Friday Recap October 23rd 2026

My Comment

There were not many meetings this week. However, the joint session of the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) and the Planning Commission, as well as the Planning Commission meeting that followed, included important discussions that will have a significant impact on Williamson County residents.

As a county, we must deal with the pressures of our continued growth, but we must do so in a manageable way. For instance, it was pointed out during the joint meeting that Franklin currently has 12,000 rental units, with another 9,200 in the pipeline. Perhaps it is time to slow that growth. Affordable housing continues to be a topic of discussion, presenting challenges of its own.

Maury County has agreed to pay $1.5 million annually so that Williamson County can continue providing ambulance service to the Maury County side of Spring Hill. This is a great solution and the most sensible way to ensure that Spring Hill continues to receive excellent ambulance service.

This coming Wednesday, our legal counsel for the hospital sale, Foley & Lardner, will provide an update on the due diligence negotiations. This promises to be a very informative meeting, and it is open to the public. The meeting will be held in the Executive Conference Room at the Williamson County Administrative Complex, 1320 W. Main Street, Franklin. The building's main entrance will be locked, so you will need to use the door to your left as you face the building. As this is a public meeting, members of the public will have an opportunity to comment. I will have a full report next week.

Highlights from this week

Monday, October 19th

Williamson County School Board

Overview

• The board voted 12-0 to run the superintendent search confidentially, using executive session interviews under Tennessee's new law and updated policy 5.801
• The board also approved $100,000 for the search, the Stevens Valley rezoning for 2027-28, and the intent to fund an $87 million Split Log middle school
• Community feedback week for the search is November 9th to 13th, with a separate meeting for local officials on October 26th
• Every item that came to a vote passed 12-0

Tuesday, October 20th

Mayor's Breakfast

Overview

• County Mayor Andy Marshall, 33 working days into office, laid out his priorities at the Franklin Tomorrow breakfast: collaboration with the cities, growth planning, a fire service task force, workforce housing, and earlier budgeting
• Williamson Health's sale to Ascension St. Thomas is not done, since the county commission only approved a non-binding letter of intent on September 9th
• Franklin Mayor Ken Moore said the new City Hall should open in the fall of next year
• Mayors Moore and Marshall have different views on putting the new courthouse on the downtown Franklin property, but both said they'll work together on it
• Early voting runs through October 29th for the November 3rd election

Wednesday, October 21st

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Overview

• The committee passed every resolution on its agenda unanimously, including the contract to buy 3727 New Highway 96 West for a future fire station, which goes to the full commission in November
• Maury County will pay Williamson Health $750,000 for EMS from January 1st to June 30th, then $1.5 million for the next fiscal year
• The sheriff will pay the $189,000 helicopter engine overhaul from the drug fund instead of the general fund
• The jail's tier two certification raises the state payment from $41 to $53 a day per state inmate
• Greg Sanford is chair and David O'Neill is vice chair

Thursday, October 22nd

Joint BOMA and city planning Joint Workshop

Overview

• No votes were taken at this joint workshop, and all four items return to the Planning Commission in December
• Staff doesn't support the 400 Old Peytonsville standalone multifamily request, and leadership gave mixed signals, with the multifamily oversupply concern running through it and the Liberty Pike item
• The 1221 Liberty Pike workforce housing amendment drew mostly skeptical reactions, mainly over the adjacent electrical substation, access, and apartment volume
• Nearly every member opposed the Ovation rooftop logo sign, while the wayfinding signs drew broad support and the 29 ft entrance sign drew pushback
• The Banks at Brownland (207.73 acres) has strong interest, with traffic and flooding as the main concerns, including 3 box culverts to take Hillsborough Road out of the floodplain

Franklin Planning Commission

Overview

• The Planning Commission recommended denial of the Iron Horse rezoning (270 to 300 units) and its development plan revision, both going to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, in line with staff
• It approved the Huffines Ridge rezoning and development plan with conditions, adding 54 condos for a total of 478 units
• It approved the Carothers Glen vesting extension to December 9, 2027 and the Old Ice House site plan with conditions
• There's no November meeting, and the second Thursday of December is the last meeting of 2026

Malone Funnies

Election Results

We're on track to reach circa 65,000 early votes which would put us at about 33% turnout in early voting which eclipses the 26% during early voting in the 2022 midterms. Go here to see where the voting locations for the county are. Also, GrassRootsCitizens has a lot of useful information.

