Newsletter

Friday Recap May 29th, 2026

My Comment

It was another busy week in Williamson County. We started off with a Memorial Day Service on Monday and you can go here to watch it Memorial Day Service, and for a summary go here. They started it by playing the anthems for each service and asked us to stand when ours was played. The band was really good.

You can see from all the information below that it is hard to process everything that is going on in the county. The budget committee alone has 46 resolutions to consider next week. We are wrangling with the school budget, which is typically approximately 75% of the total county budget.

One of my major concerns is the continued development in the county. During the BOMA meeting, the board grappled with further developments that will certainly add congestion on Clovercroft Rd. Every time we add a new development, we are increasing traffic that causes more congestion, more time waiting a lights and more lost time just traveling in the county. There is a lot with regards to development in meetings this past week.

I think we all agree that there has to be more and better collaboration between the county and our municipalities. I am hopeful that once the dust settles after the August election, that we will see a much more effective and productive relationship that will honestly address the challenges of controlling development in such a way that the infrastructure can keep up. This is a quality of life issue, and we all agree that it should be a high priority as we plan for the future.

I am not including an audio synopsis this week because there is just too much to go over. You can peruse what is of most interest to you and skim the rest.

Meetings this past week were:

Memorial Day Service Education Committee Franklin BOMA Work session and BOMA meeting Property Franklin CIC BOMA FMPC Joint Conceptual Workshop

Meetings Next Week

Monday, June 1st

The Budget Committee will meet at 4:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin Agenda Committee members: Chas Morton (C), Guy Carden, Betsy Hester, Paul Web, Mayor Anderson

School Board Policy Committee will meet at 6:00 PM in the Training Center on the 1st Floor at the Williamson County Administrative Building located on the first floor at 1320 West Main Street, Franklin. Agenda

Tuesday, June 2nd

The Parks and Rec. Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin No Agenda as of yet Committee members: Drew Torres (C), Mary Smith (VC), Lisa Hayes, Gregg Lawrence, Meghan Guffee, Sean Aiello

Wednesday, June 3rd

Highway Commission will meet at 8:30 am at 302 Beasley Dr.
Franklin. Agenda

Special Court House Task Force will meet at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of the County Complex at 1320 W. Main, Franklin Agenda

Thursday, June 4th

The Public Health Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin No Agenda Committee members: Sean Aiello, David O’Neil, Chris Richards, Mary Smith, Barb Sturgeon

Friday, June 5th

The Election Commission will convene at 3:00pm at 405 Downs Blvd, Franklin Agenda

For City of Franklin meetings, go here

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The AI program I use is pretty accurate, but it does make mistakes from time to time and I don't always catch them. I provide agendas and videos/audios when I have them available and recommend that you watch the video and follow along with the summary to get the most accurate report.

One of the limitations of AI is that if a participant's name is not called out, then they are listed as participant 1, 2, etc. A limitation with audio, as opposed to video, is that one cannot always identify a person by voice alone. As imperfect as these AI summaries are, they still give a pretty good account of a meeting.

Williamson County School Board

No meetings this week

Williamson County Commission Meetings

Tuesday, May 26th

The Education Committee Agenda/Resolutions, Committee members: Steve Smith (C), Bill Petty (VC), Chris Richards, Drew Torres, Judy Herbert

AI Summary

Overview

Committee approved 6 resolutions totaling over $8M in budget amendments for FY 2025–26, all funded from fund balance or current revenues
Biggest positive surprise: letter grade bonus came in at $4M — $1.6M more than the $2.4M budgeted — adding directly to fund balance
A new Tennessee Dept. of Treasury program announced Thursday (May 21st) offers $25/enrolled student for construction and maintenance, expected to bring in ~$1M this year and ~$1M next year — details and accounting guidance still pending
Budget gap is still being finalized; Rachel is waiting on the last purchase orders and the May 31st payroll to tighten the numbers — updated figures expected before the June 18th commission meeting
The school board's budget vote was 1 for 1 abstain not a rejection — it still moves forward to the full commission

Minutes approval

Minutes from the May 7th, 2026 meeting were approved with one abstention (Participant 2, who wasn't present at that meeting)

Trustee commission transfer

Committee approved a $300,000 appropriation from the general purpose school fund to cover a trustee commission payment above what was budgeted — required by state law, tied to property tax collections coming in above projections
Total trustee commission for the year is estimated at ~$5.5M; $5M was budgeted, so $300K of the gap is being covered now with the remainder expected to be covered by year-end

ESCO energy debt payment

Committee approved transferring $1,183,842.58 to the rural and general debt service funds for the annual ESCO debt payment — covers energy improvements including LED lighting across all school buildings
The ESCO contract guarantees energy savings cover the debt; over the ~8 prior years it has paid for itself — annual verification reports are received, though the current year's report isn't in yet since the year isn't over
The budget committee has proposed forgiving this debt as a way to increase fund balance and close the budget gap — no amendment was made tonight, but the topic is live for the broader budget process

