LYNCHBURG — After originally being approved in 2021 and hitting multiple snags in both the Metro Planning Commission, Metro Council, and most recently the Metro Utility District Board, Oakstone Land & Capital announced this week that site development work has begun for Whiskey Creek, a tiny home community located just off Main Street in Lynchburg on the former site of the Lynchburg Wilderness RV Park.

The Metro Planning Commission worked for month to devise the new R3–High Density Zoning required to issue a building permit for the development. The Commission consulted two different lawyers and leadership in several surrounding counties to develop the R3 zoning ordinance draft. It took them multiple work sessions over much of 2021.

The medium to high density zoning question appeared before either the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), the Metro Planning Commission, or the Metro Council nearly a dozen times before finally receiving final approval in January 2022.

In September of last year, the Metro Council voted unanimously to abolish the controversial R3 high density zoning category – making it harder for similar projects to enter the market. {To read our full coverage of that meeting, click here.}

The development then stalled again at the Metro Utility Board meetings as developer, Chip Hayes, and Board members clashed over potential contract details. That contract received final approval last month – paving the way for site work to begin.

Tourism officials say overnight visitors equal more tax revenue

Whiskey Creek will be located less than a mile from downtown Lynchburg. The site preparations will make way for the 79-luxury crafted tiny homesites along the Mulberry Creek.

According to the developer, the Whiskey Creek community will incorporate a rustic industrial design inspiration, natural light, and luxury, modern kitchens, bathrooms and appliances. Home design options include maximizing outdoor living space with decks, patios and firepit seating areas. Shared neighborhood amenities include a rustic covered bridge entrance, large events barn, open air pavilion and creek side firepit gathering areas.

“Lynchburg is famous for extending southern hospitality to its many visitors. Whiskey Creek will help to provide quality new-home build vacation options for tourists, within the local metro. This project was unchartered territory and we’re grateful to our current Whiskey Creek landowners for their patience, while we worked through these important details with local officials. We also want to extend our appreciation to Moore County and Metro Utility Department (MUD) for all of their efforts in getting this project approved and across the finish line,” said Oakstone President Chip Hayes.

With community infrastructure ongoing, the home construction process is slated to begin in the spring.  Pending city inspections and approval process, the goal is to have the community utility installation completed late summer. Oakstone will simultaneously start on individual home-builds and neighborhood amenity construction.

“We are thrilled to have Oakstone as a new community partner and excited to see such an amazing  investment into quality lodging with the Whiskey Creek development coming online. In Tennessee, overnight visitors spend 186 percent more on average than a day visitor. An overnight visitor contributes nearly four times as much to state and local taxes versus a day visitor,” explained South Central TN Tourism Director Ryan French.  “The majority of Lynchburg’s visitors are day-trippers. When you have an opportunity to divert those additional dollars into our local economy, it takes pressure off of local taxpayers.  This is a win for local taxpayers, local businesses, and travelers alike.”

Oakstone also owns three other tiny home communities located in Monteagle and Mountain City. To learn more about Whiskey Creek and Oakstone Land & Capital, click here. •

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