Oak Ridge Today

Council members suggest next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

Oak Ridge City Council members on Tuesday suggested next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge. The discussion occurred about a week after Council rejected a revised plan for the second phase of the project in a 4-3 vote, creating uncertainty about what will happen next. The Tuesday evening discussion was meant to help guide Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson in his conversations with RealtyLink, the developer.

The four City Council members who voted against the revised plan expressed a range of concerns on Tuesday that included having a main entrance, ensuring that there is a way to get into and see the center of Main Street, and making sure the project is walkable and has a comprehensive system of sidewalks. Individually or collectively, they objected to the proposed layout of the buildings as the site prepared to welcome a second wave of tenants, advocated for a public forum on the project, and mentioned the importance of mixed-use development. (Mixed-use developments can include retailers and residential and commercial units, among other possibilities.)

The three Council members who voted for the revised plan continued to stress the potential benefits of welcoming four new national retailers to Oak Ridge, pointed out that RealtyLink has spent tens of millions of dollars here, and emphasized the importance of the potential sales tax revenues. They said those revenues will be crucial to help pay off such debts as the renovation of Oak Ridge High School. That debt is expected to spike in 2022 and 2023, about the same time as the city will permanently lose its revenues from the state’s Hall income tax, Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said.

Gooch issued a dire warning about the possibility of city inaction bringing the project to a standstill on Tuesday.

“The clock is running, and it’s going to impact us going forward,” Gooch said. “I view this as absolutely imperative to go forward. The fiscal viability of this city is at risk.”

The Council members who have raised concerns and voted against the revised plan on Monday, January 14, have stressed the importance of making sure that the city and developer pursue the best development option. They have said they want to ensure the project’s long-term success.

Here is a summary of some of the city officials’ comments from the Tuesday night non-voting work session: [Read more…]

Residents can share opinions for City Blueprint

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and the city’s Community Development Department continue to accept ideas from residents as those officials finish the City Blueprint Plan.

That plan is a citywide vision and guide for future growth and development in Oak Ridge, a press release said. It identifies the important issues that affect the community, desired goals and outcomes, and action steps that can be prioritized by city leaders each year, based on resources.

“In order to be an inclusive and successful tool for decision-makers and stakeholders, the City Blueprint must also demonstrate broad community input and support,” the press release said.

Everyone is encouraged to provide feedback as the draft blueprint approaches adoption. There are several opportunities for public review and comment: [Read more…]

Council to discuss next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

After they rejected a revised plan for the project on Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council will discuss next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

It wasn’t clear this week what might happen next.

The revised plan that City Council rejected in a 4-3 vote on Monday would have allowed four national retailers to build stores at Main Street Oak Ridge. It would have required the closure of the access road from Rutgers Avenue to the roundabout at Main Street, allowing the four stores to be built along a sidewalk between JCPenney and PetSmart. It would have removed the 230 or so multi-family residential units that had been proposed by Crosland Southeast, the original developer, in the area between JCPenney and Walmart. And it would have moved the proposed mixed-use development to a future phase along Wilson Street.

This past Tuesday, after Council rejected the revised plan, three people involved in the project, including RealtyLink, the current developer, said there is no other design, no “plan B.” [Read more…]

Council approves plan for apartments at former AMSE site

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning and planned unit development on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The Oak Ridge City Council approved a rezoning and planned unit development on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved a plan that would allow apartments at the former American Museum of Science and Energy site on South Tulane Avenue.

The apartment proposal requires a rezoning and the approval of a plan for a planned unit development, or PUD.

They were approved in a 5-1-1 vote in the first of two readings on Monday. The second and final reading will presumably be in February.

Voting for the plan were Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch and City Council members Kelly Callison, Jim Dodson, Derrick Hammond, and Ellen Smith. [Read more…]

Council rejects revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed revised plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday narrowly rejected a revised plan that would have allowed four national retailers to build stores at Main Street Oak Ridge.

The Council had unanimously approved a revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, subject to certain conditions, in December. That was the first of two readings.

But Council rejected the plan in a 4-3 vote in the second and final reading on Monday.

The rejection hinged on concerns that included the closure of an access road to the 58-acre site, the movement of mixed-use areas to a future phase along Wilson Street, and questions about whether there are other site plan options and whether the development would or should establish a “city center.” People who rejected the revised plan or asked Council to reject it said they support the development and want continued negotiations with RealtyLink, the developer. But it wasn’t immediately clear this week if that will happen.

