Plan commission amends high school buffer to 60 feet, approves site plan while leaving Highview access dispute unresolved

The City of Franklin Plan Commission voted Oct. 9 to amend a natural resource special exception previously tied to Franklin High School and to approve a site-plan amendment for the school’s proposed athletic and site improvements at 8222 South 50th Street.

The commission changed a prior condition that had imposed a 150-foot wooded buffer along parts of the site to an average 60-foot setback, and approved the school’s site-plan amendment while removing a site-plan condition that duplicated a separate conditional-use restriction about access from Highview Drive. The separate limitation on Highview Drive access remains part of the conditional-use record and is the subject of pending litigation, the city attorney said.

Why it matters: Neighbors who live along the school property have pushed for a wider buffer to protect woodlands, reduce noise and screen light. The district and its consultants argued the plan (which includes improvements such as a building addition, tennis courts and a soccer field) is not feasible with a larger setback and that alternatives were explored. The commission’s action permits the school to move forward on construction while leaving the legal question of Highview Drive access to the conditional-use process and outside the site-plan…