May Town Center

[Shuzilla]

So looking at those aerial pictures, is the H2O development in that heavily treed area in the left foreground? If so, I'm surprised by the amount of built-up area around it.

Specifically, in the home page photo of MTC website, it is on the left side of the hill in the center of the view. The creek runs through H20 and the straight tree/fenceline towards the Lowes/Wall Mart SS is the west border. That line of trees follows the path of the Kelly's Point Battlefield greenway.

[Shuzilla]

My concern ranges from the Charlotte Park/Beacon Square Communities across the river, the beautiful tennessee history and ecosystem of the Bend, to the health of Cumberland River herself.

Please share your concerns.

[Shuzilla]

metro has recently been warned by the bond rating agencies to cut some of its already approved capital projects. these include infrastructure projects as well as the planned redevelopment efforts on the east bank. west end, the gulch, germantown, sobro and even belle meade all desperately need additional streetscapes, sidewalks and overhead powerline removal to reach their potential. is it good policy or even a good use of resources to get distracted by the "potential" offered by some relatively remote land in a floodplain 6 miles from town ? ...

as mayor dean and the council face very tough fiscal choices ahead in this weakening economy i would hope they'd be very cautious about investing major dollars into what essentially is an "if you build it they may or may not come" type of project. it's tempting to look at pretty pictures in a tobacco field and start counting the future tax revenues promised by giarratanna.

That raises the question of how much city money will go into this project. If a lot, then I agree. However, MTC developers said they are swallowing the cost of the bridge and interchange, some $50 to $80 million, as the cost of opening their property to development. I suspect sewage and other utilities construction will be paid for by the development as well. If that's the case, then the city's sliding revenue and increasing indebtedness will be key in accelerating approval of this project. TG's agrument, which is music to metro's ears, is expansion of the tax base. That's the heart of development politics; regional concerns trump local ones.

I was at the meeting Monday night. Once Tony took the floor and declared that the May family would honor the wishes of the Scottsboro community by denying access to the bridge and by hiding the development behind hills (effectively making MTC part of west Nashville), his sales pitch was to Metro. When he answered questions, he faced the planning commission members and the camera, not the audience.

[GID]

So looking at those aerial pictures, is the H2O development in that heavily treed area in the left foreground? If so, I'm surprised by the amount of built-up area around it.

Walmart's roof is in the lower left in the photos. H2O will be to the RIGHT of Walmart / Lowes shopping center.

If you look to the LEFT of Walmart you will see two wooded hills. This is where Zeitlen (sp) was going to build the tall condo tower w. a walking bridge across the Cumberland - which he passed on to try and build the residences in Bells Bend, which the community voted down.

If you look to the LEFT of the two wooded hills and along the river you can barely see a dead end road and a few houses. This is where I live - 11 houses total on the Street.

Here is some food for thought - the 200+ acres along the river to the LEFT of our home is owned by Al Gainer (yes, same guy who was part of the Sunquist administration and found guilty of destroying edvidence - his "company" was the only bidder for a 100M Govt bid to put internet in schools) I met him, and I do not at all trust him.

I can see his land being sold off at some point

ps - a little off topic, my apology.

Rumor has it a CVS pharmacy is going to be placed on the corner of Charlotte and Davidson. This would be the Exxon station or the playground of the elementry school

[ATLBrain]

Thanks, all. Helps me understand these proposals better.

[smeagolsfree]

And so it starts. Opponents to the proposal are already making noise here.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...7/1003/BUSINESS

One issue raised was the fact here would only be one access into this development. I thought of that earlier in the week. That could be a huge mistake. A wreck can close a bridge not to mention ice.

I have a feeling this is going to be a bitter fight and the residents in the area will probably lose. Contrary to what some may think here that these folks are well connected and organized which may be the case. There are not a lot of people in this area. It is the most sparsely populated area in the county and that will change either with thier support or without. I have seen time and time again where Metro has a plan and then does not follow it. Metro will do what is in the best interest of the tax coffers. Too many big players are lining up behind this.

[splash]

And so it starts. Opponents to the proposal are already making noise here.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...7/1003/BUSINESS

One issue raised was the fact here would only be one access into this development. I thought of that earlier in the week. That could be a huge mistake. A wreck can close a bridge not to mention ice.

I have a feeling this is going to be a bitter fight and the residents in the area will probably lose. Contrary to what some may think here that these folks are well connected and organized which may be the case. There are not a lot of people in this area. It is the most sparsely populated area in the county and that will change either with thier support or without. I have seen time and time again where Metro has a plan and then does not follow it. Metro will do what is in the best interest of the tax coffers. Too many big players are lining up behind this.

Building a "new Cool Springs" with only one point of access is just plain stupid. Look at the traffic nightmare in Cool Springs now with multiple access points. Hopefully this is DOA and this area can remain undeveloped.

[ariesjow]

Well, I certainly hope the area doesn't remained undeveloped. As sprawling and unsustainable as the Nashville metro currently is, it is nice that area developmers are seeking to "fill-up" space within Davidson County instead of looking elsewhere. There's still plenty of "countryside" that can remain in the area but we do need proposals like this to curb the sprawl some. With that said, I would like to see this project done responsibly and with concern of future growth and development. May Town Center could be a nightmare with only one point of entry and exit so they will need to consider infrastructure improvements if this idea is to work.

[Shuzilla]

Well, I certainly hope the area doesn't remained undeveloped. As sprawling and unsustainable as the Nashville metro currently is, it is nice that area developmers are seeking to "fill-up" space within Davidson County instead of looking elsewhere. There's still plenty of "countryside" that can remain in the area but we do need proposals like this to curb the sprawl some. With that said, I would like to see this project done responsibly and with concern of future growth and development. May Town Center could be a nightmare with only one point of entry and exit so they will need to consider infrastructure improvements if this idea is to work.