Meetings Next Week:

Monday, October 26th

The Education Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin Agenda Committee members:), Bill Petty, Drell Floyd, Ricky Jones, Drason Beasley, Tom Tunnicliffe, Greg Sanford, Eric McElroy

Tuesday, October 27th

BOMA Work Session and BOMA Meeting go here for information

Wednesday, October 28th

The Property Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin Agenda Committee members: Jennifer Mason, Brian Clifford, Gregg Lawrence, Rob Verell, Tom Tunnicliffe, Drew Torres, Paul Webb.

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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

Monday, October 19th

School Board Agenda, Video

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Mrs. Glenn - Send board members the details for the closed-door school safety briefing
  Briefing is planned before the next work session, with the safety director, general counsel and Dr. Webb. Board members who can't make it tell Dr. Webb for a one-on-one.

Overview

• The board voted 12-0 to run the superintendent search confidentially, using executive session interviews under Tennessee's new law and updated policy 5.801
• The board also approved $100,000 for the search, the Stevens Valley rezoning for 2027-28, and the intent to fund an $87 million Split Log middle school
• Community feedback week for the search is November 9th to 13th, with a separate meeting for local officials on October 26th
• Every item that came to a vote passed 12-0

Consent agenda approval

• The board approved the consent agenda by voice vote
  • September 21st, 2026 meeting minutes
  • Policies 1.703, 4.211 and 5.801 on first and final reading
  • Field trip fee requests

School safety plan and briefing

• Dr. Webb reminded the board of the public-facing safety measures in the board packet, including an annual vulnerability assessment of all 52 campuses with improvement plans for each
• Safety and security are reviewed weekly with outside agencies, with the safety director Michael Fletcher, and at cabinet meetings, and Fletcher meets monthly with principals
• Dr. Webb offered the board a closed-door briefing on the non-public parts of the safety plan, with the safety director, general counsel and herself, planned for before a work session
• Board members who can't attend can ask Dr. Webb for a one-on-one briefing

Dr. Webb's contract and superintendent application

• The contract the board approved last month includes a clause allowing Dr. Webb to apply for the long-term superintendency if she chooses
• Dr. Webb's focus is on keeping the district stable, and she has not said whether she will apply
• She thinks the next superintendent should earn the job by applying and interviewing, and she will mostly step aside from search conversations to avoid a conflict if she applies

Student and school spotlights

• Centennial High School and its feeder schools were this month's cluster spotlight, and Fairview High School and its feeder schools are next month's
• Next month the board returns to hearing from student groups, principals and teachers at the work session and the board meeting
• Page Middle School Honors Band won a national Mark of Excellence award
• Middle school state champions were Fairview Middle boys' cross country (Class 2A), Woodland Middle girls' cross country (Class 3A), Hillsborough girls' soccer (Class A) and Sunset Middle girls' volleyball (Class 2A)
• Individual cross country champions were Ty Burton of Woodland Middle and Ireland Jameson of Spring Station Middle, both Class 3A, and Page High's boys' golf team and Jake Eichoff won Class 2A titles

Search feedback week and meetings

• Zeal Education will be on site November 9th to 13th for in-person and online meetings with teachers, staff, community members and other stakeholders
• The county mayor, city mayors and county commission can't meet that week, so they will meet October 26th at 5:30 pm in the board room, during a meeting they already have scheduled, with Mr. Melendez joining by Zoom