Those who had supported the revised plan, on the other hand, warned that rejecting it could affect funding for Oak Ridge and Anderson County governments and school systems by diminishing expected sales and property tax revenues, possibly in the range of several hundred thousand dollars. They worried about the impact on the city’s retail community, property tax values, and new housing developments. They called the project a “once in a generation” opportunity and said it could be a few decades before another similar proposal emerges.

It’s not clear what will happen next or if there is any solution that will be acceptable to both RealtyLink and the planning commissioners and City Council members who opposed the revised plan. On Tuesday, three people involved in the project, including RealtyLink, said there is no other design, no “plan B.”

“We’ve worked for six months to get to where we are,” said Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink in Greenville, South Carolina. “We didn’t get what we wanted, and they didn’t get what they wanted.”

He said the four national tenants were notified Tuesday that Council rejected the proposed changes to the planned unit development for Main Street Oak Ridge. The potential tenants will be notified if something changes. [Read more…]

Planning Commission to hear 2030 strategy for City Center

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will hear a 2030 strategy for the Oak Ridge City Center in a meeting this evening (Thursday, January 10).

The presentation, titled “Oak Ridge City Center, a 2030 Strategy,” is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. The presentation will be given by Phil Enquist of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.

Also on the agenda for this evening are a review of the City Blueprint; a re-subdivision for Clark’s Preserve, a residential development; and master plan amendments for Clark’s Preserve and The Preserve at Clinch River.

Planning Commission unanimously approves apartments at former AMSE site

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The main parking lot and main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The main parking lot and main entrance to the former American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue is pictured above on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a rezoning and master plan on Thursday that will allow apartments on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The approval, which passed on a unanimous voice vote, functions as a recommendation to the Oak Ridge City Council, which could consider the project in January. Council could consider the rezoning and master plan in two monthly meetings, or readings.

The apartment complex could include 217 units in seven three-story buildings on the northern side of the former AMSE site. They would be built on about 10 acres where the former museum building and its big parking lot are now, just south of the Oak Ridge Municipal Building.

AMSE has moved across the street to Main Street Oak Ridge, the roughly 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. [Read more…]

Planning Commission to consider apartments at former AMSE site

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning and planned unit development on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning and planned unit development on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

 

Oak Ridge officials will consider a proposal on Thursday that would allow apartments to be built on the former American Museum of Science and Energy property on South Tulane Avenue.

Oak Ridge Today reported in November that the apartment complex could include 217 units in seven three-story buildings on the northern side of the former AMSE site. They would be built on about 10 acres where the former museum building and its big parking lot are now, just south of the Oak Ridge Municipal Building.

AMSE has moved across the street to Main Street Oak Ridge, the roughly 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The rezoning and planned unit development, or PUD, have been requested by TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC and Mainstreet Capital Partners LLC. A total of roughly 11 acres would be included in the rezoning, including about 10 acres for the PUD. [Read more…]

Main Street developer asks for changes to plan recommendations

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

The developer of Main Street Oak Ridge has asked for changes or the removal of some conditions recommended by city officials as they consider possible changes to the master plan for the 58-acre project.

The developer, TN Oak Ridge Rutgers LLC, said last week that it will not be able to comply with a request from the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission to include a significant central gathering space as part of Phase III. It has asked to remove language calling for a commitment to create a mixed-use center along Wilson Street. It also wants to remove language calling for significant multi-family residential units as part of the potential mixed-use center along Wilson Street.

TN Oak Ridge Rutgers, which is affiliated with RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, was responding to 10 conditions recommended by the Planning Commission when it approved a revised master plan in a split 5-4 vote during a special meeting on Wednesday, December 5.

What happens next will be up to Oak Ridge City Council, which will consider the proposed revisions during a special meeting Tuesday evening.

One revision that initially caused concern appears to have been accepted, at least so far. That’s the closure of the access road from Rutgers Avenue to the roundabout at Main Street Oak Ridge. That access road would be removed to allow four new stores to be built between PetSmart, a new store, and JCPenney, an anchor store remaining from the former Oak Ridge Mall. The conditions recommended by Planning Commission did not mention the access road. It’s not clear what Council’s position will be. [Read more…]

Council gives final approval to new housing development in east Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge officials approved a plan in November 2018 that would allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge. This is the view looking toward the part of the development that would be called Harbour Pointe A and Harbour Pointe B on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge officials approved a plan in November and December 2018 that will allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge. This is the view looking toward the part of the development that will be called Harbour Pointe A and Harbour Pointe B on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

In its second and final vote, the Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved a plan that will allow a new residential development on more than 100 acres off Edgemoor Road in east Oak Ridge.

