Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

We'll go ahead and get this Planning Commission meeting to order. It looks like we have a quorum. Did we have anybody sign up for public comments? No, sir. All right. The next item on the agenda is to approve minutes of the July 1st, 2026 City Council Planning Commission Joint Conceptual Workshop meeting and the minutes of the July 1st, 2026 Planning Commission regular meeting. So move.

Second. Okay.

We have a motion and a second to approve.

Vice Chair Averwater? Aye. Mr. Carroll? Aye. Mr. Harris? Aye. Mr. Rollins?

Aye.

Mr. Wright? Aye. Chair Halliburton?

Aye. Next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. Does anyone have any one of these items that they would like to remove and talk about? And if not, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So move it on approval. Second. I have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair Averwater? Aye. Mr. Caron? Aye. Mr. Harris?

Aye.

Mr. Walens?

Aye.

Mr. Wright? Aye. Chair Halliburton?

Aye. Alright, the next item on the agenda is GDO and we have it looks like two applications on motion. The first one is Cadillac of Murfreesboro. Initial design review for 23,990 square feet. Motor vehicle sales and service business on 4.73 acres. Zone Commercial Highway and GDO1 located along John Rice Boulevard, TT of G, Murfreesboro, incorporated as the developer. Are you handling this, Mr. Barbee?

All right. Good afternoon Chairman Halliburton and Murfreesboro Planning Commission members. This next application before you today is a request from Cadillac to construct a new 24,000 square foot one-story facility on 4.73 acres located just east of Fortress Boulevard along John R. Rice Boulevard directly across from GM of Murfreesboro. This new facility would have spaces for approximately 215 vehicle inventory storage spaces and the required 48 customer and employee spaces. They're providing the required 25 by 150 foot loading and unloading area on the physical site and they will have signage to direct deliveries to be made on the property and not in the right of way. Building materials are consistent with our architectural requirements for our Murfreesboro design guidelines. They're using a good assortment of materials. They're using, I believe, a limestone masonry material along with brick, metal, glass, and other natural stone. It's going to be more of a modern look than what we may have seen on some other buildings, but they were able to make it fit within our design guidelines. The plan is generally in good order and staff would request that any approval is made subject to staff comments.

Any questions for Mr. Varby? Mr. Varby, you might get us to the picture of the... Apologize.

It looks like they have everything but the front of the building shown on this version. Hold on. It just doesn't have the signage. There's the front. So it does have the white metal panel entry feature that you see on a lot of their stores with the Cadillac branding. And then the rear portion of the building behind that entry is a gray brick. And that's where all of the service facilities will be housed.

Thank you. All right. Any questions or comments from Mr. Barbee? If there are none, I move for approval subject to all staff comments. Second. I have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair, Ava Water. Aye. Mr. Carroll.

Aye.

Mr. Harris.

Aye.

Mr. Rollins.

Aye.

Mr. Wright.

Aye.

Chair Halliburton.

Aye. The next item on the agenda is North Church, Lot 21, Initial Design Review for a 124-room, 5-story hotel zone commercial highway in GDO 1 located along Silo Hill Lane. Vision Hospitality Group is the developer. Mr. Barbee.

Thank you again, Chair Halliburton. This is the initial design review for a proposed 124-room, five-story hotel located in our Gateway Design Overlay District. This hotel is part of the commercial subdivision located in front of Embassy Suites at the intersection of Silo Hill and Gresham Park Drive. Let's see if I can scroll down. The project is providing the required parking spaces and amenities that are customary for this type of design and for this use. Give me one second here. Evidently I have not found the right one yet. There we go. As you can see again, the building design for this initial design review is more contemporary in nature but still able to combine with our design guidelines for materials and having the defined base body and cap elements that are standard. The plan is generally in good order and staff would again recommend that any approval is made subject to all staff comments.

Alright, thank you Mr. Barbee. Any questions for Mr. Barbee or the applicant? Does the applicant have a presentation necessarily? Okay. Any questions? If not, do we have a motion? Move for approval of subject to staff comments. Second. I have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair Evelwater? Aye. Mr. Carroll?

Aye.

Mr. Harris?

Aye.

Mr. Rawlins?

Aye.

Mr. Wright?

Aye.

Chair Halliburton.

