DATE: March 8, 2017
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Vernon Gerth, Assistant City Administrator - Community/Economic Development
Emily Hunter, Planning & Sustainability Director
Kelly Dannenfelser, Long Range Planning Supervisor
SUBJECT:
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Consideration Of Resolution 2017-72, A Resolution Initiating The Development Of A Lease Agreement For The 54-Acre, City-Owned Property Located Along The Harpeth River, South Of Mack Hatcher Pkwy And West Of Franklin Road. (3/14/17 Work Session and 7/12/17 and 8/5/17 Special Work Session, 08/08/17 and 9/12/17 Work Session.)
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Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning the Letters of Interest received and next steps.
Background
In September 2016, Cheekwood Golf Club submitted a request to lease the 54-acre, City-owned property and expand its operations across Mack Hatcher Parkway. The BOMA discussed the request at a subsequent Work Session and asked City staff to publish a public invitation for letters of interest regarding the possibility of a long-term lease with a third party for improvements and operations of the property, much of which is in the 100-year floodplain.
The purpose of this invitation to submit Letters of Interest was to:
• Assist the City in analyzing opportunities available for future improvement and/or development of this Property;
• Enable all interested parties an opportunity to submit Letters of Interest; and
• Allow for public input on all Letters of Interest received.
Three Letters of Interest submittals were received and their documentation is included in the attachments. They are as follows:
1. The Children’s Museum Corporation of Rutherford County dba Discovery Center submitted a Letter of Interest declaring intent to investigate the feasibility of acquiring the City-owned property for the purposes of developing an approximately 45,000 square-foot children’s museum with outdoor classroom space.
2. Cheekwood Golf Club submitted a Letter of Interest to lease the City property and extend its golf course across Mack Hatcher Parkway to create a nine-hole championship course, practice facility, driving range, and clubhouse. Operations would include opportunities for public golfing activities, practice facility for youth and school teams, and event space.
3. The City of Franklin Housing Commission submitted a Letter of Interest asking the BOMA to make the Housing Commission a part of the development project alternatives discussion and suggested potential for a joint land use with affordable housing and the golf course expansion. The Commission has been in contact with a developer interested in building affordable housing for a limited number of houses on the property outside of the floodplain.
Each applicant will be given five minutes at the March 14 Work Session to share their vision for the property. Following the Work Session, City staff will work with each applicant to assess the viability and timing of their respective proposals. An inter-departmental staff team will then develop a framework from which to compare and evaluate the proposals. This information will be brought to the Aldermen for further consideration.
Financial Impact
Not known at this time. The financial impact will ultimately be dependent upon the terms of the lease that will be negotiated between the parties.
Recommendation
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Staff recommends the BOMA vote to select one of the options. Two options, the Discovery Center and the golf course expansion, meet the existing zoning on the property, civic institutional. The housing development would require a rezoning of the property to a residential classification. Both the Discovery Center and the golf course expansion are considered to be consistent with the City’s land use plan, Envision Franklin.