Commissioners hear plans Monday, Nov. 9, to make 9 acres downtown Town Center land, after agreeing to sell 6.6 acres of city land for $8.08 million.

Plans for a new downtown in Mt. Juliet go before the Board of Commissioners on Monday, Nov. 9. The board will hold a public hearing on making about 9 acres around W. Caldwell Street “Town Center” land in the city’s land use plan.

It is the first public vote on the downtown since July. That month the board agreed to sell about 6.6 acres of city-owned land across N. Mt. Juliet Road for $8,076,481. The same meeting will also take up a plan to move City Hall staff to the city building on Clemmons Road.

What the Nov. 9 hearing covers

The hearing is at 6:15 p.m. at City Hall, 2425 N. Mt. Juliet Road. The city’s public notice, signed by City Manager Kenneth D. Martin, says the board will consider the change on first reading.

The notice covers:

  • about 9 acres known as Downtown Mt. Juliet
  • 48, 51, 53 and 68 W. Caldwell St., 60 Third Ave. and land on N. Mt. Juliet Road
  • a change from Low Density Residential and Neighborhood Commercial to Town Center

Copies of the ordinance are available at City Hall and at the City Hall Annex, 115 Clemmons Road. The public is invited to attend and comment.

A separate request would rezone a wider set of parcels to CTC, the city’s Commercial Town Center zoning. That list includes the city’s own land on E. Hill Street and E. Caldwell Street, as well as 46 W. Division St. The rezoning map shows most of the parcels zoned RS-40, a residential zone, or OPS today. The Nov. 9 notice lists only the land use change.

What the planners said

City planners recommended both changes. Their Sept. 17 staff report found the request met all six tests in the zoning ordinance. Engineering and the planning staff had no comments. The report names no applicant.

At the Planning Commission that night, motions to send the board a negative recommendation on each change failed. Six commissioners voted no on each motion and two were absent, according to the city’s legislative record. The commission has not yet adopted its minutes for that meeting.

The $8.08 million land sale

The city land at the center of the plan sits on the east side of N. Mt. Juliet Road. It covers nine tracts on N. Mt. Juliet Road, E. Caldwell Street and E. Hill Street.

The board chose a buyer on May 11. Commissioners voted 5-0 to have the city manager negotiate with Mission Sellars for 60 days, and to turn to Imagine One if no deal was reached. That is in the board’s record of the vote.

The city’s Real Estate Advisory Committee then valued the land. Its June 9 report put the “as-is” value of the roughly 6.5 acres at $7.1 million to $7.5 million. It said the value could change after a formal appraisal and any project approvals.

The Planning Commission voted 9-0 on June 18 to recommend against the sale, its minutes show. Commissioner Art Giles said he opposed the sale and urged a traffic light at E. Hill Street and N. Mt. Juliet Road.

The Board of Commissioners approved the purchase agreement on July 27, the minutes show. Mayor James Maness, Vice Mayor Bill Trivett and Commissioner Jennifer Milele voted yes. Giles was absent. Commissioner Scott Hefner disclosed that he has no financial interest in the project or property, recused himself and did not vote.

Bar chart comparing the city committee's value estimate for about 6.6 acres of city land downtown, $7.1 million to $7.5 million, with the agreed sale price of $8.08 million, which includes a $1,375,000 voluntary contribution.
The agreed price against the committee's estimate. Chart by Mount Juliet Today
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What the agreement says

The purchase agreement is between the city and Mission Sellars Partnership. Its main terms:

  • a price of $8,076,481 for a combined 6.64 acres, adjusted to the final survey
  • the price includes what the agreement calls a voluntary contribution of $1,375,000
  • $685,000 of the price is set for 2397 N. Mt. Juliet Road, its appraised value
  • deposits of $55,000 at signing and $55,000 more after the study period
  • 240 days for the buyer to study the land, with up to two 60-day extensions
  • closing within 60 days after that period ends
  • the buyer can walk away if it cannot get financing it is satisfied with
  • the city must end two month-to-month leases on the land before closing; a third, commercial lease runs to March 31, 2028
  • if the city ever decides to sell the City Hall site at 2425 N. Mt. Juliet Road, it must tell the buyer 30 days before marketing it; this is not a right of first refusal

The agreement also has terms that apply if the buyer cannot win final approval of a development plan within set time limits after closing.

City Hall’s move to Clemmons Road

Also on Nov. 9 is a resolution deferred from Sept. 28. It would let the city seek architects to renovate space at 115 Clemmons Road “to accommodate the relocation of City Hall.”

That building already houses Public Works, Building and Codes, Planning and Fire Administration. The resolution says the city intends to move City Hall employees there to put its administrative staff in one place.

What it means for you

  • To speak on the Town Center change, go to City Hall at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. This is first reading, so the change would need a second vote before it takes effect.
  • To read the ordinance first, ask at City Hall or the City Hall Annex on Clemmons Road.
  • For City Hall business, nothing changes yet. The Nov. 9 vote is only on hiring a design firm. Our guide to who to call at City Hall has current numbers.
  • Other hearings that night include the ambulance fee schedule. Upcoming notices are on our public notices page.

We will report the outcome after the meeting.