Aye. Next item on the agenda is Platts and Plans. The first item under that heading is Dollar General site plan for 10,640 square feet retail store on 1.49 acres zone commercial fringe located along North Tennessee Boulevard. Gerald Pettigo is the developer. Ms. Smith, how are you?

good afternoon commission this will be my very last staff report before you today and so this one actually is in very good order took a little bit of time to get us there but if you look at the aerial above this is located just south of East Northfield Boulevard off of North Tennessee Boulevard. So previously the property to the north in this property had approved site plans on them. The one to the south that is the subject site expired and so the Dollar General has put in an application for a new location here. At this particular location we have a community collector and a major arterial street. So the biggest thing that staff was wanting to make sure to keep in mind is this access easement that goes all the way back to Northfield Boulevard and the one that is currently built and shared at this location and that will basically allow for the closer distances to the intersection to have different opportunities to access the site depending on how the flow of traffic is working. The site is located really holding on to the south side of the site and we are also requiring and they've included in their site plan another cross access easement that would be provided here east to west so that way it would never be fenced off at any time and then also a north to south one as their particular property that they have involves a larger piece you can see their existing property line is here so earlier as part of your consent calendar you approved a final plat for this particular area. And as part of our staff comments, we wanted to make sure that it will be consistent with this particular site plan here as there were a couple of moving parts as staff was reviewing the project. As far as open space area, they will have an on-site detention base and they will have some formal open space in the front as this was submitted prior to the new design guidelines standards being in place. And as they looked at this site, we will have some sidewalk that is installed along the frontage road, the main frontage road. And then when we look at the actual architecture for the site, We have a lot of what we would call void spaces. So you may recall when we were having the discussion on design guidelines, 35% of our commercial space must be a voids or glazing. So most people will just say, where are all the windows? These areas that are kind of like an inset that look like a framed different brick setting, that counts towards their voids. So based on that, when we cumulatively look at all of the four facades, they meet that 35% voids and glazing requirement. And really this portion of the building is a 45 degree angle with windows on the side facing the south, excuse me, the north and the west sides of the project site. The store size on this one is just under 11,000 square feet and does meet our standards for parking, landscape, open space, and design. And staff recommends approval subject to staff comments.

Thank you, Ms. Smith. Any questions for Ms. Smith?

If I deny it, do you have to come back next month? No, some other poor planner will have to pick up the pieces. Your bed and breakfast can't wait.

All right, any other questions for Ms. Smith?

Someone tell the applicant I'm just kidding.

Move for approval subject to all staff comments. Second. We have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair Ava Water. Aye. Mr. Carroll. Aye. Mr. Harris. Aye. Mr. Prance. Aye. Mr. Rollins.

Aye.

Mr. Wright. Aye. Chair Halliburton.

Aye.

Thank you so much, Commission.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Smith.

All right, next item on our agenda is new business. First item under new business is a zoning application for approximately 1.91 acres located along Florence Road and Stones Battle Parkway to be rezoned from commercial fringe to RS6. Alcorn Properties is the applicant and this is recommending a public hearing for August the 5th. Mr. Robison, how are you doing?

I'm good. Good afternoon, Commissioners. As I said, this is 1.9 acres located at the northeast and southeast corners of Florence Road and Stones Battle Parkway. You can see on the map, it's the two that are highlighted in yellow. They're requesting to be rezoned from commercial fringe district to the RS6 residential district. The RS6 district is a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet with a minimum lot width of 50 feet. You're looking at a 35-foot front setback. a 20-foot rear setback and 5-foot side setbacks. This is similar to the zoning to the east, which would be the Mason Brook subdivision, which this will be incorporated into. The future land map shows this node as a neighborhood commercial. Neighborhood commercial, we're basically looking at like a boutique, a small office building, something to serve kind of the residential area customers there. Because of the lot size, it would be very difficult to fit a building, parking, landscaping, all in these two lots, which is why they are requesting the rezoning to RS6. It would be up to the Planning Commission to determine whether This is an appropriate instance to use the comprehensive plans transition policy and allow the adjacent urban residential district, which is to the east, use that character to be used for the subject lots. At this time, we are just asking the commission to set a public hearing and recommending a date of August 5th, 2026. Any questions?

Thank you. Any questions? If not, do we have a motion to set a public hearing?

Yep. Motion to set the public hearing August 5th.

Second. We have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair Avalwater?

Aye. Mr. Carroll? Aye. Mr. Harris?

Aye.

Mr. Prance? Aye. Mr. Rollins?

Aye.

Mr. Wright? Aye. Chair Halliburton?