Letter grade bonus funding

Committee approved a $4M budget amendment for the letter grade bonus — up from the $2.4M originally anticipated, with the legislature adding funds late in the session to bring the district to the statutory maximum
The extra $1.6M above what was budgeted adds directly to fund balance this year
For FY 2026–27, Rachel plans to budget $2M for the letter grade bonus — conservative given the base legislative allocation may not include the supplemental funds added this year

Budget gap and fund balance outlook

Rachel is still working through final numbers — today (May 27th) was the last day for purchase requisitions, and the May 31st payroll is still outstanding
Known revenue improvements narrowing the gap: $1.6M extra from letter grade bonus, ~$1M from the new Treasury maintenance/construction program this year, and ~$2M budgeted for letter grade bonus next year
The school board is meeting June 15th; the budget committee's proposal includes a $2.2M cut (framed around textbooks) — the board will discuss whether to amend their budget after getting direction from the commission on June 18th
Commissioner Herbeert asked whether any further cuts are possible; Jason noted that anything additional would hit instruction, since non-instructional cuts have already been made

Special ed legal expenses

Committee approved a $200,000 amendment for special education legal expenses — the district budgeted $360,000 but is projected to exceed that this year
These costs are unpredictable: last year came in under budget, two years ago required a larger amendment — each case involves a small number of issues but substantial individual expense
The district has ~10,000 students with IEPs or 504 plans; Jason's view is the district handles these well statistically, though individual cases are costly and sometimes contested

Insurance and claims budget

Committee approved a $2.4M amendment for liability and property insurance claims — the first quarterly bill from county risk management exceeded the entire prior year's total, including a $600,000 premium increase alone
Rachel had already factored this into her fund balance projections, so it doesn't change the gap estimate
The district self-insures through county government's risk management office, with excess/stop-loss coverage above certain thresholds — Jim Rod is the contact for specifics on coverage levels

Wednesday, May 27th

The Property Committee Agenda Video Committee members: Ricky Jones (C), Jennifer Mason(VC), Barb Sturgeon, Brian Clifford, , Matt Williams. Commissioners Clifford and Williams were absent

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Commissioner Ricky Jones - Invite Jesse and Allie to the June property meeting for a hospital update To give the committee an update on where things stand with the hospital.
[ ] Property Dept. Head Kevin Benson - Look up the Franktown lease payment amount and share with the committee Commissioner asked how much Franktown is paying for the 30-year land lease.

Overview

Committee approved 3 resolutions unanimously (3-0 each): Columbia Ave easement, Franktown utility easements, and the annual Fair Association lease
Courthouse task force property search is active — Kevin sent a one-mile radius property list to task force members this morning, with June 3rd and June 23rd task force meetings coming up
Hospital update deferred to the June property meeting — Commissioner Jones will invite Jesse and Allie to give an update

Minutes approval

April 22nd, 2026 minutes approved unanimously with no corrections

Columbia Ave widening easement

County approved granting a fee simple interest and temporary construction easement to the City of Franklin for the Columbia Ave widening project — $18,800 payment to the county
The easement covers approximately 9 feet of county property plus an additional 15-foot construction easement, on the old highway garage building next to Moody's (now transitioning to a county surplus building)
The City of Franklin is handling the easement process and payment, though it's a state road — TDOT typically requires cities to manage easements at the local level
The widening runs from Downs Boulevard south to Maccatcher — roughly 2.5 miles, 5 lanes — with construction due to start in 2031
Payment goes to the general fund; the $188,800 figure was set by an independent appraisal and reviewed by the county attorney

Franktown Open Hearts utility easements

Committee approved two utility easements to Middle Tennessee Electric for the Franktown Open Hearts facility being built on county-owned land at the corner of Granbury and Everbright
Franktown is building the facility under a 30-year lease — they own the building, county owns the land, and the building reverts to the county if the lease ends
Commissioner Sturgeon asked what Franktown pays for the lease; Kevin Benson didn't recall and said he'd look it up (the lease was approved roughly 5–6 years ago)

Williamson County Fair lease

County approved the annual lease of a mobile trailer and pole barn on the fairgrounds to the Williamson County Fair Association — this is a recurring yearly agreement

Hospital update

No updates — Commissioner Jones will invite Jesse and Allie to the June property meeting to give a status update

Courthouse task force property search

Kevin sent task force members a one-mile radius property map and list this morning — includes all properties 5 acres or larger, with parcel sizes and owner names, compiled with help from Property Assessor Brad Coleman
The task force has a July deadline to make a decision, and Participant 8 thinks finding a willing seller among non-listed properties by then is unlikely
Commissioner Sturgeon thinks the task force needs a realtor — argues you need someone actively drumming up leads, not just waiting for something to land; others noted the task force went back and forth on this for about 20 minutes without a clear resolution
Commissioner Jennifer Mason suggested the city representative (Eric) are on the task force primarily to steer the group away from the Columbia Pike property
Task force meetings are scheduled for June 3rd and June 23rd; Commissioner Jones will invite Commissioner Aiello to the June property committee meeting to give an update

Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman

Tuesday, May 26th

City of Franklin BOMA Work Session Video Packet

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 16 - Add fee-waiver authority to Ordinance 2026-13 for resubmittal plan review fees Add language to Appendix A giving staff authority to waive the resubmittal plan review fee in appropriate circumstances. Ready for second reading.
[ ] Participant 16 - Add fee review schedule to Ordinance 2026-13 Board asked for a periodic review schedule so fees aren't left untouched for another 20 years.
[ ] Participant 20 - Bring back DePriest/Carter House park concept plan resolution in late June Residents opposed closing Straw Street; board wants more time to speak with residents and explore options (one-way, emergency-only access, bollards, abandoning the segment as a private drive). Delay resolution to end of June.
[ ] Participant 20 - Add Columbia Ave crosswalk study to Franklin Battlefield Park concept plan Multiple board members asked that a safe pedestrian/bike crossing of Columbia Avenue between the park parcels be added to the concept plan for future planning.
[ ] Participant 20 - Investigate emergency-access-only option for Straw Street Vice Mayor asked staff to look into whether making Straw Street emergency-vehicle-only (with bollards or abandonment as a private drive) is feasible to prevent cut-through traffic through the Reddick Senior Residence parking lot.
[ ] Participant 4 - Schedule e-bike education and enforcement sessions with FPD bike team in Ward 3 HOAs Alderman Potts already coordinated with Eric and Chief Faulkner; multiple Ward 3 HOAs have volunteered venues. Move forward with scheduling.
[ ] Participant 6 - Organize stakeholder input session on e-bike ordinance Similar to the noise ordinance process — bring in e-bike retailers, cycling advocates (e.g., Ned), parents, and residents for an informal dialogue before drafting final ordinance language.
[ ] Participant 6 - Draft e-bike ordinance for FMC Section 16 Incorporate state three-class e-bike system as a baseline (Option B). Also research whether the city can impose a speed limit on sidewalks/paths for e-bikes, and look into what authority exists to regulate e-motos vs. e-bikes.
[ ] Participant 6 - Review city greenways and park trails for potential e-bike restrictions Identify specific greenways and park trails where Class 1/2 e-bike restrictions may be warranted under Public Chapter 651 (Option C).

Overview

Tracy Gale (SBA) presented disaster loan programs available to Williamson County residents and businesses following Winter Storm Fern — loans start at 2.8% with 12 months no payment and no interest
Williamson County Schools' new Innovation Center opens August 2026 behind Franklin High School with 5 CTE programs; fire management cohort already producing state-certified Firefighter 1s with 3 job offers extended
Q1 2026 permitting was slightly down from prior years (typical for winter), with $494,845 in permit fees and just over $1M in impact fees collected
Ordinance 2026-13 raises non-residential plan review fees (minimum $50 → $250) and establishes new residential ($100) and fire ($50) plan review fees for the first time — first of three readings; board asked staff to draft fee-waiver authority for the second reading
Franklin Battlefield Park concept plan for the former DePriest property is largely agreed on, but Straw Street closure is contested by residents — resolution pushed to end of June to allow more discussion
E-bike legislation is the most open item: board wants a small stakeholder group convened, education and enforcement prioritized (especially for e-motos), and staff directed to explore an ordinance — no vote taken

SBA disaster loan programs

Tracy Gale from SBA's Office of Disaster Recovery presented loan programs available under the Winter Storm Fern primary disaster declaration for Williamson County
Three programs are available: physical disaster loans (businesses/nonprofits up to $2M, homeowners up to $500K for property, renters/homeowners up to $100K for personal property), mitigation loans (up to 20% of verified physical loss), and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs, up to $2M for working capital)
Key terms: 2.8% starting rate, 12 months with no payments and no interest accruing, up to 30 years to repay, no prepayment penalty, and no obligation to take the loan if approved
Applications average 10–15 business days to fund after a completed submission; apply at lending.sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955
HOAs are not eligible — must be an individual homeowner or business owner
Gale is available seven days a week and offered to follow up directly with any constituent referrals from aldermen

Williamson County Schools Innovation Center

The Entrepreneurship Innovation Campus opens August 2026 in a new building behind the existing Entrepreneurship Center, on the former animal control facility site at Mack Hatcher and Hillsborough — funded with $15.5M from Governor Lee's 2021 innovative school models grant
WCS was the only district in the state to use 100% of its grant funding for brick and mortar
Five programs launching at opening, with enrollment demand already high:
- Advanced Power and Machinery — 40 seats, 110 applied; partnership with Caterpillar and will be the first TCAT location in Williamson County history
- Aviation — 205 seats, 225 applied; will be the largest aviation high school program in Tennessee before opening
- Cybersecurity and AI — 100 seats, 78 applied
- Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary — 75 seats, 55 applied
- Fire Management — 12 seats, 24 applied (piloted this year)
The fire management program runs like a recruit class (9 months, 1.5 hrs/day, 5 days/week plus some Saturdays) and is the only program in the state producing state-certified Firefighter 1s at the high school level — 3 job offers extended to students from this year's cohort
Each program has three exit ramps built in: straight-to-work technical certificate, two-year college pathway, and a four-year 2+2 program

