By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — The Metro Planning Commission spent most of its Tuesday night meeting tightening the language on two growth controls headed to the Metro Council next month: a one-year pause on new residential subdivisions of four or more lots, and a first set of zoning rules for data centers meant to back up the county’s existing two-year moratorium.

Commissioners also heard that the Silicon Ranch solar project has energized its substation and raised no objections to bedroom additions planned at Lynchburg Manor, an existing apartment complex that sits in the flood zone.

Chair Dexter Golden and members Bobby Carroll, Jeff Ross, Jim Crawford and Scott Fruehauf attended the Oct. 6 meeting. Jimmy Hammond and Tara Groce were absent.

SUBDIVISION MORATORIUM: THREE LOTS OR FEWER COULD STILL PROCEED

Golden told the commission that the council’s wish is a one-year moratorium covering both major and minor developments. As discussed Tuesday, that would halt new projects of four or more consecutive lots while leaving anyone free to build one, two or three homes at a time. Golden said the pause could be lifted early if the county finishes updating its regulations before the year is up.

The commission’s edits were about clarity. Members agreed to replace the word “developments” with “subdivisions,” to cite the section and paragraph in both the subdivision regulations and the zoning ordinance where major and minor subdivisions are defined, and to state that the pause applies to residential housing — single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes and apartments. Commercial projects would not be affected.

The apartment question drew the night’s longest debate. Crawford argued against including them, citing the county’s housing shortage and the difficulty younger residents have finding a place to live here rather than commuting from Tullahoma.

“I understand the concerns we’ve got about larger developments, but we also have concerns about a really big shortage of housing in the county,” Crawford said.

Golden said his concern remains growth outpacing roads, water, schools and, increasingly, solid waste capacity.

“I’m all for people wanting to live here, but I don’t want them to live here on the backs of the taxpayers that are already here,” Golden said. “This is the whole point of doing a moratorium on major and minor developments, to make sure that we’re not outpacing ourselves as a county.”

Ross, a local developer, questioned whether a pause would leave the county any closer to new water or sewer capacity in a year or two, arguing that growth is what pays for infrastructure and that no developer will build the county a new water or sewer plant.

“Ain’t gonna have nothing for your kids,” Ross said. “Your kids gonna move off to Murfreesboro.”

Fruehauf disagreed.

“That don’t work either, Jeff,” he said. “You’re not gonna property tax your way into paying for it.”

Roads Superintendent Shannon Cauble, speaking from the audience, sided with Golden and Fruehauf.

“The current taxpayers are not supposed to be footing the bill for this,” she said.

Golden pointed to Rutherford County as an example of growth that did not lower anyone’s taxes, and said the answer is to use the pause to write rules under which the developer pays.

“We want growth,” Golden said. “We want it at a healthy pace, a respectable pace for our county and for our taxpayers.”

Ross ultimately agreed that if subdivisions are paused, apartments should be too, noting that 20 apartments mean the same 20 water taps and 20 sewer taps as 20 houses.

Fruehauf twice reminded the group that the moratorium originated with the council, and that the commission’s job was only to say whether the language was clear.

“We are an advisory board. It is not up to us to decide whether or not we pass a law,” Fruehauf said. “There’s not supposed to be a debate here.”

The commission took no formal vote. The revised language goes back to the council, which is expected to take a first vote next month.

DATA CENTER RULES WOULD BACK UP EXISTING MORATORIUM

The council approved a two-year data center moratorium earlier this year. Golden said state planning officials have advised the county that a moratorium alone might not survive a legal challenge, and that the county needs written standards in place in case it does not.

“If they do get by it, you have nothing to protect your town,” Golden said.

The draft standards the commission agreed to send to the council would:

Limit data centers to the I-2 heavy industrial zone. Golden’s draft began with I-1, the light industrial zone, but the commission moved to the more restrictive district after members noted the county has far more I-1 land.

Cap building height at 35 feet and require 500 feet of separation from residential areas, schools and other high-density areas.

Cap noise at 60 decibels measured at 500 feet, dropping to 50 decibels between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Limit water use to 100,000 gallons on a one-time, non-recurring basis and require closed-loop cooling with no discharge, a provision Crawford proposed.

Restrict on-site power generation to emergency outages unless the operator obtains a specific license through the county. Crawford cited problems in Memphis, where gas turbines installed to power a data center drew complaints about pollution, noise and heat.

One legal question is unresolved. Members disagreed over whether standards written into I-2 would have to apply to every business in that zone, and whether a new I-3 district created specifically for data centers would be the cleaner approach. Golden said he will get an advice  before the council votes and stressed that the rules can be amended while the moratorium is in effect.

LYNCHBURG MANOR ADDITIONS DRAW NO OBJECTIONS

Planning staff briefed the commission on plans to add bedrooms to five of the 25 units at Lynchburg Manor. No new units are planned. The complex was built in 1987 and sits in the flood zone, which means additions must use the existing foundation elevation.

Staff said the owners submitted elevation certificates and plans showing the work falls below the 50% of value threshold that would otherwise require the buildings to meet current flood standards, and that the state floodplain official who reviewed the file was comfortable with the project proceeding if the county found the numbers fair.

The project does not require commission approval. Members asked that the minutes reflect they had no objections.

SOLAR FARM SUBSTATION ENERGIZED

Golden read an update from Silicon Ranch project manager Bryan Runion, who reported the company energized the project’s substation from TVA last month and has begun commissioning the solar site, a process expected to run into next spring. The number of workers on site will drop sharply as panel installation wraps up.

Runion said the company is finalizing a proposal with its vendor for the required vegetation buffer and expected to have a timeline this week. Golden said he will also ask when the company plans to begin repairing county roads used during construction, which Cauble said is covered by the county’s contract. She said crews are currently patching as required.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

The commission forwarded a revised sketch plat for Joe Denby’s proposed Tanyard Hill Road subdivision to the Metro Council for a rezoning request. The Times will report on that item separately.

Members also had no objection to a lot-line cleanup for Gary Preston on Lois Ridge, voted to forward a minor division and lot combination on Flat Creek Highway to the council for rezoning, and deferred a plat review and the election of a commission secretary to next month.

In a discussion of future zoning updates, members favored moving duplexes out of the agricultural zones and into R-2, placing mobile home parks in R-2 under standards comparable to subdivisions, and moving travel trailer parks from agricultural to commercial zoning if state law allows. Golden said he will ask the county’s attorney whether state protections for RV parks still apply.

The commission’s next meeting is November 3 at the American Legion building because of Election Day.•

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