grapa

There have been comments made to the failure of Metro Center and 100 Oaks and the May Town Center would only be a duplicate of those projects. This is not a fitting comparison. In the new MTC priority will be given to a "corporate park". (Corporations seeking relocation to middle Tennessee such as those recently landing in the Cool Springs area.). It is from these large business concerns that the inflow of new tax money will come. The 'theory' of "if you build it, they will come", may well fit here. Nashville is a popular commodity that needs to plan for what is ahead. At this time, maintaining where we are is causing our city to fall further behind. Of the 1500 acres holding in the MTC project, approximately 50% is in the flood plain, the land along the river in Bells Bend Park falls into this classification, also. The Wells' farm mentioned in todays' Tennessean has land in the flood plain. This land is plentiful enough to handle the organic farming that is being suggested. In the proposal by the Mays Group I heard there were maybe 4 different sites that might be useable for access to the Bend. One could be near Cockerill Bend Park, located off Centennial Blvd.

I offer again the possibility of bridge access from Briley Parkway and Centennial Parkway, giving access to the Tune Airport that has also been mentioned in the meetings. The 'loudest' voice you were hearing at community meetings came from individuals not"living" in the Bend, south of Highway 12. I can support the feelings to meet the goals of "Friends of Bells Bend" and the idea to connect Beamon Park to Bells Bend Park with walking and bike trails, but the idea of preserving the area "just as is' is unrealistic! The members of the planning commission attednding these meetings tried to convey that message when they said, "we are the planning commission, planning is our job." It is hard to accept the good of the whole, and for one family who did attend the meetings it is fair to consider all of the plan and not get bogged done by one part of the plan. I do acknowledge that access to the Bend is the vital step, it is one that has been driven home to us many projects ago, and must accept!

Even today it surprises us when we meet people who can not find our address. We just think everyone knows that Old Hickory Boulevard really does run through the middle of Bells Bend. Delivery, fire, and those who read the newspaper can't find us!

The idea of BB turning into "the food source" for middle Tennessee is difficult to accept. This area has some generation holdings, but they have not continued the farming concept, generations before had only been self sustaining and only selling marginal products. Those who today 'farm' do so not as means of 'making a living'. There is only a couple of residents raising cattle and even they do not use this as a primary income source. The term "farming" is being used to describe an area that has not been developed but is surrounded by residential growth. Using the term 'farming' is sending a picture that does not apply, today. I love our wetlands, wild life, and scenic views. A compromise needs to be found so that everyone, we who live in the 'Bend' and across Davidson County. We have known that 'development'(CHANGE) was coming, a well planned concept between developers and our mayor and council will give us a balance that can be accepted.

As a resident of BB we HAVE been warned of development, tlk of a bridge has been on the table for years, this is not new! Defeated projects to this point have been for obvious reasons(dump, racetrack). This deserves looking at, naturalists will receive nearly 1000 acres, economic relief would help all in the county, and NEW jobs would be formed benefiting the region. From the OHB side an empty trailor and small empty homes would come down to allow for a bridge at that site. The May Group also has purchased Robertson Island, opposite the Cockrill Bend Park area on Centennial Blvd. which is in the neighborhood of John Tune Airport, corporate jets fly out of there dailey.

Other points of interest with the MTC is nearness to John Tune airport, possibly hinting bridge access could be made from Briley Parkway. They also hint at closing thu traffic on OHB from highway 12 to AC. It was mentioned about buffer zones to block intruding on neighborhood.