Confidential superintendent search vote

• The board voted 12-0 to use executive sessions to interview superintendent applicants, with applicants' materials kept confidential on request unless the applicant is selected
• Under the new state law (Public Chapter 1048), executive sessions can be used to interview director-level applicants without public notice
  • No hiring decisions or deliberation happen in these sessions, and all deliberation and voting stay in open meetings
  • Attendance is limited to board members, applicants and invited staff, and the minutes list everyone who attended
• The motion also authorizes board chair Claire Reeves to work with WCS staff and Zeal Education on community engagement for the search

TISA and LEA compliance reports

• The board approved the TISA accountability report 12-0, which is an annual legislative requirement and is now submitted with the LEA plan
• The board approved the annual LEA compliance report 12-0, certifying compliance with federal and state education laws

Stevens Valley rezoning

• The board approved 12-0 moving the Stevens Valley subdivision off Snead Road from the Fairview cluster to the Grassland Elementary, Grassland Middle and Franklin High cluster, starting 2027-28
• All but one student in the subdivision already attend the Grassland and Franklin cluster out of zone, and the subdivision was originally zoned to Fairview because the Franklin cluster was near capacity
• The district would provide bus transportation to the new cluster, and the one student at Fairview could apply to stay out of zone

Future zoning requests

• The vote closed this year's zoning study, and a new district-wide review starts now
• Board members should forward constituent zoning requests to Dr. Webb so they are included in the review
• The process will include board education and public input, with recommendations the board can change before a vote around this time next year

Transition grant and E-rate rebate

• The board approved the $194,127 state transition grant resolution 12-0, a federal grant running October to September that funds part of a special education teacher and three work-based learning supports
• The board approved receiving a $1,577,665.62 E-rate rebate 12-0, which returns federal internet service fees to government entities

$100,000 search budget transfer

• The board approved 12-0 moving $100,000 from a payroll line to a contracted services line to pay for the superintendent search
• The money comes from the budgeted superintendent and assistant superintendent salaries, since one person is currently serving in both roles
• The Zeal contract is still being finalized, and travel expenses will be handled as separate orders that the board will be kept informed on

Split Log middle school funding

• The board approved 12-0 the intent to fund for the Split Log middle school for 2026-27 at $87 million
• Middle schools serving Nolansville are projected to be at or over capacity within 2 to 4 years, and the school is already on the five-year capital plan
• The intent to fund allows the project to speed up or slow down as enrollment dictates, and Dr. Webb doesn't expect to slow it
• The district already owns the Split Log land where Jordan Elementary sits, and the education impact fee balance is about $95 million, though the county commission decides where the funding comes from

Williamson County Commission Meetings

Wednesday, October 21st

Law Enforcement and Public Safety Agenda/Packet late Resolution Video Committee members: Greg Sanford(C), David O’Neil (VC), Barb Sturgeon, Drason Beasley, Marie Fellhauer, Jeff Goodspeed, Nancy Bailey

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Participant 8 - Email the jail quarterly stats to Lisa
  So the numbers can be added to the agenda packet. He offered to send them ahead of future meetings too.
• [ ] Sarah Bullock - Change the drug fund resolution title before filing
  The $189,000 Sheriff's Office budget resolution says county general fund balance, but the money is coming from the drug fund. The committee voted on it as if the title were already fixed.

Overview

• The committee passed every resolution on its agenda unanimously, including the contract to buy 3727 New Highway 96 West for a future fire station, which goes to the full commission in November
• Murray County will pay Williamson Health $750,000 for EMS from January 1st to June 30th, then $1.5 million for the next fiscal year
• The sheriff will pay the $189,000 helicopter engine overhaul from the drug fund instead of the general fund
• The jail's tier two certification raises the state payment from $41 to $53 a day per state inmate
• Greg Sanford is chair and David O'Neill is vice chair

Chair, vice chair, and minutes

• Greg Sanford was elected chair and David O'Neill vice chair, both unanimously
• The Highway 96 property resolution was added to the end of the agenda, since it was sent after the agenda went out
• Minutes from August 19th, 2026 were approved unanimously

