Council approves first reading for 76‑unit townhome PUD at 110 Badger Avenue amid tree and stormwater questions

Oak Ridge city council voted on first reading to approve a planned unit development (PUD) and rezoning for a 10.44‑acre site at 110 Badger Avenue that would allow construction of 76 attached townhomes, a clubhouse, pool and internal roads.

The proposal, presented by planning staff and the developer, would change the land‑use designation from office/institutional to residential and rezone the parcel to R‑4 PUD. Planning staff told the council the planning commission recommended approval.

Developer Rick Chen said the project’s financial viability depends on building the entire phase at once — leveraging a HUD loan — and that density is needed to make the numbers work. Chen described stormwater measures that may include dry ponds and underground storage and said a tree inventory and arborist study are underway to identify which existing trees, if any, can be retained amid required grading and sewer elevation work. “There is an existing pond that is utilized by stormwater … that will be able to handle that as well as the additional stormwater runoff that we will generate,” Chen said.

Council member Smith pressed staff and the developer about stormwater detention ponds and explicit plans to retain mature trees. Smith said existing trees are an asset and requested a plan showing which specimens would be preserved; staff replied that the final design and tree retention details are handled at the site‑plan stage and that the applicant is performing a tree study.

Questions from council also touched on parking and unit layout. The developer said a variance to reduce required parking was requested because of the project’s density, that most units would include two‑car garages, and that some on‑street parking would be first‑come, first‑served. The units were described as three‑level townhomes, with garages on the ground floor and bedrooms on the second level.

Council approved the PUD rezoning and preliminary master plan on first reading by voice vote and directed the applicant to return for second reading in December. The council did not adopt final site‑plan details during this meeting; staff said those elements — including final stormwater engineering and tree retention plans — will be reviewed at the site‑plan stage.

Next steps: the developer will return for the second reading and final plan approvals; staff will continue review of the tree study and site‑level stormwater design.