Planning commission backs three-year vesting extension for Middle 8 PUD

The Franklin Municipal Planning Commission on March 26 recommended approval of Resolution 20-26-12, a three-year extension of vested rights for the Middle 8 planned-unit development, to preserve the project's entitlements through Aug. 8, 2029.

Staff told commissioners the Middle 8 PUD's development plan was approved Aug. 8, 2023, and that the approved plan calls for 38.191 units per acre, about 3,000 square feet of nonresidential space, and sits on roughly 7.2 acres. Staff recommended the extension with conditions to allow the developer to secure permits and perform site preparation; without an extension, entitlements would lapse, stop-work orders could be issued and the project would need to be reviewed under the current local development standards.

Yates Bateman, the applicant and civil engineer representing developer Trueland, asked for more time citing difficulty in current financial markets: "Teams are just working through the difficulty in the financial markets right now and are asking for more time, to execute the vision that was previously approved." Following a motion and second, the commission voted in favor; the chair announced "the ayes have it" and Resolution 20-26-12 passed.

The action preserves the project's vested regulatory entitlements through Aug. 8, 2029, and directs continued compliance with any conditions listed by staff.