Jail quarterly report

• Last quarter's average daily population was 264 (222 male, 42 female) against 454 beds, with a peak of 286, 1,414 book-ins, and 1,325 releases
• There were no inmate deaths or escapes, 4 inmate-on-inmate assaults, 5 inmate-on-staff assaults, 16 use-of-force incidents (3 involving tasers, 2 chemical agents), 25 emergency hospital transports, and about 84 suicide watch placements
• 98 of 103 authorized positions are filled, with several more candidates in the hiring process
• The jail launched the Cadmus jail management system, which has a public portal showing who's in custody, plus bail, charges, and mugshots
• The courthouse fingerprint machine processed about 671 people in the third quarter, which kept them out of the secure part of the jail

Tier two certification funding

• The jail has been tier two certified since December 2025, which raises the state payment from $41 to $53 a day per state inmate
• Based on last year's state inmate population, tier two would have brought in an additional $227,000 for the general fund
• Tier two is the highest level, and only 5 detention facilities in Tennessee hold it, according to the sheriff

Grant funding approvals

• The $66,220 DUI recovery court amendment moves rollover grant funds into this fiscal year under an already-approved grant contract, and it passed unanimously
• The $32,000 Homeland Security grant for the sheriff's office pays overtime for roadside checks and roadblocks, and it moved forward with no objection raised
• That grant was cut by $8,000 last year and has to be approved annually

Surplus motorcycles and equipment

• The county will trade in its Harley-Davidson motorcycles for BMWs, which Chief King said have a higher safety rating, especially in urban areas
• The sheriff said the old crime scene and collision equipment is outdated and no longer works, and no agency would take it after a statewide offer because of the cost to make it operational
• The old equipment will be thrown away, and any component holding evidence would have been extracted first
• Both surplus resolutions passed unanimously

Donated furniture and air packs

• The sheriff's office will accept matching office furniture from Recap Properties LLC, taken from the former Bank of America building at Hillsborough Road and Highway 96 before it's demolished
• The furniture is for the space patrol is moving into at the historic courthouse, since the patrol building was demolished for jail construction
• Williamson Fire Rescue donated air packs it got through a grant to the county's air pack program
• The county expects a capital request next year of roughly $2 million to replace all its air packs

Helicopter engine overhaul

• A $189,000 budget amendment for the sheriff's office pays for a helicopter engine overhaul, funded from the drug fund rather than the county general fund balance, and it passed unanimously
• The resolution's title wrongly said general fund, and county attorney Sarah Bullock will correct it before filing since it hasn't been filed yet
• The overhaul puts all new parts in the engine and is good for 1,750 more hours, which Chief Pilot Justin Long said should last the helicopter's remaining service life
• The helicopter has 37.7 hours left, so it will keep flying for about a month before the engine goes in
• The county has 3 helicopters, all surplus, and the mechanic is retiring, so the aviation division is looking for a replacement

Murray County EMS agreement

• Murray County is now a party to the EMS agreement, and it will pay $750,000 for January 1st to June 30th and $1.5 million for next fiscal year, and the resolution passed unanimously
• The county had stopped covering the Murray County side, which costs about $1.5 million for one ambulance, and Williamson Health is covering July 1st to January 1st
• The price covers a share of the whole EMS system, including supervisors and medical direction, not just one ambulance
• The agreement doesn't guarantee additional ambulances at no cost, so future additions would need a new funding conversation
• The agreement renews every year, and the county owns the EMS service, which the hospital manages

Highway 96 fire station property

• The committee unanimously approved the contract to buy the property at 3727 New Highway 96 West for a future fire station, which would cover 335 homes now rated class 10
• The county made a conditional offer and is in an inspection period, with the full commission expected to vote at its November meeting
• The property has a livable house, a working septic system, and a survey for a second septic system
• The station would be a volunteer station run by the Williamson County Rescue Squad, with a minimum of 4 assigned people needed for insurance credit, and EMS may add a supervisor there
• The station is realistically about 2 years from operating, and the county hasn't decided where its apparatus will come from
• Franklin has declined auto-aid for structure fires, even with an offer to pay

