CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A slew of housing projects are already in the works for Clarksville, and more developments are on the drawing board. One of those projects is in question, with some council members concerned about traffic nearby.
City Council members heard plans for two projects at their meeting on Sept. 29. In addition, another project is in the preliminary stages and is set to feature 360 homes on the north side of the city.
Highlands Apartments on Rossview
The land proposed for The Highlands Apartments is about 27.47 acres at Rossview Road and Basham Lane, just off Warfield Boulevard. The owner of the property, George R. Fleming, is requesting to have the area rezoned into a Planned Unit Development from R1. The proposed apartment complex would feature three-story walk-up apartments, totaling about 326 units.
Jeffrey Tyndall, director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission, explained that the RPC has recommended approval following a months-long review process. However, there are some road improvements to be made along the way.
“If you look at Basham Lane, currently it’s one lane going into Rossview Road. The widening that they’re doing at that intersection will allow a left and a right turn lane so that cars that want to go right don’t have to wait for a car that wants to go left. It should help that intersection flow a little bit better as well, regardless of the existing and proposed traffic,” he said.
Proposed road improvements also include a right deceleration lane from the property to the main entrance on Rossview Road, as well as a left turn lane from Basham Lane to Warfield Boulevard on Rossview Road.
Despite those road improvements, concerns were still raised about traffic and overdevelopment by multiple council members.
“There is still concern that the road is too narrow and the right-of-way in this area is not adequate,” said Councilperson Karen Reynolds, noting the concerns were addressed by residents through email and in person at a previous meeting.
Councilperson Joe Shakeenab, whose ward this project would be in, said he would be voting against this measure, citing concerns of increased traffic and insufficient road improvements.
“We feel the heat of our citizens that drive up and down Rossview every day. Every time there is an accident on I-24, those travelers take Rossview Road. It’s bottlenecked all the time. In the evening, it’s bottlenecked. In the morning, it’s bottlenecked. You have school buses that actually stop on Rossview Road. We need to fix Rossview Road,” he said.
Another councilperson mentioned that the project would give Rossview Road those upgrades.
“It seems as though you have an opportunity here to have something done, but the developer is being held back from doing those improvements that we all know are needed. So, it’s something to think about because eventually, even if, let’s say, this doesn’t go through, something does have to happen to Rossview to get that road widened,” said Councilperson Ambar Marquis.
The measure will get a vote on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 1 Public Square.
J&N Enterprises expansion
In other housing business, the City Council is reviewing a plan to rezone a portion of a tract of land at Hollow Crest and Jim Brown Drive at the western edge of the city limits. The applicant, J&N Enterprises, is requesting to rezone the property, totaling 43.71 acres, from R-2 to R-2A.
Tyndall explained that the property already has an approved preliminary subdivision and there are existing stub roads that will connect to the new roads and properties. He said that with the zoning change, the developer would be able to pick up around 30 more units.
The Planning Commission recommended approval. This measure will also get a vote this Thursday.
Tailwater Meadows subdivision
According to an article from the Nashville Business Journal, the RPC has also approved the Tailwater Meadows subdivision, a 360-home development on the north side of the city.
The project will be built on a 131-acre parcel north of Ringgold Road and east of Fort Campbell Boulevard and is being developed by Byard & Mabry Holdings.
While in the early stages, it looks like the houses are going to sell for about $350,000 each, which may lead some to question the city’s affordability. The Nashville Business Journal reports that Clarksville has seen the most significant increase in home prices in the state at 30.5% for the second straight quarter, over the year before.
According to a study from Middle Tennessee State University Business and Economic Research Center, Clarksville narrowly beat out the Nashville MSA, which saw a 30.4% price increase in the same period.