Q1 2026 development activity report

Q1 2026 permitting: 230 building permits, 1,044 trade permits, 80 fire permits — slightly below the five-year average, consistent with winter seasonality and the ice storm
Total Q1 collections: $494,845 in permit fees, $452,010 road impact fees, $354,251 sewer impact fees, $257,595 facilities tax, $39,788 water impact fees
Collections are lower than recent years largely because commercial permitting has been light and there was no large multifamily project like the West Haven development that inflated 2025 numbers
57 new single-family units, 3 townhomes, and 0 multifamily permitted; total construction value just over $100M — higher than the comparable 2023 quarter ($75M)
Customer satisfaction survey now has 57 responses averaging 4.6–4.7 stars; staff has drafted a growth communication strategy and presented it to groups including Frank Talks and the Downtown Rotary Club
A new full development customer survey is in early development with a goal to go live in fall 2026

Plan review fee increases

Ordinance 2026-13 proposes the first increase to non-residential plan review fees in roughly 20 years and establishes residential and fire plan review fees for the first time — first of three readings, public hearing set for June 9, 2026
Current cost to provide non-residential plan review is ~$1,650 per project; average fee collected is only $255 — the proposed minimum increase from $50 to $250 would raise average collection to ~$1,045, still short of full cost recovery
New residential fee: flat $100 for new construction 2,000 sq ft or larger; new fire protection fee: flat $50 — both below actual cost (~$375 and ~$161 respectively)
2025 non-residential plan review revenue was $114,564; projected revenue with all new fees is ~$470,000, though the FY27 budget conservatively assumes an additional $200–$230K given it's the first year
Vice Mayor Baggett raised concern about the resubmittal fee (50% surcharge on third-plus submissions already in code but not yet enforced) — specifically that staff needs explicit authority to waive it in cases where incomplete city comments caused the resubmittal
Staff confirmed no waiver authority currently exists in the ordinance; the city attorney confirmed it would need to be drafted in — Vice Mayor asked staff to add waiver language for the second reading
Alderman Potts asked for a regular review schedule so fees aren't left untouched for another 20 years

Sewer pretreatment bid and workers' comp contract

Resolution 2026-32 authorizes a competitive sealed proposal process to re-engage a subcontractor for sanitary sewer pretreatment program support — the city had tried to bring this in-house but staffing challenges at the wastewater plant pulled the pretreatment inspector into other duties
The pretreatment inspector role covers annual inspections of all industrial users and every restaurant in Franklin, plus random inspections for suspected discharges
Contract 2026-0148 renews third-party administration services for the city's self-insured workers' comp program with Lodestar (formerly PMA Management Group, which was acquired) — a three-year contract with two one-year renewal options; the city has been self-insured since 2020

Franklin Battlefield Park concept plan

Clayton presented the concept plan for the former DePriest property, which the city takes possession of at the end of June — the plan expands Carter House battlefield park south of Straw Street with split-rail fencing, picnic tables, benches, interpretive signage (6 signs already installed), a water fountain with dog fountain and bottle filler, and trail connections
The concept also includes a placeholder for ADA-accessible parking and a future review of the Claiborne/Granbury intersection alignment, which multiple commissions and community groups supported
A citizen (Tony Morriali) shared a firsthand account of a person with a disability being unable to access the new parcel due to no accessible parking — reinforcing the ADA parking need
Alderman Caesar raised the need for a safe pedestrian crossing on Columbia Avenue to connect this parcel to the existing battlefield parks on the other side — currently no crosswalk at Granbury or Claiborne and Columbia; Clayton acknowledged it needs to be added to the plan
Vice Mayor Baggett noted the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act applies to the cannonballs on the property — they can be moved with state approval, and he doesn't believe they mark anything specific on that ground, so it shouldn't block the intersection realignment

Straw Street closure and park access

Residents are opposed to closing Strahl Street — their concerns center on emergency access, daily use as a cut-through between Straw and Granbury, and potential for increased cut-through traffic through the Reddick Senior Residence parking lot
Residents indicated they would accept converting Strahl Street to one-way (inbound only, not exiting to Columbia) as an alternative to full closure
Board members Barnhill, Potts, and Berger are in favor of closing Strahl Street to unify the battlefield parcels; Vice Mayor Baggett wants to explore it further but is concerned about the Reddick parking lot becoming a cut-through
Vice Mayor Baggett suggested exploring making the Strahl Street segment near Reddick emergency-access only, potentially by abandoning that segment as a city street and deeding it to the senior residence as a private drive — Clayton agreed to look into it with the chief
The resolution will not come back in two weeks — Clayton expects to return with it at the end of June after further resident conversations and board discussion

