Council backs Stones Battle Parkway corridor plan, citing need for proactive land‑use framework

Murfreesboro — The City Council voted unanimously May 21 to adopt a resolution supporting the Stones Battle Parkway Corridor Plan, a strategic land‑use and transportation framework intended to guide development along Stones Battle Parkway and Cherry Lane.

The plan was presented to council by Kevin Gunther of Pate Dawson, who summarized two alternate scenarios — one that assumes an interchange at I‑24 and one without an interchange — and recommended adoption of the map that anticipates an interchange. Gunther said the map that assumes an interchange “makes the most sense from a planning standpoint, from a transportation standpoint, and from a return on the investment of infrastructure.” He noted the interchange scenario affects roughly 100 acres in the study corridor and that the plan is intended to provide predictable patterns for nodes of higher‑intensity development, multimodal connections and transitions to lower‑density areas.

During council questions, members pressed staff on lane configurations and the interchange’s certainty. One council member asked whether the parkway needs a six‑lane cross section with a median, referencing recent changes on Medical Center Parkway; staff responded that some segments will include medians and others will not, and that configurations will vary by parcel and context. Council members also asked whether the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) had committed to an interchange; staff said TDOT’s final design choices depend on the contractor awarded the choice‑lanes project and that while an interchange is not guaranteed, staff believe there is a “very high likelihood” of one and designed planning scenarios accordingly.

Staff and the consultant emphasized the plan is not a zoning or site plan exercise but a guiding document to inform rezoning, annexations and coordinated infrastructure decisions. The plan includes a recommended 10‑foot multimodal path and cross‑section plans that range from a four‑lane divided parkway to sections that could expand to six lanes where needed.

After discussion, a council member moved adoption of Resolution 26 R 27 to support the Stones Battle Parkway Corridor Plan; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call with unanimous ayes.

The resolution follows a May 6 Planning Commission adoption and, per staff, is intended to position the city proactively when negotiating with developers and when TDOT and other stakeholders move forward with design and funding. The council did not adopt zoning or site‑level approvals at the meeting; the resolution expresses council support for the corridor plan as a policy and planning framework.

Next steps: staff said the plan will be used in future rezoning and development reviews and to inform conversations with TDOT and prospective developers.