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Germantown planning commission approves Wolf River Medical site plan with tree‑mitigation conditions
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Summary
The Planning Commission approved a two‑building medical office site plan on roughly 13.7 acres south of Wolf River Boulevard, subject to four staff conditions including traffic and drainage reviews and a $30,000 tree‑mitigation payment to cover 75 replacement trees. Neighbors urged additional screening and raised concerns about hazardous trees in a preserved natural area.
The Germantown Planning Commission voted to approve the preliminary and final site plan for the Wolf River Medical project, a two‑building medical office development on about 13.7 acres south of Wolf River Boulevard, subject to the staff report and four conditions of approval.
Chairman John McCreery opened the item and turned the presentation over to planning staff (Miss Korolewski), who said the site is in the O (Office) zoning district and the proposal would be built in two phases with each building about 54,450 square feet. "This is the site," staff said during the presentation, describing the location west of Riverdale Road and noting previous 2019 approvals that expired when the applicant did not move forward then.
Staff told the commission the city's vegetation ordinance (Chapter 22) uses a guideline of 16 replacement trees per acre; at that rate the site would require roughly 222 trees, of which the applicant proposes to plant 147 on site and pay a mitigation fee for the remainder. "Those are 75 trees that need to be replaced...you come up to $30,000," Miss Korolewski said, explaining the parks department rate of $400 per 3‑inch replacement tree and that the fee will be paid at the time of the development contract.
Applicant Joe Jarrett, of Twin Bridges Investments, told the commission his team had worked with neighbors for about 10 months and had fenced and preserved a natural area at the neighbors' request. "We really don't have that much to add," Jarrett said, adding the team had removed front‑end parking facing the Vineyards neighborhood to increase screening and that they were comfortable with the four conditions staff recommended.
During the public‑hearing portion, Bob Jurgens, a Vineyards resident, urged additional screening and asked for an 8‑foot fence to address security and visual impacts he said would result from the grade difference between his street and the site. Jurgens also said several trees in the preserved natural area appeared hazardous: "They're infested with wood bores, whatnot," he said, asking that hazardous trees be addressed.
Commissioners and staff clarified the application does not include a neighbor's separate fence request; the commission advised the resident to pursue a variance or administrative relief with staff if desired. Commissioners pressed the applicant for opportunities to add screening where feasible; Jarrett said the low, wet conditions in parts of the preserved area limit plantability and noted additional trees planned on an adjacent parcel that cannot be credited to this site's mitigation.
Commissioner Jacobs moved to approve the preliminary and final site plan for phases 1 and 2 of the Wolf River Medical project "subject to the staff report, the 4 conditions of approval, and the general requirements listed above in our staff report," and Alderman Salvaggio seconded. Commissioners unanimously supported the motion during roll call; Commissioner Sloan, Commissioner Sisson, Commissioner Levy, Commissioner Jacobs, Alderman Salvaggio, Chairman McCreery and Mayor Palazzolo each voted "yes."
The conditions include completion of required infrastructure with phase 1, submission and satisfactory review of trip‑generation and hydraulic/drainage studies (which could require plan modifications), compliance with tree mitigation or payment in lieu, and other standard construction‑plan submittal requirements. Assistant City Attorney Josh Whitehead clarified that Tennessee law prohibits conditional rezoning but allows site‑plan approvals to include conditions, which the body affirmed.
The commission asked staff to continue coordinating with the developer and neighbors during Design Review Commission review of architecture, landscape and fencing, and staff indicated the tree mitigation policy (Chapter 22) will be reviewed with parks, the tree board, economic development and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen as part of ongoing zoning text amendments.
The approval advances the project to design‑review and construction‑plan review stages; if required traffic or drainage studies reveal the need for site modifications, the applicant may need to return to the commission. The commission adjourned following additional reports on BZA matters and the city's comprehensive‑plan kickoff.
