10-03-2025
Two building plans seek to add a combined 1,000 homes in Mt. Juliet. Are they still alive?
Separate development plans that total more than 1,000 homes combined on opposite ends of Wilson County have stalled over road infrastructure concerns and face an uncertain future.
Both projects have sought annexation into Mt. Juliet. Here's a look.
A mixed-use plan from Lifestyle Communities that includes 655 multifamily-housing units along Central Pike was brought back after first being proposed in 2022.
However, Mt. Juliet planning commissioners voted to give a land use plan amendment a negative recommendation as concerns on the impact to Central Pike and area traffic were raised. Lifestyle Communities representatives then deferred requests to annex and rezone the property as recommendation items.
A new Central Pike interchange and widening on Central Pike and South Mt. Juliet Road are part of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's 10-Year road project plan, released in 2023. However, there is an uncertain timeline on starting and finishing those road projects.
'I'm not going to sit here with any fiber of my being and approve a project that's going to put additional units on an unimproved road,' Planning Commissioner Preston George said prior to the vote. 'Until Central Pike is completely widened, I'm not going to support anything.'
Lifestyle Communities, which has an existing development in Mt. Juliet's Providence area, also includes the brand's Goat Restaurant in the LC Mt. Juliet II plan.
Development representatives offered to limit the number of units to 391 as a first phase until a new Central Pike interchange is complete.
An LC Mt. Juliet II representative also told planning commissioners Lifestyle Communities wasn't looking to break ground until the final quarter of 2027. The timing would allow Lifestyle Communities to relocate Southwest Cook Road in order meet the elevation needed for the improvements to be made on Central Pike.
A statement from Lifestyle Communities indicates the company may still seek approval.
"We remain hopeful that, through a collaborative process with the city, residents, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation, we will find a path forward for this future community," the statement said.
A preliminary master plan to build up to 434 high-end homes was deferred after Mt. Juliet planning commissioners gave a negative recommendation to an annexation request.
Mira Bella is the name of the proposed community that would be located between Lebanon Road, Beckwith Road and Bass Lane between downtown Mt. Juliet and Lebanon. The plan also seeks commercial development closer to Lebanon Road.
When a planning commissioner asked if home prices would be between $2 million and $5 million, a representative stated costs weren't set, but that it would be an 'exclusive community.'
Planning commissioners gave a positive recommendation to a land use plan amendment request contingent on annexation and rezoning approval.
However, planning commissioners followed with the negative recommendation vote on annexation and subsequent deferral of the preliminary plan that includes a rezone. City Commissioners would ultimately have to approve annexation and the plan and rezone if and when the plan returns.
Several nearby residents raised concerns about traffic in an area of Lebanon Road that is only two lanes, Beckwith Road and traffic in general.
Concerns included that Mira Bella doesn't touch a city road. City personnel did state that the Wilson County Road Commission would maintain a new traffic light on Beckwith Road if the neighborhood is ultimately approved.
Efforts to reach developer Kyle Allen, owner and developer of Mira Bella Inc., on potential next steps were unsuccessful.
Plans can go forward to the City Commission with a positive or negative recommendation from the Planning Commission if the developer chooses. The deferred requests would still need to seek Planning Commission review first, city officials said.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@ and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mt. Juliet efforts to increase housing stall over infrastructure worry
