Sumner County Residents Challenge Proposed Construction on New Hope Road

At a recent meeting of the Sumner County Board of Zoning Appeals, numerous residents and property owners expressed strong opposition to a proposed construction project at 2340 New Hope Road in Hendersonville, TN.

 

The 12.05-acre parcel, owned by Charles Roberts, lies within the county's floodplain, raising significant environmental and safety concerns among the community.

 

Planning staff provided a comprehensive overview of the property's regulatory history, noting multiple prior applications dating back to at least 2017.

 

These included a denied application to store commercial equipment and a building permit granted around 2019–2020 for a 10,000-square-foot pole barn that was never constructed.

 

Staff emphasized that earlier approvals have lapsed after five years and that a substantial zoning rewrite in 2020 has altered applicable rules.

 

They posed two critical questions to the board: whether the property's current use and proposed building align with the BZA’s October 12, 2017 decision, and whether a new building permit may be issued or if additional zoning approvals or a special exception are required.

 

Applicant Charles Roberts stated that he owns Earthworks Incorporated and does not intend to relocate his construction business office to the site.

 

He expressed a desire to build a storage facility to house personal items such as race cars, boats, power tools, and equipment currently stored at his commercial site.

 

Roberts, who resides adjacent to the parcel, mentioned his collaboration with county staff and the provision of a flood-elevation certificate for the proposed building site.

 

He remarked, "I simply wanna build a building to put all my toys in."

 

Community members and the homeowners association voiced repeated objections.

 

Richard Waltz commented, "This place has been a nuisance ever since he's owned it. It's noisy. It's dirty. There's traffic coming and going there all the time."

 

Holly Patterson, HOA president, highlighted ongoing complaints about late-night loud music, dirt-bike activity, dump trucks, and large soil mounds next to the creek.

 

She questioned whether the fill material had been tested and raised concerns about potential contaminants entering the water.

 

Other residents described frequent dump-truck traffic, visible mounds of fill adjacent to the creek, repeated flooding of nearby yards and barns, and fears that continued activity would lower property values and degrade the rural character.

 

Multiple residents challenged the sufficiency of any engineering or FEMA approvals cited by the applicant and requested the county provide documentation.

 

One resident raised bridge safety concerns for heavy equipment crossing a private bridge at the site.

 

During board discussion, a motion was made and seconded to find that current activity on the property is not in keeping with the BZA’s 2017 action.

 

Staff sought clear direction from the board, noting that there was no complete special-exception application before the BZA at the hearing and recommending against denying an application that had not yet been filed.

 

They also noted that if a new application is filed, the board must rule based on a complete application and supporting material evidence.

 

The public hearing included repeated requests from residents for traffic studies, drainage/engineering analyses, and copies of any FEMA or other agency approvals.

 

Staff informed the board that the property is within the 100-year floodplain (Zone AE), that earlier permits have lapsed, and that county zoning rules would apply to future filings.

 

The transcript does not include a final vote on the motion recorded in the meeting minutes excerpt provided; staff sought clarification from the board on how to proceed and whether the board wished to answer the two questions presented.

 

The matter remains open pending board direction or the filing of a formal special-exception or zoning-compliance application.

 

Residents indicated they would pursue appeals and expect the board and staff to require material evidence such as drainage reports, traffic studies, and documentation of any FEMA certifications before any permit is issued.

 

This case underscores the ongoing tension between development interests and community concerns in Sumner County, particularly regarding projects within sensitive environmental areas like floodplains.

 

The outcome of this deliberation may set a precedent for future developments in the region.