Sevierville Approves Road Deal for Foothills at Red Bank — 223 Homes Now, Hundreds More Possible

The Sevierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously Monday, July 20, to approve an agreement requiring national homebuilder D.R. Horton to pay for improvements to the intersection of Pittman Center Road and Red Bank Road — the access point for what is shaping up to be the largest new residential community in the area.

What was approved?

The city will oversee design and construction to make sure the work meets city regulations, but the developer covers the cost. "The agreement is worded such that once we get an estimate for either design or construction, before we do anything the developer reimburses us fully for the full amounts, so we're never out of pocket," said Sevierville Public Works Director Doug Tarwater.

How many homes are coming to Red Bank Road?

The board has already approved phase 1 of Foothills at Red Bank: 223 units. Filed plans indicate hundreds more could follow, and additional plans under city review include realigning part of Red Bank Road. Red Bank resident Carey Jones told the board some plans have shown up to 2,500 homes — which over time would put a community roughly the size of Pigeon Forge's population on that side of the county.

Why are neighbors opposed?

Residents have opposed each approval step, and several asked the board to postpone the July 20 vote until the city addresses emergency services and utility service for the new homes. The core complaint is access: the only way out of the community by car is Red Bank Road to Pittman Center Road, a route neighbors say is not built for the traffic and will push more congestion into Pittman Center at rush hour. The board approved the agreement anyway.

Meanwhile in Pigeon Forge: $5.8M more for the Westside Connector

One week later, on July 27, the Pigeon Forge City Commission approved a $5.8 million bid from Blalock & Sons for the next phase of the Westside Connector — the segment from Golf Drive across the Parkway to West Mill Creek Road — plus a separate contract with CDM Smith Engineering for construction engineering and inspection. The connector runs from Wears Valley Road parallel to the Parkway, giving locals a way around Parkway traffic, and includes Golf Drive improvements at the new intersection. It passes through the former Z Buda's Smokies Campground site, a vacant 22-acre lot now owned by local developer Darby Campbell through Safe Harbor Development.

What does this mean for Sevier County home values?

• Sellers near Red Bank / Pittman Center: new-construction supply on your doorstep is a pricing event. Buyers will compare your home to a brand-new one with a builder incentive. Selling before phase 1 delivers is materially easier than selling into it.
• Sellers in Pigeon Forge near the connector: road projects usually depress values during construction and lift them after. Access improvements along Wears Valley Road and Golf Drive are a long-term positive.
• Buyers: resale homes are competing with builders again. Ask for closing costs and rate buydowns — you now have leverage sellers did not have to give in 2023.
• Land owners on Red Bank Road: if a project of this scale continues, road frontage there is worth revisiting.

The market backdrop

That context matters: new rooftops are arriving into a resale market where homes are already closing near 91.6% of original list price and homes sitting past 120 days are getting closer to 85%. Supply is going up; pricing discipline matters more than it did a year ago.

Sources: Sevierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen, July 20, 2026 (The Mountain Press, July 21); Pigeon Forge City Commission, July 27, 2026 (The Mountain Press, July 28); Great Smoky Mountains MLS closed sales, Sevier County, 7/22/25–7/22/26.

*Tracy and seller must agree on price and possession date