spring-hill-residental-development
By David Walsh

By MATT BLOIS

The Spring Hill Planning Commission approved a plan for a large condominium project, but that project also comes with a new road connection.

The Newport North Multi-Family development will include about 250 condos. As a part of the development, the developer will build a road connecting New Port Royal Road and Thompson’s Station Road. The project is located on Thompson’s Station Road just west of Buckner Lane.

Members of the planning commission are hoping that the new road connection will help reduce traffic in the city by offering a new route out of town to the north.

The approval came with a list of conditions. The developer will have to conduct a study before completing the project to determine if a traffic signal is needed at the new intersection of Port Royal Road and Thompson’s Station Road. If it is needed, the developer will have to help build it.

The project’s original traffic study only required a study to determine if a light was necessary after the project was completed. However, Commissioner Matt Koss said he felt like the developer’s traffic study may have underestimated the number of cars that will use the road.

“I actually live on New Port Royal Road just south of Buckner, so I’m pretty familiar with the morning traffic and how it all flows,” he said. “I can guarantee you that once it is established that there is a new direct connection up New Port Royal Road directly to Thompson’s Station Road it’s going to see very heavy through traffic.”

The Planning Commission had already discussed the plan at a work session last month, and the developer addressed some comments made by city staff and commissioners. Those changes included a phasing plan that establishes when the developer will have to make road improvements required by the traffic study.   

City staff recommended postponing a vote on the plan because there were lots of comments that the developer had to address. Instead, the commission dealt with the comments during the meeting and voted 7-0 to approve the plan.