WHY LOCALS ARE SAYING NO

This site plan seeks to develop more than 70 acres of rural residential land in south Gladeville to construct three warehouses next to Gladeville homes. This is a small community made up of monstly 5-10 acre plots of families and residents who have been a part of the community for years. The majority of residents in the Gladeville community oppose this development, due to a few major concerns.

Planning Staff Input and Community Concerns

At the May 16, 2025 meeting of the Wilson County Planning Commission, Planning Director Christopher Lawless presented a staff report on the proposed First Park 840 development, a request to rezone over 70 acres at Couchville Pike, Lone Oak Road, and Underwood Road for the construction of three large warehouses which include more than 1,250 parking spaces, including approximately 500 designated for trucks.

The following outlines the key issues raised by Mr. Lawless during the meeting, as well as the associated concerns expressed by members of the public during the community input period.

1. Flooding, Sinkholes, and Environmental Stability

Christopher Lawless confirmed that the proposed development site contains known sinkholes and areas with ongoing drainage challenges.

• Lawless stated that the County Engineer, Steven Johnson, had reviewed the plan and expressed concern about the proposed strategy to cap sinkholes in order to build over them. Lawless relayed that Johnson described this approach as "not ideal."

• Lawless noted the site has a history of flooding, which could be worsened by increased impervious surfaces from parking lots and building pads.

• The surrounding topography is prone to stormwater accumulation, and Lawless indicated this could pose additional runoff concerns for nearby properties.

These observations reflect broader community concerns about water displacement and property damage, particularly during high rainfall events.

The real issue is the 34-acre lot at 1113 Couchville Pike. Because of the sinkholes, as Mayor Hutto said at the July 2023 planning commission meeting in reference to this lot, “sometimes there’s properties you just can’t use.”

2. Traffic Capacity and Roadway Suitability

Community members expressed that the current roadway infrastructure is inadequate for the level of truck traffic the proposal would generate.

• Underwood Road is narrow, winding, and lacks shoulders, making it unsafe for heavy truck traffic. Lone Oak Road is even smaller, with ongoing issues of tractor trailers being stuch.

• The site plan includes nearly 500 tractor-trailer parking spaces, suggesting substantial inbound and outbound truck volume.

• Truck routing via GPS from I-40 often sends traffic through Providence, Stewarts Ferry Pike, and Underwood Road, despite signage prohibiting truck traffic on some of those roads. Community members shared that these signs are frequently missed or ignored, especially by drivers unfamiliar with the area.

This supports community concerns that increased truck traffic would further strain these roads and pose risks to public safety, given the area's residential character and limited road capacity.

3. Safety Proximity to School Bus Stops

Residents also raised concerns about the development’s proximity to locations where children wait for school buses.

• One of the truck emergency access points in the site plan is located within 200 yards of a designated school bus pickup area, where neighborhood children get on and off the bus each school day.

• The volume of truck traffic anticipated raises reasonable concerns about pedestrian safety, especially for children in the area.

4. Blasting, Structural Damage, and Proximity to Residences

A major concern voiced by community members relates to the use of blasting to level terrain and excavate rock as part of the site preparation process for this large-scale development. Given the topography and soil conditions in Gladeville, rock blasting is a common but disruptive construction method — and one that carries serious risks when conducted near established residential areas.

The proposed warehouse site sits immediately adjacent to residential homes, where many families have lived for decades. The close proximity of this industrial blasting to homes raises the potential for foundation cracking, well contamination, water line ruptures, and damage to septic systems, which many of these homes still rely on.

These concerns are not speculative. Studies have shown that even controlled blasting can cause structural damage to nearby buildings. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining, ground vibrations from blasting can cause cosmetic and structural damage to residential buildings depending on proximity and soil conditions (Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, “Blasting Guidance Manual,” 1987).

The State of Tennessee’s Department of Commerce and Insurance has also issued guidelines acknowledging that “blasting can cause measurable and noticeable vibration and air pressure changes that may damage nearby property,” particularly if proper pre-blast surveys and monitoring are not implemented.

Given that many of the homes in Gladeville were built before modern building codes and lack reinforced foundations, they are more vulnerable to these impacts. Residents also expressed concern that blasting vibrations may interfere with underground utilities, private water wells, and natural springs, which are common sources of water in the area.

Despite these risks, there has been no mention in the submitted plans of a third-party blasting impact study or a pre-blast survey protocol for neighboring properties.

Allowing industrial blasting activity so close to long-established homes without these safeguards in place is a clear threat to property value, structural safety, and quality of life. Residents are rightfully concerned that the long-term cost of this development will be borne not by its developers, but by the families who already call Gladeville home.

5. Zoning Misalignment: C-4 vs. I-1

Several remarks uncovered that the scale and design of the proposed project is not aligned with the intent of C-4 (Planned Commercial) zoning:

• The size of the parking lots, the warehouse footprints, and the truck volumes point to distribution and logistics activity of a scale typically associated with I-1 (Light Industrial) zoning.