E-bike legislation and enforcement

City Attorney Shauna presented the gap analysis: Franklin's municipal code doesn't address e-bikes at all, and the new state law (Public Chapter 651, enacted April 2026) now gives the city authority to prohibit Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on greenways and park paths by ordinance or resolution
Four options on the table: no action, adopt state defaults via ordinance (Option B), prohibit e-bikes on specific greenways under PC 651 (Option C), or a comprehensive code modernization (Option D) — no vote taken, board directed staff to begin work
A recurring theme from multiple aldermen is that the real problem is e-motos (full-throttle motorized bikes with no pedaling), not e-bikes — Alderman Brown and Vice Mayor Baggett both stressed the risk of over-regulating e-bikes while the actual danger is e-motos
Vice Mayor Baggett noted that riding a motorized vehicle on a street without pedaling, under age 16, is already illegal today — enforcement of existing law was raised as an immediate priority
Alderman Caesar suggested regulating e-bike speeds on multi-use paths to 13 mph or below, citing clinical data that survival odds are good below 15 mph; he also raised the lack of reflectors on e-bikes as a serious safety gap
Alderman Berger asked for school assemblies and a possible bike registration/licensing program modeled on older municipal approaches
Alderman Potts has already coordinated with Chief Faulkner and Eric on an education and enforcement program, with multiple Ward 3 HOAs volunteering their clubhouses; he also shared the slide deck with 22 HOAs and heard support for Option B as a baseline
Board consensus is to convene a small stakeholder group (not a large public process) — similar to how the noise ordinance was handled — including e-bike retailers, cycling advocates like Ned, HOA representatives, and residents, then report back before drafting an ordinance

City of Franklin BOMA Meeting Video Packet

AI Summary

Overview

Board passed all items unanimously except the 354 Franklin Rd rezoning (Ordinance 2025-54), which passed 6–1 with Alderman Potts voting against
FY2026-27 budget items (Ordinances 2026-10 through 2026-13) are all on first of three readings — public hearings set for June 9, 2026
All-funds budget for FY2026-27 is $273.4M (up 2.7%); general fund is $134.3M (up 1.8%)
Plan review fee changes (Ordinance 2026-13) include a resubmittal fee on third and subsequent reviews that existed in code but had never been implemented — additional clarifying language is being drafted for second reading

Meeting opening and procedural items

Alderman Blanton was absent; all other aldermen and Vice Mayor Baggett were present
Agenda, minutes from the May 12, 2026 work session and BOMA meeting, and consent agenda items 13–14 all passed unanimously with no discussion

354 Franklin Rd rezoning (Ordinance 2025-54)

Ordinance to rezone 202.6 acres at 354 Franklin Rd to add the Hillside/Hillcrest Overlay (HHO) passed 6–1 on its third and final reading
Alderman Potts voted against, arguing the board is making an error by rezoning the northeast edge of Roper's Knob and has held that position since the first reading
Alderman Brown voted yes — he's satisfied that staff overlays showed zero building envelope in that area, and noted the board still has approval authority over anything proposed there

Sanitary sewer services and workers' comp TPA

Resolution 2026-32 authorizing a competitive sealed proposal process for sanitary sewer preheating and program support services passed unanimously
Contract 2026-0148 with Lodestar (formerly PMA Management Group) for third-party administrator services for the city's self-insured workers' comp program passed unanimously

FY2026-27 budget and fee ordinances

All five budget-related ordinances (2026-09 through 2026-13) are on first of three readings; public hearings for all will be held at the June 9, 2026 meeting, where staff will give a full budget presentation
All-funds FY2026-27 budget is $273.4M, up 2.7%; general fund is $134.3M, up 1.8%
Vice Mayor Baggett suggested staff have marketing produce a standalone shareable version of the budget presentation so the public can access it without searching through meeting recordings
Ordinance 2026-09 amends the current FY2025-26 budget; Ordinances 2026-10 through 2026-13 cover the FY2026-27 budget adoption, tax levy, garbage and refuse fees, and stormwater management fees respectively

Plan review fee changes

Ordinance 2026-13 increases minimum non-residential plan review fees and establishes a new residential and fire protection plan review fee, with a resubmittal fee on third and subsequent reviews
The resubmittal fee has existed in the city code for some time but was never implemented — staff held off due to subjectivity around whether incomplete submissions or unclear staff feedback caused the resubmits
A cost analysis study now supports the fee, showing additional staff cost for third and subsequent reviews
Vice Mayor Baggett wants additional clarifying language added to the ordinance; staff confirmed they're already drafting it and will bring it for second reading

Thursday, May 28th

City of Franklin CIC Meeting Video Packet

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 11 - Pass Pratt Lane road improvement status question to Paul Alderman Potts asked for a status update on Pratt Lane road improvement options discussed at a work session ~1–1.5 months ago. Jonathan said he'd pass the question to Paul.
[ ] Participant 11 - Notify school system about Players Mill Road reopening ahead of August Notify the school system that Players Mill Road will be temporarily reopened (expected ~1 year) so they can plan bus routes for August.
[ ] Participant 2 - Send quarterly Lewisburg Pike Sidewalk project updates to Participant 2 Requested quarterly updates on the Lewisburg Pike Sidewalk and Multi-Use Trail Project to share with nearby residents, similar to what's being done on Columbia Avenue.
[ ] Participant 2 - Partner with staff to develop a good neighbor notification process for construction projects Resident Mindy Tate raised the idea of good neighbor letters for construction projects. Participant 2 committed to partnering with staff to develop this.

