Wilson County panel approves sewer-capacity reservation for Crossroads logistics project

Wilson County’s planning committee approved a sewer-capacity reservation for the Crossroads logistics project, authorizing 21 single-family-equivalent (SFU) units for two buildings at 2416 and 2536 McCreary Road and imposing a nonrefundable 10% reservation fee, committee members said at the meeting.

Kirk, the staff presenter, told the committee the request was submitted by Jim Lukens on behalf of Ware Malcolm and LBA Logistics and that the parcels involved (map 137, parcels 1501 and 1503) are owned by William A. Register and Penelope G. May. Staff said the city of Lebanon completed its review and provided a fee letter included in the packet; county fees for the fully built project total $630,000 ($30,000 per approved SFU), and the required 10% reservation deposit would be $63,000, due within 30 days of committee approval.

Staff recommended approving a two-year capacity reservation, with the option of a two-year extension tied to site-plan approvals. Kirk told the committee that if a tenant later proposes uses that would consume more sewer capacity than approved, the applicant must return to the committee to request additional capacity.

Bob Malcolm, speaking for the applicant, confirmed awareness of the city’s contribution requirements and described plans to have the sites carry Logistics Drive addresses at certificate of occupancy. Committee members and the applicant discussed site details including access restrictions that would prevent vehicle or employee ingress from McCreary Road, retention of existing cedar trees and required landscaping buffers, and an existing TVA easement that partially separates portions of the site.

During discussion, a representative of the West Wilson Utility District said he believed county planners had begun requiring signatures under penalty of perjury on plats; staff clarified that the signature requirement referenced appears on certain applications rather than on plats and offered to discuss the matter with the commenter offline.

A committee member raised a broader concern about whether the city’s current practice of requiring purchasers of county-owned capacity to contribute to downstream upgrades effectively amounts to being charged twice for the same capacity given the county’s prior purchase of capacity from the city. Staff said the exact terms hinge on the interlocal agreement between the county and the city and committed to review that contract language and report back to the committee.

A motion to approve the sewer-capacity reservation, including the staff-recommended conditions and the 10% reservation deposit, was made and seconded; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and the chair declared it carried. The record does not specify names for the motion and second in the transcript provided.

Next procedural steps noted by staff: county sewer access fees will be payable to the county before issuance of final site-plan approval and before any related capacity commitment is finalized; the reservation fee becomes nonrefundable if capacity is not used within the two-year reservation term.

The committee adjourned with no further business.