By Bill Short
The Millington Board of Mayor and Aldermen has approved a Development Agreement for construction of Phase 2 of the Thornhill Estates residential subdivision.
Board members took the action during their Jan. 10 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Alderman Don Lowry and seconded by Alderman Jon Crisp.
The motion was passed by six affirmative votes, with Alderman Thomas McGhee absent.
A resolution approving the agreement states that Thornhill Estates II LLC is the owner of a 44.84-acre tract south of Big Creek Church Road zoned R-1, Low-Density Residential, who desires to develop the site into a 116-lot subdivision.
Charles Goforth, planning consultant for the city, said the agreement requires a payment of $406,000 in water, sewer and inspection fees.
He has said one of the “issues” with Phase 2 is that there are no turn lanes or improvements at the intersection of Highway 51 and Big Creek Church Road.
The city’s planning staff has prepared a study to determine when a traffic signal will be needed there. But Goforth has said installation of the signal and improvements will cost $750,000 to $800,000.
Because the staff believes that the developers should participate with the city on this, he said the agreement also requires a payment of $500 per lot.
Goforth has said that, as each lot is developed, that money will go into an escrow account to pay for improvements to the intersection of Highway 51 and Big Creek Church Road.
He has noted that the improvements need to be done at the same time that the traffic signal is installed.
At its Jan. 18 meeting, the Millington Planning Commission approved an Alternative Minimum Bond of $658,879.12 on the subdivision.
Goforth has said the subdivision was developed sometime before the “housing recession hit” in 2008, and not much has happened since then.
“It was actually approved in about four sections,” he recalled. “The first section was really two sections, so, it was combined.”
He has noted that Phase 2, which is the eastern part of the subdivision, is “immediately adjacent” to the current Thornhill subdivision.
R-1 zoning requires lots that are at least 80-by-125 feet with a minimum of 10,000 square feet. But Goforth has acknowledged that “quite a few” lots will be larger than that.
He has noted that a “divided drive” will come in off of Big Creek Church Road and connect to Ryan Hill and Shady Hollow Lane in the existing subdivision.
At its June 2021 meeting, the planning commission approved the Design Plat for Phase 2 with the following conditions:
(1) The entrance on Big Creek Church Road must have 22 feet of pavement on either side of a 10-foot median.
(2) The Engineering Plat must be submitted in accordance with the city’s Subdivision Regulations.
(3) The design of the stormwater detention basin must meet the 25-year storm requirements.
At its November 2021 meeting, the commission approved the Engineering Plat for Phase 2 with the following conditions:
(1) Because the Design Plat specifically requested two locations for the mailbox kiosks, detail must be provided showing two parking spaces, proposed location of mailboxes and structures.
(2) The entrance sign must meet all visibility setbacks, and easements must be provided for the maintenance of the sign and the area around it.
(3) The median on Street 2 must be designated as open space and maintained by a homeowners association.
(4) A landscape screen, including a 6-foot-tall wood fence with a brick column every 40 feet,
must be provided on Lots 1-18 where they back up to Big Creek Church Road.
(5) Engineering comments must clarify the grading on the detention pond site.
(6) Fire hydrants must be spaced no more than 400 feet apart and match existing city fire hydrants.