Overview

Capital Investment Committee approved 15 action items at the May 28, 2026 meeting, covering change orders, new contracts, and TDOT agreements
Notable approvals: Liberty Park bridge replacement (new concrete bridge replacing deteriorating steel/wood structure), Lewisburg Pike Sidewalk Phase 1 construction contract, and a partnership intersection improvement at South Royal Oaks and Mack Hatcher Parkway with TDOT
Two change orders closed out projects with net savings: water reclamation facility down $118,260, Lewisburg Pike traffic signal down $68,091.10
Players Mill Road expected to reopen temporarily as soon as May 29, 2026, with roughly a year of access before it needs to close again — staff will notify the school system ahead of August bus routes
Resident Mindy Tate raised the idea of "good neighbor" letters for construction projects; Participant 2 committed to partnering with staff to formalize the practice

Resident communication and good neighbor letters

Mindy Tate (1115 Carnton Lane) suggested sending good neighbor letters for construction projects — similar to what Eastern Flank Battlefield Park does for events — so residents feel informed and have time to plan
Participant 2 committed to partnering with staff to develop a good neighbor notification process and noted Ward 3 already sends weekly HOA president updates
Participant 2 also referenced a planned fall open house to keep residents informed, particularly about Pearl Park

Water reclamation facility change order

Approved Change Order 2 to contract 2024-0167 with Morgan Contracting — a $118,260 decrease — after the contractor identified a duct bank could be removed and fiber rerouted, which the engineer approved
Substantial completion walkthrough happened the prior week; contractor has a punch list and the project is on track to close out

Downtown water and sewer resiliency project closeout

Approved final Change Order to contract 2023-0076 with Garney Construction — a $93,939 increase — closing out the downtown Lewisburg project
The increase covers Alternative D (a water line from Barry Circle to Winstead Court along Fourth Avenue) that was added to scope but never formally funded; as-builts are complete

Clovercroft Road annexation and sewer availability

Approved annexation agreement (contract 2026-0091) and sanitary sewer availability agreement (contract 2026-0092) for John and Donna Morgan at 4006 Clovercroft Road — 1 ERU, with impact fees due at connection
Sewer availability is contingent on the annexation agreement; the Morgans are across the street from a church and need a small easement from the church to run the line under the road — that easement is in process
The property has a failing system and is still in the county; the church has not yet come in for annexation

Franklin Road Bridge utility relocation amendment

Approved Amendment 2 to contract 2025-0166 with Gresham Smith — a $21,573.75 increase — to address additional TDOT plan comments
Cost is reimbursable under the state utility program; city fronts it first

SR-96 Harpeth River bridge TDOT agreement

Approved contract 2026-0173, a standard TDOT maintenance agreement for the SR-96 bridge over the Harpeth River near Pinkerton Park — no direct funding tied to it, just defines maintenance responsibilities
Franklin Road Bridge is expected to go to bid later this summer; a full update on the Franklin Road Bridge timeline is planned for the June work session

Boyd Mill Avenue improvement design

Approved contract with Neil Schaefer Inc. for conceptual design of Boyd Mill Avenue improvements — the existing plans are over 10 years old and don't cover the full needed limits
Design will produce up to 3 conceptual options including different bike/pedestrian accommodations for the board to choose from

Liberty Park projects

Approved contract 2026-0020 with Brown Builders Inc. for a full Liberty Park bridge replacement — a new concrete bridge built next to the existing deteriorating steel-frame/wood-deck bridge, which will then be removed
- A prior repair/refurbishment approach had come in around $1.4M; the new full replacement was the preferred path
Approved contract with OASIS Irrigation System for ~$265,000 to replace the aging irrigation system serving the ball fields and adjacent grass areas before broader park improvements begin
- Participant 3 noted turf installation is planned to start at Jim Warren (Warner) Park first, so Liberty Park turf is still a ways out — but the irrigation can't be left to deteriorate in the meantime
Approved Amendment 3 to contract 2021-0283 with Loose Design to correct a typo in the contract ceiling amount set in Amendment 2 (which had added pickleball courts)

Franklin ITS infrastructure contract extension

Approved Amendment 11 to contract 2011-0129 with TDOT, extending the completion date to April 30, 2027 to keep the contract active and allow full state reimbursement

Lewisburg Pike traffic signal closeout

Approved final Change Order 1 to contract 2024-0297 with Stanso Electric — a $68,091.10 decrease plus additional contract days — closing out the Donaldson Creek/Lewisburg Pike signal project
Delay was not the contractor's fault — polls didn't arrive until late November/early December, and there was an internal staff review holdup on internally lit name signs; project is now complete

South Royal Oaks and Mack Hatcher Parkway intersection improvements

Approved contract 2026-0178 with Jones Brothers Contractors LLC to add turn lanes on Royal Oaks Court and a left turn lane from South Royal Oaks Boulevard onto Mack Hatcher Parkway (SR-397)
TDOT approached the city to partner ahead of their planned Mack Hatcher Parkway repaving, which goes to bid later this summer; TDOT will add additional lanage at the intersection when they pave
Participant 2 flagged Dr. Kemp's orthodontic practice is right at the intersection and wants them given as much advance notice as possible, especially if rock removal is needed

