Concerned Citizens of the Foxland Harbor Marina Project

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Update on Foxland Harbor Marina Decision

Friends of Old Hickory Lake,

On October 7, the Gallatin City Council approved—by a narrow 4–2 vote—the amended preliminary master development plan for the Foxland Harbor Marina project. This approval came after more than three hours of public comment from residents, civic groups, and legal counsel raising concerns about traffic, short-term rentals, and shoreline impacts, as well as clarifying what the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) does and does not regulate.

The city added six important conditions to the development, including:
• No outdoor storage anywhere on the site
• A required roundabout at Douglas Bend Road, which must be completed before key building or occupancy permits issue
• Modified boat-ramp access to limit unsafe traffic movements
• Stricter rules on signage—no neon signs the developer kept flashing in public meetings
• Relocation of dumpsters away from neighborhood roads
• Clarification that all conceptual images must still meet zoning rules

A USACE letter read during the meeting reaffirmed that the Corps’ oversight applies only to construction on federal property and that any changes to the federal lease area must be coordinated with its real estate office.  This is important because the developer's plan does not match the lease agreement he signed with the Army Corps of Engineers. 

Many residents—including Friends of Old Hickory Lake—spoke against the scale and intensity of the proposal. Residents  urged delays until traffic and Corps documentation could be fully resolved. Attorney Tom Lee recommended removing the two mixed-use buildings to reduce traffic and short-term-rental pressure.

Developer Bob Goodall argued the project will be a neighborhood amenity and stated that condo units would require 12-month minimum leases, while the mixed-use buildings would have professionally managed shorter leases with quiet-hours enforcement. The threat of short-term rentals not only remains, Goodall virtually promised them.

City planning staff also addressed technical discrepancies—such as differing slip counts in Corps versus developer documents—and confirmed that the project still requires additional permits, detailed plan reviews, and federal coordination before any work affecting Corps-controlled lake property can proceed.

What’s next:
The developer must now complete required traffic improvements, secure city permits, and coordinate with USACE wherever federal property is involved. Future design, environmental safeguards, and marina operations will all undergo further administrative review.  The city’s planning process is not over. Goodall must return to the Planning Commission and, potentially, City Council for final approval of his plans. As of this writing, the developer did not submit his revised plans for consideration at the December Planning Commission meeting.   

We will continue monitoring and sharing updates as this moves forward.