Commission approves preliminary plat for Columbia Pike commercial subdivision amid traffic-signal and access questions

The Thompson's Station Planning Commission voted April 28 to approve a non-discretionary preliminary plat for a 46.66-acre site at 4521 Columbia Pike, clearing the way to divide the property into five commercial lots. Staff recommended approval with contingencies; the plat itself does not vest specific users or final access locations and requires subsequent site-plan approvals for each lot.

Louis Sloane of T Square Engineering (speaker 7) said the proposal splits an existing large parcel into five buildable commercial lots and preserves three proposed access points to Columbia Pike for flexibility. James Ensley (speaker 14), a traffic consultant, said the TIS treated the PM peak hour as the worst-case scenario and estimated roughly 15% of site traffic would use the westbound I-840 ramps, translating to about 100 evening peak-hour vehicles from those ramps.

Commissioners pressed staff and consultants on whether three traffic signals would be warranted and on spacing constraints along the corridor. Staff and consultants said traffic-signal warrants may be met at the three proposed accesses based on assumptions in the TIS, but actual signal locations and whether three signals are installed will be determined by TDOT and the town when site plans are submitted. One staff member estimated about a 70% chance that only one signal will ultimately be installed, and that the northernmost access may be limited to right-in/right-out depending on TDOT review.

Town staff and the town attorney noted that a preliminary plat is a vesting document for the lot configuration shown but does not grant rights to particular users; final site plans will specify off-site improvements and any required mitigation. The commission approved the preliminary plat with conditions; staff will require updated traffic analyses and any off-site improvements at the time individual site plans are filed.

The item drew sustained technical discussion and multiple requests from commissioners for further detail on signal spacing and off-site improvements; staff said those specifics will be refined in coordination with TDOT and with each subsequent site-plan submittal.