Drainage, development drive P&Z meeting

Planning and Zoning weigh drainage, road access, and legal questions as several development items move forward

10:06 p.m. July 7, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County’s Planning and Zoning Commission kept infrastructure at the center of its Tuesday, July 7, meeting, opening with drainage concerns near the Silicon Ranch solar project before turning to stormwater planning, the county’s 20-year plan, subdivision requests, and utility-review language for future development.

Across the meeting, the same concerns surfaced again and again: road access, water capacity, stormwater controls, easements, and whether proposed developments fit the county’s current zoning rules.

Chairman Dexter Golden said he had spoken with Moore County’s contracted environmental consultant Tony Grow about the Silicon Ranch solar project and was told the work was progressing. Bryan Runion, representing Silicon Ranch, told the commission construction was moving smoothly.

One concern involved standing water along Highway 55. Runion said the issue appeared to be tied to beaver activity blocking culverts under the highway.

“There is a beaver dam,” Runion said, explaining that water is supposed to move through culverts from the south side of Highway 55 to the north side. “Some beavers have dammed up those culverts.”

Runion said the company had pulled out the blockage by hand, but the beavers rebuilt it. He said the Tennessee Department of Transportation is aware of the issue and is expected to bring equipment in over the next week or two to clean out the culverts.

“When you do get it pulled out just by hand, you can see a really big reduction in water,” he said.

Stormwater plan could come back next month

Stormwater planning also returned during the meeting, with Golden saying Grow has been working on a possible stormwater plan for Moore County.

Golden said Grow has reached out to an engineer from Rutherford County who may be able to speak with the commission about detention basins and other stormwater requirements for future developments.

Golden said the goal is to make sure the county has stronger checks in place as new projects come forward.

He said he would like to place the stormwater discussion on next month’s agenda.

Commission looks toward 20-year plan

Long-range planning followed the stormwater discussion, with Golden again urging members to schedule a work session on the county’s 20-year plan.

“We really have got to get a work session together,” Golden said.

Members discussed a tentative July 28 work session, though the date and time still need to be confirmed.

Golden said the 20-year plan needs to be reviewed before the county reaches a point where changes are harder to make.

Woosley Road plat receives approval

New business included a minor division plat review for Kaycee and Steven Edwards and Kayla Gleghorn on Woosley Road, involving a portion of Map 010, Parcel 019.03.

The plat received unanimous approval from the four commission members present: Bobby Carroll, Jim Crawford, Jimmy Hammond, and Golden.

Scott Fruehauf and Jeff Ross were absent.

Golden also announced Angelica Lightfoot has resigned.

Tanyard Hill Road request heads toward Metro Council

The next subdivision item involved Joe Denby and Jennifer Savage at 3152 Tanyard Hill Road, listed as Map 037, Parcel 037.00. Nicholas Northcutt, of Northcutt Surveying, appeared before the commission to discuss the proposed layout.

Golden told Northcutt the request would fall into the major subdivision category. He also said Moore County has increased minimum lot sizes to five acres for property zoned agricultural, meaning the proposed smaller lots would require rezoning before the Planning and Zoning Commission could move forward.

“What this will have to do is the council will have to see this and approve to rezone you,” Golden said. “We can’t approve it because it doesn’t fit the rezoning as it is right now.”

Commission members also discussed driveway access and visibility along a curve in the road. Northcutt said he had met on-site with county officials, and one lot appeared to be the main concern. The discussion centered on possibly having two lots share one entrance to help address the line-of-sight issue.

Golden said he did not want the Planning and Zoning Commission to give a recommendation on the major subdivision before Metro Council first considers the rezoning request.

“I don’t want to say that you would be approved on a major if they don’t even rezone them,” Golden said.

The matter will go to Metro Council first. Depending on that vote, it could return to the Planning and Zoning Commission for further review.

Daniel Hall Road question sent for legal guidance

In a separate request, Joe Denby also appeared before the commission regarding property at 51 Daniel Hall Road, where the tax map shows one parcel, but the deed history appears to describe two lots.

As presented to the commission, the property has two addresses, two water meters, two power connections, and two existing residences. The property was apparently combined at some point for tax purposes, but representatives told the commission the deed still describes two separate lots from an older survey.

Denby wants to be able to convey the property by lot and eventually remove the existing structures and build back one residence on each lot.

Commission members questioned whether the property should be treated as two grandfathered lots of record or as one parcel under the county’s current rules. Golden said he did not want the commission to make a decision that could create a difficult legal position or set an unintended precedent.

The commission agreed to seek legal guidance from County Attorney Bill Rieder before taking action.

Boat and RV storage plan moves forward

Another rezoning-related item moved toward Metro Council after Rodney and Jennifer Ervin and Brett Fanning brought back a corrected plan for property on Highway 50, listed as Map 020, Parcel 039.00.

Ervin and Fanning appeared before the commission in June 2025 to begin the process of rezoning a 2.34-acre lot near Jiffy Mart along Highway 55 for proposed commercial use as a boat and RV storage facility.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the applicants said the revised drawing corrected earlier mistakes in the number and dimensions of proposed storage areas. They said the entrances and main access points had not changed. Todd Sherrill, with St. John Engineering, was also present, and the applicants said they had construction, grading, and detention plans prepared.

After brief discussion, the item moved forward to Metro Council for rezoning consideration.

Golden told the applicants it would be wise for at least one representative to attend the Metro Council meeting in case council members have questions.

Aid of Construction added to checklist

The commission also returned to the issue of Aid of Construction, a utility-finance mechanism that can require developers or customers to help pay for infrastructure needed to serve new growth.

Golden said the commission had discussed the issue with the Metro Council and wanted to ensure the planning checklist makes applicants aware that they need to check with the Metro Moore Utility Department.

“We’ve had somebody before us say they didn’t know anything about y’all’s books and y’all’s stipulations,” Golden said.

The commission plans to add language to its checklist so applicants are directed to the water department earlier in the review process.

The commission also briefly discussed language related to cease-and-desist orders and revoking building permits. Golden said the form would be updated and sent back to Metro Council. If council members have no changes, the commission will try to get the updated process adopted.

Windmills remain under review

The commission briefly discussed windmills, which appeared as an agenda item. Golden said the commission did not yet have a large amount of local information, but noted that state law already addresses some parts of the issue. He encouraged members to continue doing homework before the commission takes up the matter in more detail.

The commission also reviewed June building permits.

Whiskey Creek bridge remains unresolved

The meeting closed with another update tied to the bridge at The Retreat at Whiskey Creek.

Golden said the county had received questions about the bridge and that Tennessee Risk Management had not confirmed the engineering information needed for the county’s insurance purposes. As a result, he said the bridge still has not been approved for county vehicles.

The commission also clarified that a rear easement associated with the development is a construction easement only, not an emergency access route.

• The commission also plans to send a roads and easements item back to Metro Council after it did not make last month’s council agenda.