Thursday,

Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman

Thursday,October 22nd

BOMA and City Planning Joint Workshop Agenda, Video

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Greg Gamble - Show Planning Commission how the Ovation sign zones work and talk to team about the 29-foot sign
  Offered to show the concentric rings of pedestrian, vehicular and arterial signs. Also said he'd discuss the 29-foot sign height (A3 at McEwen/Knoll Top) and rethink the rooftop logo with the Ovation team, after strong pushback from members.
• [ ] Jeff Hines - Hold second neighborhood meeting for the 1221 Liberty Pike project on November 12
  At Columbia State Community College. Staff received concerns, including internet connectivity issues and unanswered questions, after the October 6 meeting, and the applicants agreed to hold another.
• [ ] Participant 17 - Meet with the multimodal coordinator about transit to the Banks at Brownland site
  A transit route already goes through the area; a board member asked that transit be worked into the plan.
• [ ] Participant 17 - Bring back data on traffic from conflicting uses and possible RCIP funding for the Franklin Road work
  Questions raised: which uses conflict (e.g., trips that would otherwise go to Cool Springs or downtown), and whether capital dollars could help fund the Franklin Road work. Talk to finance about what's available.
• [ ] Participant 17 - Add Cool Springs Blvd/Mack Hatcher to the Banks at Brownland traffic study
  It was outside the study limits, but a board member asked for it because the intersection will be affected. Work with the traffic engineers.
• [ ] Participant 17 - Bring Banks at Brownland traffic exhibits and impact fee numbers to the December Planning Commission
  Includes road impact fees, which depend on a trip generation review with the consultant who updated the study, and exhibits on improvements at Hillsboro/Mack Hatcher.

Overview

• No votes were taken at this joint workshop, and all four items return to the Planning Commission in December
• Staff doesn't support the 400 Old Peytonsville standalone multifamily request, and leadership gave mixed signals, with the multifamily oversupply concern running through it and the Liberty Pike item
• The 1221 Liberty Pike workforce housing amendment drew mostly skeptical reactions, mainly over the adjacent electrical substation, access, and apartment volume
• Nearly every member opposed the Ovation rooftop logo sign, while the wayfinding signs drew broad support and the 29 ft entrance sign drew pushback
• The Banks at Brownland (207.73 acres) has strong interest, with traffic and flooding as the main concerns, including 3 box culverts to take Hillsborough Road out of the floodplain

Standalone multifamily at 400 Old Peytonsville

• Lauren Magley, for the property owners, asked for a site-specific special consideration allowing standalone multifamily at a six-story maximum, keeping the Regional Commerce designation and the land-use question separate from any development plan
• Staff doesn't support it and plans to recommend disapproval, since Envision Franklin only allows standalone multifamily in Regional Commerce when it's vertically mixed or part of a master plan, there's no development proposal to assess, and the applicant should seek the Multifamily Residential design concept instead
• Staff also wants direction on whether all 6 parcels between the future Long Lane connector bridge and Goose Creek Bypass should get the same consideration or stay at the status quo
• Magley's case rests on resolution 2024-95 (the Bassett PUD, 3 parcels away), roughly 4 developable acres of the 7.45-acre site because of Five Mile Creek, and sidewalks to Berry Farms retail within about 0.4 mile
• Participant 6 noted Bassett was one of 4 Franklin Housing Authority affordable developments, a distinction from this request, and Magley said workforce or active adult housing could fit the site
• Alderman Burger opposes standalone apartments outright, and Participant 10 wants traffic and infrastructure considered if it moves forward