Aye. The next item we have, which is interesting, is a proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance related to outdoor paddle sports. And when I first saw this, I thought paddle in the water, but Mr. Newman corrected me. Facilities and pertaining to the following set. Yeah, exactly. uh excuse sorry um to the following section section two interpretation and definitions section seven site plan review and chart one uses permitted including chart one end notes the city of murfreesboro planning department is the applicant mr anthony

Good afternoon, Chair Halliburton, members of the Planning Commission, and I agree that this has been a very interesting ordinance amendment to put together. This was brought before the July 1st Joint Conceptual Workshop, but at that time it was a zoning ordinance amendment for outdoor pickleball courts. The result of the Joint Conceptual Workshop is that we got the feedback from Council, Commission, and the Mayor that they would like to see this more broadened to include all paddle sports, both existing and potentially future paddle sports that could come about. And so the main difference between what you're seeing today and what you saw on July 1st is just a definition change, changing it from outdoor pickleball court to outdoor paddle sport facilities. So the zoning ordinance amendment would still add a definition for outdoor paddle sport facility to section two of the zoning ordinance. It adds a definition for park to section two of the zoning ordinance. It revises the definition of recreation field to expressly exclude outdoor paddle sport facilities in order to regulate outdoor paddle sport facilities separately from other outdoor recreational facilities. It amends section 7 of the zoning ordinance to require site plans for outdoor paddle sports as a principal use and as an accessory use. It adds outdoor paddle sport facility as a distinct use in chart 1. It would permit outdoor paddle sport facilities by right in the following zoning districts, commercial highway, heavy industrial, general industrial, light industrial, and park. It would permit outdoor paddle sport facilities by special use permit in office general, commercial local, and commercial fringe. And it creates a new end note establishing standards for these facilities including separation distances from residential zoning districts and residential uses, restrictions on hours of operation, noise mitigation requirements, standards related to lighting and buffering and exemptions for parks and public and or private schools from the residential distance separation and hours of operation requirements. So the new definition that will be crafted is for outdoor paddle sport facility, an outdoor recreation area consisting of one or more playable areas designed and used for sports such as, but not limited to, pickleball, paddle, paddle ball, and platform tennis. Such sports are typically played with a hard paddle rather than a strong racket and create loud impulsive sounds. Such playable areas may customarily include but are not limited to associated fencing, lighting, seating areas, and accessory structures. This definition shall not include indoor recreation areas used for the same purposes but located entirely within an enclosed building. And then the other core thing is the end notes at the end of chart one. The only thing that's different from the joint conceptual workshop is that it says paddle sport facility instead of pickleball court. But just to go back through them, all distance requirements contained herein shall be measured from the playable surface of the outdoor paddle sport facility to the nearest property line of any property zoned or used for residential purposes. Outdoor paddle sport facilities shall be prohibited within 300 feet of any property zoned or used for residential purposes. Outdoor paddle sport facilities located between 301 feet and 600 feet of any property zoned or used for residential purposes. shall provide noise mitigation measures pursuant to a noise impact assessment prepared by a qualified professional and submitted as part of the development review process. Outdoor paddle sport facilities including associated court lighting located 600 feet or less from any property zoned or used for residential purposes shall only operate between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Outdoor paddle ball sport facilities located greater than 600 feet from any property zoned or used for residential purposes shall not be subject to these operating hour restrictions. Outdoor power support facilities shall not generate sound levels exceeding 47 decibels as measured at the nearest property line of a property zoned or used for residential purposes. Site plan review and approval shall be required for all paddle sport facilities pursuant to Section 7 of the Zoning Ordinance. The distance and hours of operation requirements contained herein shall not apply to outdoor paddle sport facilities operated as accessory uses to the following principal uses. Public or private schools, parks, or publicly owned recreational facilities in any zoning district, including residential zoning districts. And the Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, or applicable reviewing authority may require additional distance buffering, screening lighting, or operational restrictions in as necessary to ensure compatibility with surrounding properties. Staff is recommending a public hearing date of August 5th, 2026.

Well, I don't know about y'all, but this is exactly why I ran for public office.

Second. I have a motion and a second.

Vice Chair, Ava Water. Aye. Mr. Carroll.

Aye.

Mr. Harris.

Aye.

Mr. Prince. Aye. Mr. Roblins.

Aye.

Mr. Wright.

Aye.

Chair Halliburton.

Aye.

Great job, Stephen. I know it's been a lot. It's been a lot of revisions and dealing with many personalities from many various paddle sports.

