Growth, Zoning & Roads

Case Study: The Five-Story Hotel That Was Approved Before the Code Allowed It

In October 2014, The Tennessean reported that Mt. Juliet was getting an "upscale hotel" — specifically a 5-story, 100-room Courtyard by Marriott to be built on Providence Parkway near Providence Marketplace. The article was framed as good news: the city had recently lowered its lodging tax by 1 percent to attract the developer.

The article also noted, almost in passing, that there had been "numerous complaints about traffic congestion around Providence Marketplace" — but a city commissioner reassured readers the hotel's impact on roads would be "more spread out."

What the article did not mention: the city's zoning code at the time set the maximum commercial building height at 35 feet. A standard story is approximately 10 feet, meaning a five-story hotel typically reaches 50 to 60 feet — well in excess of what the code allowed.

The 2017 Rewrite: Ordinance 2017-27

On May 8, 2017 — approximately two-and-a-half years after the Marriott was approved — the Mt. Juliet Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2017-27, amending the zoning code to add specific height exemptions. The relevant text, reproduced verbatim from the city's currently codified zoning ordinance:

What the Ordinance Did, in Plain English

• Doubled the maximum commercial building height from 35 feet to 70 feet — but only in specific zones near I-40 interchanges
• Specifically named "hotel" as one of only three permitted uses for the new height exemption (alongside office and multi-family)
• Drew the boundary at ½-mile from an "existing or planned" I-40 interchange — a phrasing broad enough to include any future interchange the city might add (such as the now-fast-tracked Central Pike interchange)
• Was expanded again in 2020 by Ordinance 2020-41 to include a separate Town Center exemption — making it easier to build taller still in the downtown area

The Pattern: Approve First, Amend Later

The hotel is one example. But the broader pattern is documented in news coverage of Mt. Juliet's growth strategy across multiple years:

The Cost: Road Infrastructure That Failed to Keep Up

The development boom enabled by zoning amendments was not matched by equivalent road capacity expansion. The result is documented in news reports and resident testimony:

The Numbers

When the Roads Did Get Built: The Western Connector Controversy

In late 2022, the city began publicly considering a new north-south road called the "Western Connector" to relieve traffic on Mt. Juliet Road. Of the three engineering options proposed, two would have routed the road directly through an active multigenerational family farm.

The Family's Position

The Gabbard family, owners of the historic Lick Creek farm, organized opposition through savelickcreek.com and engaged with the community. The farm represented multiple generations of agricultural use within the boundaries of a city that had transformed dramatically around it.

The Resolution

In January 2023, after significant public pushback, the Mt. Juliet Board of Commissioners passed a resolution that the city would not pursue the farm-cutting options. Source: The Tennessean, January 2023.

By March 2023, with approximately 75 city residents present in the chambers, commissioners voted to indefinitely defer the Western Connector project entirely. Source: Main Street Media TN, March 2023.

The Pattern, Compared to City Statements

Mt. Juliet city officials and the city's officious communications have characterized the city's growth as a managed, deliberate process — one that prioritizes infrastructure and quality of life. Compare specific statements with documented evidence:

Citizen Action: How to Verify These Facts Yourself

1. Read the zoning code directly. Mt. Juliet Zoning Ordinance Section 6-103.3 is publicly accessible at zoneomics.com. Look for the citation "(Ord. No. 2017-27, § 1, 5-8-2017)" at the end of subsection 6-103.3 to verify the amendment date.
2. Request the original 2014 hotel approval file. File a public records request via the NextRequest portal for: the planning commission and board of commissioners records relating to the Courtyard by Marriott approval (Providence Parkway, 2014), including any variance, special exception, or PUD documentation that would have allowed the building to exceed the 35-foot limit.
3. Request the deliberations on Ordinance 2017-27. Ask for the meeting minutes, public hearing transcripts, and commissioner correspondence relating to the May 8, 2017 zoning amendment. Look for whether the amendment was discussed in connection with any specific developer or development project.
4. Attend a Board of Commissioners meeting and ask, in public comment, what the city's policy is on amending zoning to accommodate developments versus enforcing zoning to constrain them. Schedule available at Officious Proceedings & Redactions.
5. Read the related news coverage linked in the source list below. Each article is from an established Tennessee news outlet.

Source List

* This page is a factual compilation drawn from public news reports, the officious Mt. Juliet zoning ordinance, and primary public records.
* Where facts could not be verified or rely on inference, that is stated explicitly.
* Corrections, clarifications, and additional verifiable facts are welcomed and may be submitted via the Freedom of Information Gateway.
* Last updated: based on public records available as of May 2026.