Multifamily oversupply concerns

• Alderman Burger says Franklin has over 12,000 multifamily rental units and 9,307 more in the pipeline, and wants standalone apartments stopped, citing falling apartment values, rising vacancies and concessions, and loans coming due
• Staff expects roughly 500 multifamily units completed in 2026, well short of four digits, with the full development report due in February or March
• Some projects, including larger mixed-use ones, are requesting vesting extensions
• Jeff Hines, the Liberty Pike applicant's representative, said projects already pro formed at market rate can't easily drop rents to workforce levels

Liberty Pike workforce housing

• The applicant, Catalyst Design Group with Franklin Housing Authority, wants to change the property next to 1221 Liberty Pike from Regional Commerce to Multifamily Residential for income-restricted housing, restricted to workforce housing below 80% of the county's mean income
• The plan dropped from 180 units at four stories to under 100 units at three stories, which the applicant says resolves fire access and sewer concerns, since NFPA requires two entrances only above 100 units
• Staff still has concerns about access, emergency access, and height and proximity to the adjacent county single-family neighborhood, and fire told staff in pre-application it would require two ways in and out
• Most members were skeptical, with alderman Burger, Brown , and Caesar citing the substation, the tucked-back location, and access, and Burger saying a firm no
• Alderman Baggett sees something possible with a residential-looking, for-ownership product like the Hill property, and Commissioner Allen raised Liberty Pike traffic

Ovation rooftop logo sign

• The applicant asked for a roughly 10 ft Ovation logo on top of the six-story Building A facing Carruthers Parkway, a sign type the ordinance prohibits, calling it a placemaking statement well under the 12-story height overlay
• Nearly every member who spoke opposes it, including Participants 4, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 18, though Participant 18 said the rendering may undersell it
• Participant 5 and Participant 4 are open to a larger Ovation sign at ground level or on the building, such as near the grassy knoll
• Greg Gamble cited the Factory water tower logo as the precedent behind the idea and said the team will rethink its approach

Ovation entrance and wayfinding signs

• Staff doesn't support 4 of the 6 sign requests because they increase size or height, but could support more convenience signs if quantity were the only ask
• Members broadly support the wayfinding and convenience signs given the site's size, with Participants 2, 4, 13, and 18 favorable, and Participant 18 suggesting "park" instead of "parking" to avoid needing a modification
• The 29 ft entrance sign at McEwen and Knolltop drew pushback from Participants 12 and 14, and Participant 12 worries about sign pollution and a pile-up of modifications, but the applicant said the retaining walls can't be lowered because of planned outdoor dining
• Participant 10 would support taller parapet wall signs, is hesitant on larger canopy signs, and opposes the convenience sign changes
• Participant 20 wants to see how the convenience signs fit with the 12 pedestrian displays already approved, and Gamble offered to show how the sign zones work

Banks at Brownland project plan

• Boulevard Capital's plan is 446,670 sq ft of commercial, civic, and recreational uses on about 207.73 acres, with one modification of standards letting loading areas sit on the side of buildings, which staff supports because of the screening
• The athletic piece includes a two-sheet community ice facility the Predators would lease and operate, with the developer donating the land to the city and county
• It also includes 12 rectangle fields, a golf practice facility with a nine-hole short course, and pickleball courts, with the fields meant to stay open to the community
• The plan adds a 2.5-mile greenway along the Harpeth River and a kayak and canoe launch near the McCatcher bridge
• To assemble the site, the developer is buying 18 acres from Christ Community Church and committing 6 of them, plus a pad-ready site, to GraceWorks

Brownland flood study and culverts

• The plan adds 3 18'x12' box culverts so floodwater passes under Hillsborough Road, with an engineered channel through the eastern split that merges both splits
• Land out of the floodplain grows from about 34 acres to about 60, and houses along Jefferson Drive come out of the floodplain
• The existing culvert is about 7 ft by 7 ft, so Hillsborough Road gets about 2 ft of fast-moving water in a 100-year storm
• The study is under third-party review by Steve Casey of CEC, TDOT has been supportive, and the project goes through FEMA, which requires no rise and no impact
• Participant 18 wants upstream and downstream impacts studied, and Participant 1 warned that the soccer fields, especially the 3 nearest the river, will flood