• “Warehousing” as a primary use is not included in the C-4 definition, but is explicitly listed under I-1 zoning. (Wilson County Zoning Ordinance, adopted January 17, 2003, p. 184)

• C-4 zoning is designed to support offices, commercial sales, light manufacturing, and assembly or distribution centers associated with those uses—meaning any distribution activity should be clearly tied to local business operations (Wilson County Zoning Ordinance, adopted January 17, 2003, p. 183), not stand-alone interstate shipping hubs.

Given the project's scale, use of space, and emphasis on warehousing and logistics, the proposed plan does not align with the intent or permitted uses of C-4 zoning and therefore should not be allowed under that designation.

6. Conflict with the Wilson County Land Use Plan

The Land Use Master Plan for the area adopted in 2006 specifically addresses the SR 840/Couchville Pike Interchange and Speedway Area:

• The plan emphasizes development that serves the traveling public and nearby community, including retail, restaurants, office parks, and a possible village center.

• While the plan allows for some flexibility in industrial development, it also includes strong language indicating that such projects must exceed minimum development standards and enhance surrounding uses — a standard the proposed development does not meet, due to the strong negative response from residents in the surrounding area.

• The current county land use plan supports some commercial development on the piece of land between Lone Oak Road and Underwood Road, but does not call for high-intensity commercial development west of Underwood Road—which is where six of the proposed parcels are located.

  • Due to this inconsistency, Mr. Lawless stated that planning staff cannot recommend approval of the rezoning and master plan for those parcels (including parcels 8.06, 8.07, 8.08, 8.10, 44, and 45.0). Parcel 39.03 (at 3461 Underwood Rd) is also not in the current land use plan area.

  • Only one small portion of the proposed site is identified as having potential for future rezoning, contingent upon meeting specific criteria noted above. All other parcels are designated to remain as “existing low-density residential and farmland” (Wilson County Gateway Master Land Use Plan, p. 53).

This confirms concerns raised by residents that the project represents a departure from the intended land use pattern, and does not uphold the community character protections outlined in the county’s plan.

Conclusion

Based on the statements made by Planning Director Christopher Lawless at the May 16, 2025 Planning Commission, and the detailed feedback from local residents, the First Park 840 proposal raises significant concerns in the following categories:

• Environmental vulnerability due to sinkholes and flooding

• Inadequate road infrastructure for industrial truck traffic

• Proximity to residential areas and school bus stops

• Structural damage from blasting to nearby homes

• Misalignment with C-4 zoning requirements

• Inconsistency with the Wilson County Land Use Master Plan

Mr. Lawless concluded that, while portions of the land use plan support commercial use along Couchville Pike, the lack of guidance for high-intensity commercial west of Underwood Road and ongoing flooding and sinkhole risks mean planning staff cannot recommend approval of the full rezoning request.

Given these issues—many of which were cited directly by the county’s Planning Director and staff—it is evident that this development is not an appropriate fit for this location.

At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Wilson County Planning Commission voted to forward the rezoning request to the County Commission without a recommendation. This action also reflected the position of the Wilson County Planning Department staff, who did not recommend approval of the site plan proposal.

So, what’s next?

On July 21st, 2025 at 7pm, the Wilson County Commission will vote on whether to approve this plan, based on the recommendation from the Planning Commission and Wilson County Planning staff. This will take place at the Wilson County Courthouse (228 E Main Street Lebanon, TN 37087)

Local citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting and provide public comment about how they wish for the commission to vote. All speakers are given a strict 3-minute timeframe to present their concerns, and are asked to keep the topic relevant.

What should I keep in mind?

The First Industrial developer is working hard to convince residents and commission members that this proposed project will stop flooding in the area. They paint an appealing picture — what if a private company made the improvements the South Gladeville area could benefit from when it comes to flooding, by building retention ponds and promising to do their best to divert water?

But that’s the thing — Gladevillians, especially those that have lived in the area for decades, never asked Wilson County officials, or a private developer to fix the water problem — we’ve asked them to stop building warehouses, and paving over sinkholes. The developer (from Nashville) is working to convince local residents that they know what’s best for them — all while trying to build a multi-million dollar facility that residents don’t want.

At the July 21st meeting, it’s important to reiterate that the County Planning Director does not recommend building over sinkholes. The initial master plan shows warehouse buildings positioned directly on top of known sinkholes, which would require paving over and eliminating their ability to manage surface drainage. Lawless, referencing insights from the county’s consulting engineer, stated that the preferred and safer approach is to avoid disturbing sinkholes whenever possible or, alternatively, use injection wells to preserve drainage functions. If that approach were taken, it would require a smaller building footprint and significant changes to the current conceptual site plan.

Residents should take this opportunity to share their concerns about the broader consequences of this project — including increased truck traffic, pedestrian and school bus safety, the mismatch between this plan and the County’s land use guidelines, and the destruction of the rural residential neighborhood where we live, work, and raise our families.