master plan revision

December 02, 2022

In an effort to be transparent, the developer is sharing the Master Plan REVISION that has been submitted to Oak Ridge for approval, and an explanation what it means for the future of The Preserve.

Why a REVISION?

Smithbilt is nearing completion of home construction on all the “vacant” lots in all the existing sub-areas/”neighborhoods”, and is needing to start planning/developing new lots in new sub-areas. BUT in order for the city to approve a new sub-area with new lots, the sub area plans must adhere to the Master Plan of 2006, and here’s the problem with that. The ORIGNAL MASTER PLAN (attached as picture labeled Rarity Ridge) is not conducive with what type of homes Smithbilt is building and wants to continue to build, and the original master plan also features unachievable goals, for example an “inland boat harbor”. In other words, the original master plan is unrealistic in today’s economy and Oak Ridge has asked the developer to show what is “realistic”.

What’s the Difference?

The original developer and planners did a great job with the layout, minus a few features, so the Master Plan Revision (attached as picture) mimics a lot of the same, but with more detail. The major difference that will stand out is the reduction in total dwelling units. The original master plan depicted a total unit count of 3,243, and the revision depicts 2,957. Three other notable changes include more development emphasis on the marina area, moving a lot of the future commercial from the town center to the front of the community facing the highway, and identifying where future amenities will most likely go.

Key Changes

Multifamily Units decreased 484 units from 2006 Master Plan 

Townhouse Units Increased 331 units from 2006 Master Plan 

Single Family Dwellings increased 150 dwellings from 2006 Master Plan 

Overall Units decreased 3 units from 2006 Master Plan 

Open Space increased 76 acres from 2006 Master Plan 

Commercial and Other Non-Residential Square Footage decreased 459,308 Square Feet 

2 additional amenity centers and pools compared to the 2006 Master Plan 

Additional Walking Trails

Additional Parks including waterfront parks 

Dog Park 

Food truck park with poolside patio 

 

Potential Commercial

Marina Restaurant Subarea D 

Pharmacy/convenience store or small grocer Subarea L 

Limited office/retail Subarea L 

Potential big box stores Subarea P 

Office/retail Subarea P 

Bank Subarea P 

Large grocer Subarea P 

Car Wash Subarea P 

Maps

  1. Original 2006 Master Plan
  2. Proposed Master Plan Revision 2022
  3. Existing vs New Map (Existing Lots and Buildings are in Color and Future Lots and Buildings are in White)