Brownland traffic and impact fees

• Engineering says the project adds about 2,000 vehicles daily, which is spread across the day, and Hillsboro and McHatcher already has significant delays
• The applicant estimates $9 million to $10 million in road impact fees, but staff is still working out the numbers because not all uses match the fee table
• 16 intersections were studied, including Saturday trips, but Cool Springs and McHatcher wasn't, and Participant 12 asked to add it
• The city's Franklin Road study shows a 10-year need for 3 through lanes each direction on McHatcher from Hillsborough Road to Cool Springs Boulevard
• Members asked for traffic dispersion data and the timing of road improvements, Participant 6 asked about conflicting uses, and staff is meeting with the multimodal coordinator about transit

Brownland field lighting and netting

• The field lighting would be full-cutoff, dark-sky LED, similar to the county's new fields off McHatcher
• The driving range runs over 450 yards from the clubhouse to the grass tees, so netting would be minimal, probably under 6 ft and tapered, near the putting green and outdoor hitting bays
• Participant 14 worries fencing or netting could catch flood debris, and Gamble said active recreation can have fencing above the 10-year storm line
• No fencing is planned for the soccer or football fields, and Participant 4 thinks that's a mistake and wants netting between fields

Franklin Planning Commission Agenda, Video

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Greg Gamble - Look at a bicycle-friendly pedestrian connection at Huffines Ridge with staff
  Commissioner Mann asked about a paved or bike-capable pedestrian link to the east lot instead of stairs only. Greg said it's steep but he'd review it in detail at site plan and work with staff on wording.
• [ ] Participant 12 - Pay fees and record the Caruthers Glen final plat
  Planned for tomorrow or Monday. Vertical construction has to start before the vesting extension expires on December 9, 2027, and the applicant is concerned about holiday timing.
• [ ] Participant 8 - Reach out to the two commissioners who still need annual training
  Offer them training opportunities so they can finish their required training.

Overview

• The Planning Commission recommended denial of the Iron Horse rezoning (270 to 300 units) and its development plan revision, both going to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, in line with staff
• It approved the Huffines Ridge rezoning and development plan with conditions, adding 54 condos for a total of 478 units
• It approved the Carothers Glen vesting extension to December 9, 2027 and the Old Ice House site plan with conditions
• There's no November meeting, and the second Thursday of December is the last meeting of 2026

Century farm public comment

• John Williams, whose family has owned a century farm for 200 years, spoke about the 1221 Liberty Pike proposal next to it
• He's concerned about EMF, fencing for his 400-pound steers, water pollution, and crime
• He thinks the developer's virtual meeting didn't answer his fencing questions
• He said he's "not going away" and will keep speaking up

Minutes, 2027 calendar, December schedule

• The commission approved the September 24th minutes, the September 21st City Hall tour minutes, and the 2027 FMPC deadlines and schedules calendar
• Consent agenda items passed unanimously with item 26 pulled, because a commissioner needed to recuse
• There's no November meeting, and the commission meets the second Thursday of December as its final meeting of 2026
• Two commissioners still need to finish their annual training

Carothers Glen vesting extension

• The commission unanimously approved extending the second vesting milestone from December 9, 2026 to December 9, 2027 for the 45-lot single-family subdivision
• The applicant said they'd pay fees and record the final plat within days, but worries the holidays make it tight to start vertical construction before vesting expires
• Staff said the plan generally complies with current regulations, and the differences from the vested ordinance are minor

Iron Horse resident objections

• Residents oppose the new 30-unit building, with Richard Berg speaking for over 30 residents and noting that 40% of residents are 50 or older
• Barb Kelly counted 34 parking spaces lost (16 garages and 18 spaces) while 30 to 45 new residents would need parking
• Overflow parking at Legends Club would mean a round trip of about 1,000 paces for some residents, according to Berg
• Michelle Knipp said residents got no notice of the meeting, and she would lose her garage and pay a $500 relocation fee to move
• Paula Kerwin raised traffic leaving Legends Club Drive onto Franklin Road from 3 to 7 pm

