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Board sets May 12 hearing on Hillrest hillside overlay boundary change; applicant says change aligns with surveyed conservation line
Summary
A rezoning/overlay amendment to redraw the Hillrest Hillrest Overlay (HHO) boundary on a large parcel south of Macatcher Memorial Parkway was set for public hearing May 12. The applicant and staff said the proposed HHO revision is based on on‑the‑ground survey and conservation mapping; several aldermen urged caution about development on the Cool Springs gateway and protection of adjacent residential lots on Ash Drive.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen set a public hearing for May 12 on Ordinance 2025‑54, a proposal to revise the Hillrest hillside overlay (HHO) boundary for a large parcel south of Macatcher Memorial Parkway and east of Franklin Road (listed in staff materials as 354 Franklin Road).
Planning staff and the applicant’s representative, Drake Reer (landscape architect with Gamble Design Collaborative, representing Cumberland and Western Resources), said the change is intended to align the HHO with a surveyed conservation line that resulted from the recent Envision Franklin update and detailed on‑site analysis. Reer said the firm performed on‑site surveys and mapped tree canopy, steep slopes and other features used to redraw the HHO line.
Reer told the board, “We don’t have a plan. We want to make sure the HHO makes sense based on Envision Franklin and the zoning ordinance,” and emphasized the change is a boundary alignment rather than a request to change base zoning or propose immediate development.
Aldermen asked clarifying questions and expressed neighborhood concerns. Several board members said they support correcting the overlay line to reflect boots‑on‑the‑ground survey work but warned they would strongly oppose substantial structures at the Cool Springs/Mac Hatcher entrance and urged the applicant to work with neighborhood representatives and the alderman representing that ward.
Next steps: The board will hold a public hearing on May 12; any future development would require separate zoning and planning reviews.