Lewisburg Pike sidewalk and trail Phase 1

Approved contract 2026-0180 with Civil Contractors LLC for Phase 1 of the Lewisburg Pike Sidewalk and Multi-Use Trail — sidewalk on both sides from mid-block between Stewart and Folks down to the Husky Lumber entrance and Thompson Alley area
Participant 2 asked staff to send quarterly project updates so they can pass them along to nearby residents

Capital projects status update

McEwan Drive is on schedule — retaining walls are coming out of the ground, one already complete
Players Mill Road is expected to reopen temporarily around May 29, 2026 with a chip coat surface, and should stay open for roughly a year before needing to close again for construction
Robinson Lake and Dam project is going well overall but portions filled with water after recent rain; waiting for water levels to drop before resuming
Pearl Park (the Pearl) is making better progress after a grading subcontractor was swapped out — still has a couple of years left on the contract
Columbia Avenue right-of-way acquisitions: about a quarter of properties are settled or in condemnation, with all but roughly 2 having gone to appraisers
Old Paytonsville Road/Long Lane connector: first batch of ~10 properties sent to appraiser for valuation
Pratt Lane road improvement options (width discussion from ~a month and a half ago work session) — Participant 11 is not part of those discussions and deferred to Paul

City of Franklin BOMA FMPC Joint Conceptual Workshop Video Packet

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 13 - Confirm on-street parking zoning requirement for Natchez Place Look into whether on-street parking on Natchez Street is actually a zoning ordinance requirement for multifamily units (vs. townhomes) and report back.
[ ] Participant 18 - Share regional route priority findings with WeGo Share public feedback showing strong demand for regional fixed routes with WeGo so they understand the community's priority.
[ ] Participant 6 - Revise Brookwood Flats building massing in architecture Refine Brookwood Flats architectural massing to break up the block appearance of the three-story buildings while preserving unit count.
[ ] Participant 6 - Update natural area MOS language for Natchez Place and Brookwood Flats Revise the MOS language for natural area reduction to instead commit to meeting 15% total open/natural space, with only the required 5% programmed, for both sites.
[ ] Participant 6 - Continue historic preservation coordination with Emily Hoffer for Natchez Place Continue coordination with Emily Hoffer (historic preservation officer) regarding the Natchez Street National Register Historic District and its implications for the project.
[ ] Participant 6 - Resolve historic church buffer and stormwater MOS for Natchez Place Confirm whether the two nearby churches (on Fowlkes) qualify as historic structures and clarify the 75-foot buffer requirement; explore whether stormwater management can be shifted off the property line to reduce encroachment, and prepare a potential third MOS request if needed.
[ ] Participant 6 - Deliver final Natchez Place architectural elevations for Planning Commission submittal Finalize architectural elevations for Natchez Place with 906 Studio — must reflect Middle Tennessee contextual character (roof pitches, porches, materials like stone/siding), avoid contemporary/McMansion styles, and address the two-and-a-half-story massing concern on Natchez Street. Include for second submittal before Planning Commission.
[ ] Participant 6 - Add screening and lighting details to Brookwood Flats landscape plan Add landscape screening (evergreens) and low/directional parking lot lighting details to the Brookwood Flats landscape plan to address light pollution and visual impact on Chickering Drive neighbors.
[ ] Participant 6 - Submit parking ratio justification to staff for Natchez Place and Brookwood Flats Provide staff with additional background and rationale to validate the 1.75 spaces/unit parking ratio for both Natchez Place and Brookwood Flats.
[ ] Participant 6 - Advance Clovercroft Road improvement discussions with county Work with Alderman Berger and incoming county administration to explore widening, shoulder additions, and curve removal on Clovercroft Road as a city-county partnership.
[ ] Participant 6 - Clarify on-street parking requirement on Natchez Street with staff Add on-street parking on Natchez Street, Acton Street, and the street behind HG Hill's property per zoning ordinance requirements; confirm with staff whether on-street parking on Natchez is actually required for this use type.
[ ] Participant 6 - Present roundabout improvement proposals to BOMA Bring traffic improvement suggestions for the Oxford Glen/Liberty Pike roundabout to a BOMA work session, as discussed with Alderman Berger, Paul Holson, and Jimmy Wiseman.
[ ] Participant 6 - Prepare height comparison of Natchez Place three-story building vs. police station Show how the proposed three-story building height at Natchez Place relates to the adjacent police station when presenting at the next meeting.

Overview

Three development projects and the Franklin Transit Master Plan were reviewed at this joint conceptual workshop between the Planning Commission and Board of Mayor and Aldermen
Poplar Reserve PUD (41 single-family lots, 22.52 acres off Clovercroft Road) — staff recommends disapproval of both connectivity modification of standards; board feedback focused on 30-foot setback from Clovercroft and cul-de-sac connectivity concerns; Planning Commission hearing set for June 25, 2026
137 Natchez St (97-unit affordable housing redevelopment) — broad support for the unit increase from 38 to 97, but significant pushback on building height along Natchez Street, especially from Commissioner Allen; historic district status raised as a concern
Brookwood Flats (138-unit affordable housing redevelopment, 500 W. Meade Blvd) — generally positive reception; feedback centered on building massing, screening, and light pollution near Chickering Drive
Franklin Transit Master Plan — 10-year phased plan presented; key unfunded items include Central Franklin microtransit, new fixed routes, Sunday service, and extended service span; adoption timeline runs through August 4, 2026

