Mount Juliet, Tenn. — On Oct. 17 the Mount Juliet Planning Commission recommended annexation of Silver Springs Phases 8–13 into the city but voted against the PUD amendment that would permit the additional phases and variances the developer requested.

Staff said the phases lie inside the city’s urban growth boundary and recommended annexation; commissioners agreed and made a positive recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. For the PUD amendment, staff described adding roughly 21 acres and 96 lots and supported several common variances (cul‑de‑sac length, unit counts, steep‑slope disturbance) with conditions and a traffic analysis. Transportation staff said the developer’s traffic study showed reasonable access could be provided without a second access point, and staff supported the variances as commonly applied in the development.

Multiple residents from Silver Springs testified in opposition, citing long construction timelines, erosion and stormwater complaints, HOA control by the builder and increased homeowner fees. Ryan Carr, a longtime resident, said the expansion will add “2 to 300 more cars” and complained about years of construction, drainage and HOA governance. The commission debated emergency access, fire code considerations and the practical limits of a single entrance; the fire official flagged concerns about evacuation and emergency access for large subdivisions. After discussion, the commission moved a negative recommendation on the PUD amendment and forwarded the annexation as positive.

Next steps: the annexation will go to the Board of Commissioners with a positive recommendation; the developer can present the PUD amendment at the BOC despite the commission’s negative recommendation.