Community members called the plans for the proposed Brownland Farm Community development “well thought out” at a recent neighborhood presentation by Kevin Estes of Gamble Design Collaborative. Estes stated that the development will be a conservation subdivision that will be designed to incorporate more than 40 acres of trees and 60% of the current floodplain undeveloped.
The neighborhood development will employ the 232 acres of Robin Anderton’s farm, known as Brownland, 13 acres purchased from Christ Community Church, and 27 acres belonging to the Everly family that sit at the corner of Monticello and Hillsboro Roads. It will all be residential. An extensive 145-acre park will be created around the development acting as a buffer along major arterials, and providing residents with more than three miles of greenway trails and a fishing pond at the southern end of the property, which will face the new extension of Mack Hatcher.
Development Access
Access to the development will be from Hillsboro Road, with a lighted access at Hillsboro and Monticello, and an additional right access. An emergency access will be available via an access road around the church property with cut-through mitigation.
There have been multiple traffic pattern studies completed along Hillsboro Road, and the fire department has also reviewed plans to insure emergency access.
Development Housing Units
Single-family homes, townhomes, and multiplex single-family units will be built on the property, providing a total of 485 units. The four-unit multiplexes will be designed to look like a large home, providing two front-to-back units on the bottom floor and two on the top floor. Each of these units will have a minimum of two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Entry to much of the development will be through alley entrances, with the buildings either facing parkland or landscaped avenues. The townhomes and multiplexes will have additional parking for guests in the back. There will be 87 street entrance single-family homes.
Concern by residents about short term leasing will be addressed in the Home Owner’s Association contract, which will allow leases of no less than six months.
Development Integration of Design
Gable Design has worked with both Christ Community Church and Monticello to create designs that integrate both properties into the look of the development. The units that will face Monticello have been designed to blend with the older neighborhood’s architecture, and they created six designs to integrate the church into the community.
Development Floodplain Management
Much of the floodplain will be employed to create the park-like setting, and remain untouched by development. One hundred and thirty acres of floodplain will be designed to increase volume to provide 2:1 compensation, above the city of Franklin’s 1.5:1 requirement. Residential lots will be above both the 100-year and 500-year flood plain levels. And all Harpeth buffers will remain the same.
“Before any construction begins, the floodplains will be reviewed by the City of Franklin, a consultant the city has chosen, our consultant, and then go on to FEMA for approval,” said Estes.
The park will be managed by the Home Owner’s Association.
Development and School Capacity
Brownland Farms Community has worked with the school system which has projected an additional 122 students coming from the development, and plenty of room for growth in existing and planned schools. Johnson Elementary, Freedom Intermediate School, Freedom Middle School, and Franklin High School all have plenty of capacity for the additional students, and Northwest High School is planned to be built in the area by 2024.
Development Schedule
“The first phased of construction will be along the Brownland entrance road adjacent to the church,” noted Estes. “But it will not begin until 2022. And it will take seven years to complete.”
Seventy-five homes will be constructed during the first phase, with completion expected in 2028
I’m sure it will be beautiful and appreciate them incorporating a park-like setting. However, the fact they are adding 485 households (approx. 1000 more cars) onto our already crowded roadways is unsettling and really makes me want to move.
I want to know how all this is going to effect Rebel Meadows subdivision. Parts are in a flood plain and we do not need additional water being forced in to our neighborhood by drainage or pavement run off. I encourage Rebel meadows residents to contact their government officials about this concern.
Hi, Lee. The elementary school is actually Johnson Elementary, not Jackson Elementary.