Rutherford County Planners Take Up 90 New Home Lots and Prepare for Tennessee’s 2027 Review Deadlines

Rutherford County’s planning commission had final plats for 90 new home lots in three subdivisions on its Monday, Oct. 26 agenda. The meeting also included a staff item on rule changes tied to Public Chapter 1044, a new state law that sets firm deadlines for how fast local governments must review development plans, starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Here is what was on the docket in unincorporated Rutherford County, what the new state law does, and what it means if you own a home or land around Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Christiana or Rockvale.

Three subdivisions, 90 lots on final plats

A final plat is the last step before lots can be recorded and sold. All three of these subdivisions had preliminary plans approved years ago, and staff found each final plat consistent with its approved master plan.

Smith Farms

Smith Farms Development, LLC (Parks 360 Development – Griffin Dodd) is the applicant for Section 3, with 29 lots on 11.43 acres off Blackman Road. The preliminary plan dates to May 2019.

Southern Harmony

Pulte Homes Tennessee Limited Partnership is the applicant for Southern Harmony Section 3, Phase 1A2, with 32 lots on 9.7 acres off Franklin Road. The preliminary plan was approved in April 2021.

Davenport Station

BMCH Tennessee, LLC is the applicant for Davenport Station Section 6, Phase 1, with 29 lots on 18.93 acres. The two county documents list the location differently: the agenda says the property is “located along Davenport Drive,” while the staff comments give the property location as Shelbyville Pike. Both are printed here as the county wrote them.

Davenport Station is an older project. Its preliminary plan was approved in September 2007 as part of a planned development approved as a conditional use permit under the county’s old zoning rules. Staff noted that because the permit was active when the county switched to its current Zoning Ordinance on Jan. 1, 2013, it remains binding.

Other items on the Oct. 26 agenda

• Vandiver Grove (26-1005) — A preliminary plan for 9 lots on 18.73 acres along Rucker Lane: eight single-family lots and one stormwater detention lot. The detention lot would reach Valhala Court in the Muirwood subdivision, which has only 42 feet of right-of-way. Staff told the applicant that new lots need 50 feet of road frontage, so a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals would be needed first.
• Space Park 840 (26-1006) — A preliminary plan to split 157.14 acres along Sulphur Springs Road into two tracts with a new private road, near the I-840 interchange.
• Margaret Allen Estates (26-2064) — A one-lot final plat on 2.57 acres along Christiana Fosterville Road for a new house, with a fire hydrant waiver because the water line cannot support a hydrant there.
• Cumberland Hills Baptist Church (26-3024) — A 4,800-square-foot church on 14.7 acres at 6376 Franklin Road.
• Hunter Brothers, Phase 1 (26-3020) — A contractor’s office and equipment yard on 7.25 acres along Shores Road, deferred from Sept. 28 over traffic study questions.

Public Chapter 1044: the new review clock

The last item on the agenda was “Regulation changes due to Public Chapter 1044.” A guide from the UT Center for Local Planning describes it as the first statewide mandatory deadlines for local review of development applications in Tennessee. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and applies to every city, county and planning commission.

The key deadlines

• 30 business days — Staff must give written comments on a development application.
• 60 business days — Staff must approve the application or put it on the next available planning commission or governing body agenda.
• Two deficiency notices — After the second, the government must deny (refunding half the fee), conditionally approve, or send it to the commission.
• Automatic approval — If a deadline is missed, the application is deemed approved as submitted.

What it does not cover

The law does not cover building, fire, mechanical, plumbing or electrical permits, and it does not take away a planning commission’s power to approve or deny. Rezonings are legislative acts and cannot be automatically approved. The law is about timing for items like subdivision plats and site plans.

What it means for Rutherford County homeowners

More new homes nearby

Ninety lots across three subdivisions means more new construction close to Blackman Road, Franklin Road and the Shelbyville Pike corridor. If you plan to sell an existing home nearby, expect buyers to compare it with new builds. Updates, clean inspections and a fair price help a resale home compete.

Faster reviews from 2027

Public Chapter 1044 is aimed at faster, more predictable reviews. Over time, that could help builders bring lots to market sooner. For neighbors, it makes it more important to watch agendas and speak up early, because plans will move on a fixed schedule.

Owning land

If you own acreage and might sell to a builder, the new law could make timelines clearer for buyers of land. Ask about zoning, road frontage and utilities early. As the Vandiver Grove and Margaret Allen items show, road width and water lines can shape what is possible.

Dates to watch

• Monday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m. — Next Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission meeting, Historic County Courthouse, Murfreesboro.
• Jan. 1, 2027 — Public Chapter 1044 deadlines take effect for plans submitted on or after that date.

Growth is a theme across the region; see Mt. Juliet Takes Final Votes on Kensington Ridge, 134 Homes on 53 Acres off West Division Street and Gallatin Weighs a Six-Month Pause on New Apartments and Data Centers as 237-Home Sunset Farms Plan Advances. New to the area? Read Living in Murfreesboro TN — 2026 Guide.

Selling in Rutherford County?

With new homes coming, pricing a resale home right matters. Get a free home valuation, or request a cash offer if you want a quick, certain sale.

Which subdivisions were on Rutherford County’s Oct. 26 planning agenda?

Final plats for Smith Farms Section 3 (29 lots), Southern Harmony Section 3 Phase 1A2 (32 lots) and Davenport Station Section 6 Phase 1 (29 lots), plus a preliminary plan for Vandiver Grove (9 lots).

Where is Davenport Station Section 6?

The county agenda lists it along Davenport Drive, while the staff comments give the property location as Shelbyville Pike. It covers 29 lots on 18.93 acres.

What is Tennessee Public Chapter 1044?

It sets the first statewide deadlines for local review of development applications, effective Jan. 1, 2027: 30 business days for staff comments and 60 business days to approve or place an item on an agenda.

What happens if a Tennessee county misses a Public Chapter 1044 deadline?

According to the UT Center for Local Planning, the application is deemed approved as submitted. The law does not cover building permits or rezonings.

When does the Rutherford County planning commission meet next?

The next regular meeting is Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse in Murfreesboro.

Source links

• Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission — Agenda and Staff Comments, Oct. 26, 2026 (PDF)
• UT Center for Local Planning / MTAS — Frequently Asked Questions: Public Chapter 1044, August 2026 (PDF)

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Related local news:

• Mt. Juliet Takes Final Votes on Kensington Ridge, 134 Homes on 53 Acres off West Division Street
• Gallatin Weighs a Six-Month Pause on New Apartments and Data Centers as 237-Home Sunset Farms Plan Advances
• Metro Council Approves $6 Million in Barnes Fund Grants for 39 Affordable Homes for Sale
• Living in Murfreesboro TN — 2026 Guide

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