It’s a significant change to what had originally been expected on the property in a master plan adopted in 2009. That was for a planned unit development called Centennial Village.

The new development, which required changes to the Centennial Village master plan, will be called Harbour Pointe. It could include 310 lots on 117 acres. Of the lots, 186 could be single-family and 124 could be multi-family.

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved re-zonings and a preliminary master plan for Harbour Pointe, subject to certain conditions, during a special meeting on Monday, November 5. The Oak Ridge City Council then unanimously approved them, with the Planning Commission conditions included, on Monday, November 12. [Read more…]

Main Street vote rescheduled

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

The vote on the proposed revisions to the plan for Main Street Oak Ridge has been rescheduled to next week.

The Oak Ridge City Council had been scheduled to consider the proposed revisions to the plan during a regular meeting on Monday, December 10.

But there were apparently issues related to the weather in the mountains. The developer, RealtyLink, is based in Greenville, South Carolina, and the company had reportedly planned to attend the Monday night City Council meeting.

Council could now consider the proposed revisions to the Main Street plan during a special meeting on Tuesday, December 18. [Read more…]

(For members) Divided opinion, split vote for revised Main Street plan

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and City Council discuss the revised plan for the second phase of Main Street Oak Ridge during a non-voting joint work session in the Municipal Building on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and City Council discuss the revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge during a non-voting joint work session in the Municipal Building on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and City Council discuss the revised plan for the second phase of Main Street Oak Ridge during a non-voting joint work session in the Municipal Building on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and City Council discuss the revised plan for the second phase of Main Street Oak Ridge during a non-voting joint work session in the Municipal Building on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge officials have discussed the revised plan for the next phase of Main Street Oak Ridge in a half-dozen meetings since October, and in that time, the Municipal Planning Commission has had a split vote and City Council members have expressed divided opinions about the plan.

The Planning Commission, which has generally had concerns about the revisions and had postponed a vote, approved a version of the revised plan, subject to 10 conditions, in a 5-4 vote during a special meeting on Wednesday.

It’s not clear what will happen when the City Council considers the Planning Commission’s recommendation on Monday, December 10. Several Council members have had concerns, while others seemed ready to allow RealtyLink, the developer, to proceed with the 58-acre redevelopment.

The revisions have been proposed as RealtyLink prepares to welcome a second wave of tenants to the former mall site. The changes, which planning commissioners have called significant, would eliminate multifamily units and add retail uses, according to the city staff. The proposed revisions have included removing the access road from the roundabout to Rutgers Avenue, building four stores in that area (between PetSmart and JCPenney), eliminating the planned multi-family residential units near JCPenney, adding sidewalks and open space, and including mixed-use development in a later phase along Wilson Street.

Those who have had concerns have been disappointed about the proposal to close the access road and a shift from what they thought was going to be a mixed-use center with residential units, retailers, restaurants, and a central gathering space, to what could be primarily a shopping center. They have argued that a mixed-use area could improve the long-term viability of the project.

“The overwhelming response I’ve heard is: We want a town center,” said Stephen Whitson, Planning Commission chair. “I’ve heard it over and over.”

Those who would like to proceed are worried that RealtyLink could move on to other developments in other communities if its revised project here is not approved, and they have cited the potential sales tax revenues from the new retailers as an important consideration. The new retailers could include apparel stores and a home store.

Complicating the project are various lease and deed restrictions that control what can be built where. Lease restrictions include, for example, limits on the size of buildings on Wilson Street and restrictions on parking lot use near Cinemark Tinseltown, with no residential within 300 feet of the closest boundary corner.

The question now is whether the city wants to “hold out for something better” or act on a plan that is ready to go, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said during a November 8 work session featuring Planning Commission and City Council.

RealtyLink has said the proposed changes to the plan are tenant-driven, and the company has limited control over the site plans. Five national tenants are “at the table,” Neil Wilson, RealtyLink principal, told planning commissioners in October. RealtyLink has taken a plan first proposed by Crosland Southeast, the original developer, and adopted and revised it.

New stores would not be expected to be open by Christmas 2019, but they could be open sometime around the spring of 2020, according to the discussion at a November 8 work session.

Here is a timeline of the discussion in five meetings since October. It includes the opinions of planning commissioners and City Council members, and the results of the Wednesday vote.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or recent contributor to Oak Ridge Today. 

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