Iron Horse parking and construction plans

• Applicant Greg Gamble (Kimley-Horn) said the campus is 60 spaces overparked under the current ordinance, which is what makes room for the new building
• Of the 30 units, 27 are one-bedroom and 3 are two-bedroom, and the one-bedrooms average 717 sf, which would cut rent by $200 to $300 a month
• Parking counts showed a surplus even on the busiest periods, with 75 spare spaces on weekdays after removing the 60
• Owner Snell Properties (Peter Carloli) limited noisy work to 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays, with no weekend, holiday, or night work
• Residents who don't want to live near construction can relocate without a transfer fee and keep their lease terms, and displaced garage users are on a relocation list

Iron Horse rezoning denial

• Staff recommended denial of the rezoning from 13.2 to 15.0 units per acre (270 to 300 units)
• A motion to approve failed 5 to 2, then the commission voted to recommend denial to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with Commissioner Williamson recused
• One commissioner cited traffic and said that changing parking standards shouldn't be used to add density to an approved development
• Another cited the failing Franklin Road and Maccatcher intersection
• A third supports affordable housing but is worried about the impact on the existing community

Iron Horse parking and planting exceptions

• The commission recommended denial of the overall development plan revision 5 to 2, in line with staff
• It recommended approval of MOS 2 (allowing perpendicular parking at the clubhouse and leasing office), which staff supported
• It recommended disapproval of MOS 3 (no parallel parking along the new building's frontage) by 4 to 3, as staff recommended
• It recommended approval of MOS 4 (planting strip next to the building) against staff's advice, since the rest of the development has landscaping against the buildings
• Commissioners voted on the MOS items so their positions are on record if the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approves the plan

Huffines Ridge rezoning and condos

• The commission unanimously recommended approving the rezoning of 26.85 acres to PD 17.80 with 47,000 sf of non-residential space, as staff recommended
• The plan adds about 4 acres and 54 for-sale condos, bringing the total to 478 units
• The buildings are two-story townhomes over two-story townhomes, each with a one-car garage and one driveway space

Huffines Ridge cross access exception

• The commission approved the development plan with conditions, and unanimously approved MOS 1 so current citywide parking standards apply, as staff recommended
• It approved MOS 2, replacing the vehicular cross access to the east with a pedestrian connection, over staff's recommendation of disapproval and with one no vote
• The applicant said meeting the vehicular connection would require about 2,600 dump trucks of fill to meet fire code around the water and fiber lines, or up to 32 stairs on the Liberty Pike frontage
• A commissioner asked the applicant to consider a bicycle-friendly route instead of only stairs, and the applicant said it could look at that during site plan, though ADA-grade slopes likely aren't possible

Old Ice House site plan

• The commission approved with conditions the site plan for 21,241 sf of commercial space and 31 hotel keys on 1.06 acres at 251 2nd Avenue South
• It was pulled from the consent agenda so Commissioner Williamson could recuse
• Staff said it recommended approval and noted no major issues

For all other meetings go here.

Election Commission

No meetings this past week or next

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

Community resources

If you like Friday Recap, check out these other grassroots conservative projects!

• Grassroots Citizens of Williamson County Provides free tools and information to help grassroots conservatives exercise their citizenship here in Williamson County.
• Tennessee Voters for Election Integrity is helping restore confidence in Tennessee Elections.
• TruthWire Local news and commentary.
• Williamson County Republican Party is one of the most active parties in the state and captures the conservative heart of Tennessee.
• Mom's For Liberty Williamson County is dedicated to fighting for the American family by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.
• Tennessee Stands produces video media, podcasts, and live events, and provides social commentary on relevant issues in our state.
• M4LU is a new site developed by the national Mom's for Liberty but generated right here in Williamson County. The mission of M4LU is to to inform, equip, and empower parents with knowledge, understanding and practical tools.

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