Poplar Reserve PUD

Staff recommends disapproval of both connectivity modification of standards (east and west boundary stubs), saying the connections can be made and denial doesn't meet the zoning ordinance's intent
Multiple board members raised concern about the 30-foot setback on the east side parcel — Commissioner Mann and Alderman Baggett both worried that once homes are built, widening Clovercroft becomes much harder
Alderman Berger wants the developer to bring traffic improvement suggestions — specifically around the Oxford Glen/Liberty Pike roundabout — to a BOMA work session before Planning Commission
Staff noted engineering believes the cul-de-sac (Modification #3) can be redesigned to provide connectivity, and will give a more definitive answer at Planning Commission
Commissioner Allen raised concern that the DeVore family cul-de-sac effectively becomes a private street in practice, which creates recurring issues at Planning Commission
Developer confirmed the three-lane section on Clovercroft will be extended to the eastern property line as an off-site road improvement, even though a traffic study wasn't required for 41 lots

137 Natchez St redevelopment

Franklin Housing Authority's COO Susan Minor shared that FHA has 650+ families on its waiting list, lists are closed most of the time, and this is the last phase of their master housing plan covering 72 units built in 1959 and 1966
Staff is generally supportive of the 1.75 spaces/unit parking reduction, consistent with prior FHA approvals, but wants more supporting rationale before Planning Commission
Staff asked the applicant to reframe the natural area MOS as an increase in total open space to 15% rather than an outright reduction to 0% — applicant confirmed they can meet 15% but wants only the required 5% to be fully programmed (cost concern)
Height on Natchez Street is the central design issue — buildings along Natchez are 2.5 stories, facing HG Hill's is 3 stories, Acton Street side is 2 stories
- Mayor Moore, Alderman Potts, and Commissioner Baggett all want the Natchez Street facade to feel more contextual to the existing street
- Alderman Brown thinks the trade-off is worth it given a two-story structure (former Natchez High School, now Claiborne Hughes) already exists two blocks west
- Commissioner Allen is not willing to sacrifice the historic character of Natchez Street and would not support three stories; said two or two-and-a-half stories might be acceptable if done well
- Commissioner Baggett wants to see how the three-story building height relates to the adjacent police station when the team comes back
Applicant flagged a potential third MOS — a 75-foot historic buffer adjacent to First Missionary Baptist Church may conflict with needed stormwater management at the site's lowest point
Natchez Street District is on the National Register of Historic Places — applicant confirmed they're working with the city's historic preservation officer Emily Hoffer
On-street parking requirement on Natchez and Acton Streets was flagged as potentially unique for that segment — staff will look into whether it's actually required for multifamily

Brookwood Flats redevelopment

Plan replaces 38 homes (built ~1966) with 138 units — two 3-story buildings on Brookwood Avenue and three 2-story townhome-style buildings along Edgewood Boulevard
Same two modification of standards as Natchez (parking at 1.75/unit, natural area reduced to 0%) — staff comments identical; generally supportive pending more rationale
Commissioner Mann's concern is the shift from homes to block apartments in massing — wants architecture to break up the mass while preserving unit count
Alderman Potts wants detailed screening (evergreens) and low, directional parking lot lighting to minimize impact on the Chickering Drive neighborhood behind the site; applicant agreed to address this in the landscape plan
Architectural elevations from 906 Studio were delivered the afternoon of the meeting — staff had not yet reviewed them

Franklin Transit Master Plan

Joel Ray (Barge Design Solutions) presented the draft 10-year plan; Franklin Transit's ridership has recovered past pre-COVID levels, which Ray called notable — most agencies he works with are at 70–80% of pre-COVID ridership
Key outreach findings: 52% of riders are "captive" (no alternative transport), 45% are discretionary — Ray flagged the high discretionary share as unusually strong; 74% of riders rated the service a 5/5 for criticality; 56% of the general public is aware of transit but doesn't know where it goes
Phased service improvements recommended over 10 years:
- Short-term (year 1–2): microtransit pilot in Cool Springs, mobile fare payment, AVL/APC tech upgrades
- Medium-term (year 3–5): modify existing Blue and Red routes, add all-day downtown shuttle, upgrade scheduling/dispatch
- Long-term (year 6–10): citywide microtransit replacing TODD, new fixed routes on 96 East/West, Columbia Pike, Lewisburg Pike, and WeGo regional connections including an airport shuttle to Nashville
Unfunded items include Central Franklin microtransit, extended service span, new fixed routes, Sunday service, and increased frequency
Public prioritized new regional fixed routes highest, though those depend on WeGo — everything else aligned with the proposed phasing
Adoption timeline: FMPC adoption June 25, 2026 → BOMA adoption July 14, 2026 → FTA Board adoption August 4, 2026

For all other meetings go here.

Election Commission

No meetings this week

If not me, who?

If not now, when?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer gently.” (1^st Corinthians 4:12-13)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves" (Philippians 2:3)

Blessings,

Bill

pettyandassociates@gmail.com

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