All right. Mr. Newman, update. from the Planning Department.

Thank you, Chair Halliburton. Good afternoon, members of the Planning Commission. I'd like to thank Brian Prince. He brought to our attention that there are other paddle sports other than pickleball. And we didn't know that. So I'd like to report that we're focusing on capacity, consistency, technology improvements, modernization of our ordinances, as you see today. Just to go over some of those a little bit more in detail on staffing, we had an offer out to a principal planner, very qualified. I know he considered the offer. It was a very hard decision for him but he declined the offer and so we still have that principal planner position open seeking qualified candidates. Ordinance policy work, design guidelines went to, those were adopted last meeting that we had. Those went last week to council and we received a resolution of support. So we appreciate council's involvement in that and supporting the good work that we did and the adoption of those design guidelines and standards. We've also started looking at our lighting code amendment and we've taken that to a workshop last week with council, got some good feedback on that as well. We've also taken it to our design guidelines stakeholder group and we're continuing to get good feedback on our lighting amendment. As we continue to work through that, we'll have more to bring you on that and some updates as we get a little bit closer to a finished product. Manchester Pike remains a major priority for us, planning what that corridor looks like, looking at traffic, looking at sewer availability and the economic impacts that that would bring to the city. So we'll continue to update on that as we have more. The posture of that right now is to get to Joint Conceptual Workshop, We've got favorable responses to go out and seek help with that so we're getting the scoping together of that contract and that will be brought up to council at a later date. We are looking forward to moving on that quickly. City Works and DigiPlan, as you know, we've implemented many processes through those platforms. We're continuing to finalize our workflows and really get better at those. It is a process and we continue to learn and we continue to get better. We've been working through our prior to permit and prior to MILR processes. So after planning commission approves something or gets administratively approved, those move on and as people start to look at getting their permit, there's a process, an additional review process that goes, that that project goes through. And so we've had some projects that have made it that far and so it's good that we're seeing those. They've kind of trickled through on that and those kind of move at different paces depending on the developer. So we've been working through those and making some good progress. Prior to MILR for PLATS, final PLATS, we're also making some good headway on that as well. So we're excited about that. Another thing that we're really working on and have more to report later, just to let you know, we typically have reported numbers and we have dashboards that we use on our planning website. A lot of those numbers are very manually kept up with. So we have Excel spreadsheets and we keep up with those in a very manual process. And so what we're working on now is trying to move a lot of those reports to pull directly from City Works so a lot of that data that we input can be immediately pulled from it and then put in these dashboards so that it's a lot more real time that people can see. So we'll have more to come on that too as we continue to make progress on that. Thrivance, if you'll remember, we have our consultants that have been working with the planning department to right-size the department, clarify roles and look for roles that we may need to create. Continuing to move forward through that, one of the tasks that they've been working on with us is standard operating procedures. So at this point they've drafted a lot of those, they've worked to try to hone those in a little bit, and now they're back for staff review so that we can finalize those and get some final products on some of those. Live study, I brought up last time that we had a live study that we were going through where we were kind of like keeping billable hours, all of our staff keeping up five, 10, 15 minutes of our time, what we're doing, what we're working on, the types of work that we're doing. So all of that can be compiled. And that was over a four week period. So I know staff is very happy to be finished with that. It was an extra task, extra thing that they had to do. And in the end it will be very good. Thrivance will be analyzing that data and then they'll come back with a report to us to determine where are we spending our time, what are we working on, are we working on things that maybe we need a new position to really take part in that or are we doing things that maybe aren't as efficient that we could gain some efficiencies on. So we'll have a lot more to come with that that I can report on next month. Very, very happy with that. Cross-departmental items that we've worked on and the planning department works with a lot of different departments in the city. One of the most recent meetings that we had that I think is valuable to bring up is we work with our Murfreesboro City Schools to update them on residential projects and lists and so We've got our intern do a tremendous amount of work to try to pull all that information together so that we can meet with city schools to give them the data that they need to be able to plan for redistricting, growing their schools and things like that. So it's always, it's good to partner with our internal stakeholders to make sure that they're able to plan and do things that they need to do for the growth of our city and manage that well. And so with that, that's the end of my report. I appreciate your attention. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer.

Any questions for Mr. Newman? Thank you, Ben. Appreciate it. Ms. Smith, just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work and what you meant to the city while you've been with the planning department. Appreciate your contributions and good luck with your new venture. With that, anyone else have anything? Seeing nothing, we're adjourned.