132 ENVISION FRANKLIN | Appendix APPENDIX B to the area itself: Cool Springs Boulevard, McEwen Drive, and Murfreesboro Road. A portion of the Moores Road interchange occurs at the northern boundary of the character area, as well. There are few north-south roads within the character area. To the west of the Interstate, Mallory Lane/ Royal Oaks Boulevard and Mack Hatcher provide the only north-south connections through the area. While both roadways are primarily four lane divided corridors, there are numerous curb cuts and driveways which limit the efficiency of the corridor. Coupled with the regional traffic patterns, the corridor and intersections do experience congestion at peak hours. To the east of the interstate, Carothers Parkway creates a north-south corridor from Moores Lane to Long Lane, and there are plans to extend the corridor to Peytonsville Road in the future. When complete, the four lane divided roadway will provide controlled access to the multiple office and commercial developments along Carothers Parkway. Additionally, pedestrian amenities will extend along the corridor, providing access to adjacent residential areas. To combat the roadway and intersection congestion issues in the area, multiple transportation projects are identified in the 2010 City of Franklin Major Thoroughfare Plan. Improvements to Murfreesboro Road, Liberty Pike, Cool Springs Boulevard, Mallory Lane, and the northern portion of Carothers Parkway are all intended to provide increased and more efficient access throughout the McEwen Character Area. LAND USE AND GROWTH The McEwen Area is the principal regional commercial area in the UGB. It includes over 4,000 acres and nearly 12 million square feet of commercial, office and industrial space. It is also the principal location for attached residential dwellings. There are about 1,100 vacant acres, primarily to the east of Interstate 65, that have development potential. Most of this land is in large parcels under limited ownership. This area is clearly the major economic engine for the City. West of Interstate 65 is a mix of land uses include single and multi-family residential, with commercial, office, and retail uses flanking the Interstate corridor. Cool Springs Galleria Mall, located between the Moores Lane and Cool Springs Boulevard interchanges is a regional destination for the community. Surrounding the mall are numerous out lots, which include restaurants, smaller retail developments, and hotels. This part of the McEwen Character Area has been impacted by infill development of typically one-story restaurants or retail buildings in areas that once served as parking for larger, existing commercial build McEWEN DEMOGRAPHICS/ GENERAL INFORMATION This area encompasses 6,680 acres and is considered to be the premier corporate area in Middle Tennessee. The McEwen Character Area is bounded on the north by the City of Brentwood, to the west by the Berry’s Chapel and Central Franklin Character Areas, to the south by the Harpeth River, and to the east by the Seward Hall Character Area. ENVIRONMENTAL/ GEOLOGY/TOPOGRAPHY When compared to other areas within the City of Franklin, the McEwen Character Area has little topographical change. In the few areas where hillsides are present, development has incorporated the topography into the layout of the site. Existing tree stands follow the Harpeth River corridor along the southern edge of the character area, as well as the smaller riparian corridors to the north. These tributaries and the associated floodplain and environmental features create some constraints to further development in the area. TRANSPORTATION/ACCESS The Interstate 65 corridor runs directly through the McEwen Character Area. Three major interchanges serve as a gateway to the City of Franklin and
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