BZA denies paving waiver for Jones property after resident warns of millings leaching into Old Hickory Lake
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Summary
The board denied a paving‑requirement waiver for a commercial storage site (case 4349). During public comment, a nearby resident warned that asphalt millings placed at or near the site have begun to erode into a drainage feeding Old Hickory Lake and argued the material contains heavy metals and bitumen; staff maintained the waiver would be inconsistent with the zoning order.
The Wilson County Board of Zoning Appeals voted to deny an applicant’s request to waive commercial paving requirements for a storage/parking area on a C‑3 zoned parcel (case 4349).
Planning staff told the board that commercial parking and drive aisles must be paved under the zoning order and recommended denial of Billy Jones’ request for a blanket waiver. Jones told the board the site functions primarily as a storage yard for trailers and related equipment and that roughly 4 acres are currently in use as storage.
During public comment, Reagan Fuquay Saar said she lives at 1225 Northern Road and described ongoing environmental concerns connected to asphalt millings that have been placed near the site and along a nearby drainage. Her testimony said the millings have crossed a drainage that flows to Spence Creek and Old Hickory Lake and that, in her view, “the milling is sitting down and all of the storm water drainage is picking up all the microplastics.” She testified the material contains bitumen and alleged it releases heavy metals; she said millings “are not allowed in landfills in the state of Tennessee” and warned of risks to swimmers and anglers in Old Hickory Lake.
Board members and staff focused the hearing on the limited question before them: whether to waive county paving standards for the areas used as parking and drive aisles. Staff reiterated that if the area is used as a parking lot under the ordinance, the paved parking and drive aisles would be required and a site plan would be needed. The board then voted to deny the waiver based on staff recommendation.
The board’s denial means the applicant must comply with the county’s paving and site‑plan requirements if the use is developed as a parking lot. Environmental and public‑health claims raised by a resident were recorded in the public record during the hearing but were not independently substantiated by staff testimony at the meeting; they may be referred to county environmental staff or state regulators for follow up.