Planning commission backs Tuckaway PUD revisions, approves amended sidewalk changes to send to board

The Franklin Municipal Planning Commission on May 28 recommended that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approve a revised development plan for the Tuckaway Planned Unit Development at 1190 Lewisburg Pike, forwarding two modification-of-standard (MOS) requests after amending one to address accessibility and material concerns.

Staff presented Resolution 2026-36 and told the commission the applicant sought two MOSs: (1) to allow an internal pedestrian connection only to the front door and to permit alternate materials such as mulch in lieu of a paved sidewalk; and (2) to defer construction of the Lewisburg Pike frontage sidewalk for up to 10 years or until the road is widened. Staff recommended disapproval of both requests, saying “Installation of a mulch path is not an acceptable substitute for a sidewalk either for ADA accessibility or for compliance with the city of Franklin development standards.”

Greg Gamble, representing Fellowship Bible Church, said the campus is sited back from Lewisburg Pike and that the church’s intent was to preserve a park-like setting: “We want to be behind the tree line. We want to be behind the existing house. We want to use the existing house for our church offices.” Gamble told commissioners internal routes from parking to building doors would be ADA-accessible, and that the applicant proposed a mulch trail to the street only as a short-term, low-impact connection while the city’s frontage improvements occur.

Commissioners raised concerns about material, accessibility and enforceability. Commissioner Mann objected to allowing mulch in place of a paved path, arguing that internal connections should be paved and accessible; Mann said the commission could not support MOS #2 as written. Staff reiterated that the zoning ordinance defines sidewalks as paved paths and that neither mulch nor gravel would meet that definition or the city standards.

To reach a compromise, the commission amended MOS #2 to require a concrete sidewalk at the applicant’s proposed alternate location (parallel to the driveway) but to permit construction of that concrete walk to be delayed until a sidewalk along Lewisburg Pike is installed. The applicant accepted removing the word “mulch” from the required standard in favor of a deferred concrete sidewalk; commissioners discussed securing the timing through a development agreement or performance agreement.

The commission then voted by roll call to approve MOS #2 as amended and to approve MOS #3 — the requested deferral of the Lewisburg Pike frontage sidewalk for a period of up to 10 years or until the roadway is widened — conditioned on entering into a development/performance agreement to establish enforcement terms. The final roll-call votes on the MOS items and the revised plan were unanimous in favor among present members; Commissioner Lindseay was recorded as absent.

Next steps: the Planning Commission’s recommendations (including the amended MOS language and the suggested development agreement) will be forwarded to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for consideration. The commission took no public comments on the item at the meeting and adjourned following the vote.

Provenance: The discussion and staff presentation introducing Resolution 2026-36 began at the item introduction and staff presentation (SEG 025) and ran through the final recommendation vote on the revised plan (SEG 355).