Fellowship Bible Church asks Franklin to delay street and sidewalk work; nearby residents object

Fellowship Bible Church representatives asked Franklin City officials at a neighborhood meeting to delay construction of several road and sidewalk elements required under the site's approved development plan. Greg Gamble, a landscape architect and land-planning consultant representing the church, said the requests do not change the approved buildings or uses on the campus but would postpone certain off-site connections.

Gamble outlined three modification-of-standards requests. The first would delay construction of the required northbound stub street to the property line shared with the parcel to the north until that adjoining property is sold or developed. "There is no existing...point of connection to the property to the north," Gamble said, and delaying the stub would let the church "maintain this rural, field edge along Lewisburg Pike." The second and related requests seek to postpone pedestrian connections: a sidewalk from the church entrance to Lewisburg Pike and a separate sidewalk along Lewisburg Pike itself, until the city proposes a more comprehensive sidewalk plan or further roadway improvements.

Gamble emphasized the church's budget rationale: "Every dollar that you will see spent, on this site will be donated by someone," he said, arguing donors prefer funds be used for on-campus work rather than short segments of off-site sidewalk that could be removed if the road is widened later.

Gamble described next procedural steps for the revision: a joint conceptual workshop before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Planning Commission (cited in the meeting as scheduled for April 23), a Planning Commission public hearing (noted for May 28), and then two readings before the board. The Planning Commission hearing is a public hearing, Gamble said.

Nearby residents spoke during the meeting. "We are very supportive of not moving forward with the road to nowhere, as we call it," said Mike Clay, joined by Rebecca Clay; the couple said they own the parcel immediately north of the church site and have no plans to sell or develop it. Gamble encouraged them to submit written comments or an email to the planning department and said staff (he named a staff member, Jerry) could help route letters to the right people.

Attendee Andy Norwood asked whether blasting on the site had finished. Gamble and Bill Wellens, identified in the meeting as representing the church, said on-site blasting is complete; Gamble added officials were still evaluating potential blasting to the west related to a sewer connection. "The answer to that is yes," Gamble and later Wellens said regarding blasting on the church site.

No formal vote or motion occurred at the neighborhood meeting; Gamble said the neighborhood meeting is a required step before the formal public review process. The meeting video will be posted on the Franklin City website and interested residents can submit comments ahead of the Planning Commission hearing.