More residential, commercial expansion plans for Dixie Lee Junction?
Another Neighborhood Convenience Commercial Project, involving both townhomes and retail business, is being proposed in Farragut, this time at 421 N. Watt Road.
Robert Campbell & Associates presented a preliminary plat for the development, named Serenade at Farragut, during a Town Staff-Planner meeting Thursday, Nov. 5. About 30 townhomes are proposed, although the number of commercial spots still are undetermined and depend on how the project develops, according to Robert Campbell, owner.
“They actually had a concept plan we looked at a year ago, just to get the general layout of what they were looking to do,” Community Development director Mark Shipley said.
The parcel is bounded by Watt Road on the east and Harrison Road in Loudon County on the west.
“It’s a parcel off of North Watt Road, not too far from the Town limits. This (9.2-acre) parcel and the parcel to the north is zoned Neighborhood Convenience Commercial. Some of this parcel, to the north, is in the county,” Shipley said, adding the townhomes are around the periphery, and as one gets closer to Watt Road, there is a commercial portion of the project.
“There’s no vehicular connection to Harrison Road,” he said. “It does have a walking trail that would stub into the road; although it won’t go anywhere.
However, “at least if you wanted to, you could go south to the backside of the park,” Shipley said.
Still, “there are some things missing on this submittal that we would need to have for it to be complete,” he added. They include:
• no plans for tree protection, streetscape, utility plan;
• some specimen trees along the border need to be saved;
• access would require a variance on the requirement regarding the distance between driveways for arterial streets, as 400 feet distance is required; and
• street right-of-way appears to be less than 50 feet and would require a variance from the subdivision regulations. As such, he said the project is not ready for Farragut Municipal Planning Commission action.
“I went out there, and I’m not really sure where they are situated on the tract, but there are some massive oak trees, kind of appear to be on the periphery,” Shipley said. “I’m not sure if they are saveable or not. I don’t even know if they are on the property.
“Some of them are on Harrison Road, and then there’s a couple down on the south part of the lot that if there’s a way to make some adjustments to try to save those, it would be worthwhile,” he added
“Those are some pretty nice trees, there on the south side,” Mayor Ron Williams said.
Regarding the 400-foot distance requirement, the proposed access may have a better sight distance.
Once a variance is approved by the FMPC, it also would have to go the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Shipley said.
