about 8.78 units per acre) falls inside that range. The applicant requested an alternative architectural plan that would reduce the 70% brick/stone façade requirement on some units (proposing 50% of units meeting 70% brick/stone and the other 50% with 20% brick/stone). That exception requires council review.

Council outcome: Councilman Carter moved approval of the PMDP and rezoning to the council for first reading and public hearing; Vice Mayor Hayes seconded. The motion passed and the item was forwarded to council with a recorded outcome of 5–2 in favor to move the item to the council agenda for further action. Specific conditions and any final architectural exceptions will be addressed during the council review and any subsequent final master development plan (FMDP) stage.

Key clarifications and conditions from the meeting record: - Roadway: applicant committed to extending a collector-standard cross section for the new Wedgwood Drive connection; the plan retains alleys for garage access to limit driveway curb cuts on the collector. - Architectural: PMDP requests an alternative architectural plan; the planning commission recommended the PMDP to council (vote 5–0) but the alternative architectural percentage will require council approval. - Parking and open space: the proposal includes on-street parallel parking in addition to private garage spaces and provides required buffers and stormwater areas per city code. Staff noted buffers and open-space requirements will be enforced at the FMDP/site-plan stage.

Speakers at public recognition voiced a mix of concern and conditional support, with neighbors seeking strong buffering and assurances about drainage. The planning commission recommended the plan 5–0 before it reached the council. The council’s vote to move the matter forward sends the formal rezoning and PMDP to a future council meeting for final consideration.