Committee approves 7 SFUs for Couchville Crossings; developer says projections were conservative

The Wilson County Sewer Access Committee voted to reserve 7 SFUs (24,500 gpd) for Couchville Crossings, a gas station with attached quick‑service retail proposed by Couchville LLC on parcels along Couchville Pike.

Christopher told the committee the city of Lebanon had issued an approval letter for 7 SFUs, even though staff said historical comparables for similar developments are often closer to 9 SFUs. The county’s fee for the 7‑SFU reservation was presented as $210,000, with $21,000 (10%) due within 30 days if the board approved.

Developer representative Gus Wilson described the applicants’ approach as conservative and said tenant projections (including a 7‑Eleven/Speedway conversion and a quick‑service restaurant modeled on McDonald’s usage) supported the 7‑SFU figure. He told the committee they expected actual tenants might use less flow and said, “But we feel confident that it'll be below 7.”

Committee members discussed the county’s audit authority and what would happen if an audit later showed higher usage; staff said audits can be used to charge for additional SFUs after the fact but the county cannot easily revoke service. The committee approved the reservation by voice vote and recorded the reserved units against the Couchville Pike segment totals.

Ending: Staff will issue approval paperwork and track the reservation; committee discussed the possibility of approving additional capacity later if audit data warrants it.