[TN-Bird] Bell's Bend development----most likely not good for birds
- From: Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:34:22 EST
Hi Birders,
In case you do not receive it from my copy and paste maneuver, I think the
link below will take you to the NASHVILLE CITY PAPER article about Bell's Bend
from this morning's paper I also recommend that everyone who can attend any
meeting that Amy Potter, President of Nashville TOS, suggests regarding
this matter. Unfortunately, it is a little too far for me to drive at night.
I'll just keep after the Mayor and City Council from my computer. Go to this
link for a photo which probably won't go through on TN-Birds.
_http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=58857_
(http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=58857)
My home is located on about the fifth street to the right of where the
bridge is scheduled to cross. I am,near the Interstate which runs across the
bottom of the photo and about a half mile or less from the river. Since I am
near the top of a little hill, I can actually spot birds flying down the
Cumberland and over the western edge of Bell's Bend from my elevated deck.
The
whooping crane site is toward the top of the photo toward the upper left
quarter
and kind of around the two pools of water you can see there.. This project
is most distressing. Sure hope they'll leave some of that good wetland area
for our birds.. It's PRIME!
Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bell sounds for Bells Bend fight
By Richard Lawson, rlawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The proposed May Town Center would include 453 acres of May family
controlled property in Bells Bend. Courtesy of RTKL
Ding! The announcement of a $4 billion development at Bells Bend has sounded
the bell for yet another round of neighborhoods fighting a developer.
The May Town Center has reignited the passions of nearby neighborhoods that
fought previous plans for residential development and, earlier, a landfill.
And they will hash it out at the Scottsboro neighborhood meeting tomorrow
night.
On the surface, it has the typical markings of debating construction versus
destruction. Developers pitch progress while neighborhoods pitch status quo
and preservation of some sort.
But this fight has the potential for becoming extraordinarily interesting
because of the different twists and turns the debate could take as issues and
objections are raised. The Mays are pitching new urbanism and the opponents
are asking about new ruralism.
Developer Tony Giarratana, who is working with May family for a fee, has
made the pitch that this project next to the Scottsboro community eventually
could throw off more than $50 million in tax revenue. That sounds attractive
when Metro is talking about budget shortfalls that could mean scrapping a few
capital expenditures.
So this pits whatâ??s good for the cityâ??s welfare as a whole against the
concerns of opponents in neighborhoods who may be a vocal minority claiming to
represent a majority. It could be a majority. Itâ??s difficult to determine
sometimes when a few are so vocal.
Sumter Camp is one of the voices leading the charge against the project. For
those who donâ??t know who he is, Camp is a federal public defender. His list
of clients includes that stellar former Nashville citizen Perry March,
although a state-court conviction spared Camp of having to defend March in
federal
court.
â??The Scottsboro community has worked for the last two and a half years to
try to see to it that the community remain as rural as possible, and that any
development be consistent with the rural character of the community,â?? Camp,
who owns 40 acres preserved through the Land Trust of Tennessee, wrote in an
e-mail.
That means no dense commercial and residential development on property and
no new bridge across the Cumberland River and Interstate 40 interchange.
Members of the community previously opposed a 1,450-home suburban home
development.
They want rural-estate development that means one home per five acres. Camp
said they group has made suggestions to the Mays and even considered
figuring a way to buy the property before the Mays. With a price of up to $22
million, Camp said that wasnâ??t doable.
Thereâ??s also the environmental issue. The area is one of the last remaining
rural areas in the county.
â??In an age when food security, sustainability and availability are all
issues of the moment and concern, trashing the last bit of farmable land in
the
county would seem to be as backward thinking as making a few more dollars off
of anything hydrocarbon-producing while we burn up the planet,â?? Camp wrote.
Camp wrote further that members of the community suggest to the Mays that a
better legacy for them would be the first ever â??Institute of Organic
Farming.â??
â??Apparently, that suggestion was not looked on favorably,â?? he wrote.
â??The
plan of the residents of Scottsboro for our community is much more
interesting, forward-thinking and exciting than anything that mentioned by Mr.
Giarratana, though perhaps not as glamorous.â??
Proponents point out that apparently the community isnâ??t pleased with 3,000
acres dedicated for park and open space. The concept is to concentrate the
density in one location and surrounded with green space. Brentwood allowed a
similar and much smaller version there with residential development.
An issue likely to arise is development scaring off the rare whooping cranes
calling Bells Bend home. Those birds are a lot more obvious than the last
minute discovery of some rare crawfish to stop development.
The Charlotte Park and Beacon Square Neighborhoods likely will oppose the
bridge and interchange because it will cut through them or pass over them.
A recreational pilot offhandedly asked what the Federal Aviation
Administration might do with respect to the project.
Pardon?
John C. Tune Airport is readying itself to handle some of the largest
private jets on the market. The pilot said on calm days, jets take off over
Bells
Bend. Noise and parts falling off the planes or the planes themselves falling
might be something to consider.
Giarratana has some experience with the FAA so perhaps thatâ??s not an
insurmountable issue.
The biggest hurdle of all, however, may be the Mays. Local real estate folks
have pointed out that the family has limited experience in real estate
beyond owning property.
Not to have Chapstick moment, but Giarratana has the stomach and smoothness
to face the opposition and attempt to work out something. The big question is
whether the Mays have the stomach for it.
The Chatter Class appears Mondays in The City Paper. Comments may be sent to
rlawson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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