John Williams has an 80-acre century farm bordering 1221 Liberty Pike in Franklin, and he says a notice that arrived in his mailbox changed everything. A developer wants to rezone the land next door for a workforce-housing apartment complex, and Williams says a large residential development that close would make farming on his property impossible.
The proposal, first reported by FOX17, involves property at 1221 Liberty Pike and is pitched as housing for households earning below 80% of Williamson County's area median income. City leaders have acknowledged the need for workforce housing in Franklin, but the plan has run into pushback from neighboring landowners who say their farms and generational family legacies are on the line, according to NewsChannel 5 Nashville.
Williams describes his property as having a beautiful sunset view, the kind of thing he worries will be lost if construction moves forward. He said farming and keeping livestock could not survive with a four-story building and new residents immediately adjacent to his land. Franklin promotes itself as historic and beautiful, Williams said, and he questioned what would happen to that identity if the land gets built over.
A Shrinking Project, Still a Big Change
The project was initially presented at 180 units, but the station's report notes the developer has been exploring a smaller version with approximately 70 units instead. That revised concept would also cut the building height from four stories down to three. The development team is seeking a change to Franklin's long-range land-use plan to allow standalone multifamily housing at the property, per the same account.
Project consultants have said rents would be available and attainable for workforce households, but according to Citizen Portal, they did not present enforceable income or rent restrictions to back that claim up. That gap matters to neighbors who already doubt the project's framing as affordable housing for local workers.
Neighbors Fear Erosion, Runoff and Lost Land
Barb Cramer, who like Williams lives in Williamson County, said her property already experiences erosion and she fears what covering the surrounding area with pavement and apartments could do to the land. She is concerned about runoff from new construction affecting her property further. Cramer said the situation has been emotionally difficult to process after many years and financial investment in the area.
Neither Williams nor Cramer has formal representation in the rezoning decision, and both contacted NewsChannel 5 to share their story. The station said it reached out to the developer but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
City Weighs Traffic, Substation and Emergency Access
City officials have raised their own concerns, including the property's proximity to an electrical substation, along with traffic, emergency access and compatibility with nearby neighborhoods, FOX17 reported. A joint workshop saw city leaders discuss the proposal, but they did not take a vote. Applicants held a neighborhood meeting on October 6, with another tentatively scheduled for November 12 at Columbia State Community College.
Under Franklin's zoning ordinance, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen is required to hold one reading with a public hearing and a vote on a development plan, with possible outcomes ranging from approval to disapproval or deferral; if the plan is tied to a rezoning ordinance, that reading lines up with the ordinance's second reading and public hearing, according to the City of Franklin zoning ordinance.
The Housing Math Behind the Pressure
The fight over Liberty Pike is unfolding against a stark backdrop. Williamson County currently has just 0.2% of its housing units available, and a Bowen National Research study projects Franklin could face a shortage of more than 10,000 housing units within four years, according to NewsChannel5.com.
Nearly 87% of people who work in Franklin and Williamson County commute in from outside the area, that reporting found, and the Franklin Housing Authority's waiting list includes more than 300 people. Franklin Housing Authority President and CEO Derwin Jackson has identified the high cost of land as the most limiting factor in building more affordable housing complexes.
Williamson County has seen this kind of standoff before. In 2018, the Thompson's Station Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved rezoning nearly 687 acres for the mixed-use Two Farms development despite widespread opposition, according to The Tennessean. For now, the Liberty Pike proposal remains undecided, with the next neighborhood meeting and any formal city hearing still ahead.