Remember, build-out is 15+ years. In fifteen years time, there may be two or even three bridges linking MTC to surrounding infrastructure.

[smeagolsfree]

Another article in the City Paper this morning about opposition mounting for this project. Another problem brought up here is how close this project is to John C. Tune airport. This could be a problematic issue as far as flight plans go for sure. This is a municipal airport that is upgrading to take larger jets as well.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=58857

Help us out here Lexy? Give us some info that may be relevant.

[wrdbrn]

Sorry I haven't responded to some of you that have directed questions to me. My husband and I were out of town with our daughter **beaming** as she made her last run at the U.S. Fencing Associations Junior Olympics. (Shoulder injury set her out early but it was a good showing all things considered)

Now.. back to MayTown. I am very eager to attend and listen at tomorrow nights meeting. I really really encourage all of you who even just READ this forum to go over to the Nashville.gov Planning Commissions site and read thru everything under the Communities link related to Sub Area 3. http://nashville.gov/mpc/subarea/subarea3dates.htm

New Ruralism, Farm to School Projects, and other land uses akin to these types of development have long been the pervasive desire of the majority of land owners. Nashville has to consider bond issues, schools, and using the land that concrete and asphalt has already been poured on to a better advantage, than giving a playground to "Tony G and his shining new Steam Shovel" the go ahead for a project that is so diametrically opposed.

I am surprised that the May family would even want their legacy to be tied to such a gross display given their heritage of bootstrap hard work. It is odd that such "old money" would want to be taken in by such "new money" (you may have to be truly southern to understand that concept).

Land is precious. The last I looked the universe wasn't creating any more of it in large measure. To be a steward of what we have to the betterment of all communities .....

OH my... I am very interested as you can tell from a number of fronts. No fun being a one note piano... Off to grab a bite, and get caught up at the "office." ~wrdbrn

[The Ville]

Building a "new Cool Springs" with only one point of access is just plain stupid. Look at the traffic nightmare in Cool Springs now with multiple access points. Hopefully this is DOA and this area can remain undeveloped.

It seems crazy to me that Metro would agree to the plan of cutting off access from MTC to the Scottsboro area when there is already a very under-utilized 5 lane highway (Ashland City Hwy) just to the north of Bells Bend. I just can't imagine the nightmare of having to get in and out of there at rush hour.

[wrdbrn]

Last nights meeting at Scottsboro Community Center was, tedious at best. For nearly 30 minutes the very patient Planning Commission Reps "told the story" that led nearly 160 people to attend.

The crowd was made up of Land Owners, Bird Watchers, a couple that had chosen to escape Los Angeles and choose the area because it was rural, The Charlotte Park/Beacon Square area was represented by their Neighbor Association President and 20 riverfront property owners, there were people from geology and forestry, there were reporters and cameras, there were families that represented farm land that had been passed down for generations. Then there was Tony, every one he met he said 'please just call me Tony.'

Index cards were provided on which questions were to be submitted. They were all dutifully read and answered; even it was just a brief recap in the instance of duplicates. Then the floor gave way to "Tony" and the process started again. Index cards at the ready. When Mr. G. was point blank asked how many new residences and his response was 5000 - well that was pretty much the flash point. He did say without approval for the "steel bridge that would span the river with out touching it" the project could not move forward. As I personally understood it, the bridge would be connected to I40 very close to the "Costco" and go directly over to the first piece of land that was able to hold the weight and drop into the proposed development. As you, gentle reader; have surmised ... that just added fuel to the fire. (and would obviously not help the new Nashville West area at all.)

Points: Planning and Development was asked to begin the 'visioning process' by the residents in the bend some 2 years ago. The visioning information on the planning commission web site is by in large exactly what is wanted by some 690 out of some 700 residents in the bend.

Maytown NOT FILED OFFICIALLY with Metropolitan Government to move forward.

Studies and Approvals from the Corps of Engineers to the FAA and on and on ARE NOT IN. The studies bought paid for by the developer oh oh ... TONY... are due in sometime in the next 2 weeks.

The process of federal approval for funding for the bridge is not even out of the filing cabinet yet

NOTE: Mr. G. did say that it would not cost taxpayers anything. He actually said that the Federal Government usually picks up 80% of the cost and the Developer 20%... as soon as he mentioned the FG 80% a ripple of laughter went across the crowd, and a just loud enough voice to be heard said... and we don

[wrdbrn]

nashville.gov/mpc

"At the same meeting, developers offered an alternate vision for part of that neighborhood; the May Town Center property is located off Old Hickory Boulevard in southern Bells Bend. May Town Center representative Tony Giarratana offered comments on the proposal at the February 11 meeting. We offer the link to May Town Center 's website and Mr. Giarratana's statement entirely for informational purposes; the Planning Department has not reviewed and does not endorse the developers' proposal. "

It was also stated last night that the February 26th meeting that is advertised has been cancelled and moved to March. Guests were advised to check the MPC website. as of 10 minutes ago that information was not given.....

( hello hello is anyone here today?)

[Richard Lawson]

nashville.gov/mpc

"At the same meeting, developers offered an alternate vision for part of that neighborhood; the May Town Center property is located off Old Hickory Boulevard in southern Bells Bend. May Town Center representative Tony Giarratana offered comments on the proposal at the February 11 meeting. We offer the link to May Town Center 's website and Mr. Giarratana's statement entirely for informational purposes; the Planning Department has not reviewed and does not endorse the developers' proposal. "

It was also stated last night that the February 26th meeting that is advertised has been cancelled and moved to March. Guests were advised to check the MPC website. as of 10 minutes ago that information was not given.....

( hello hello is anyone here today?)

I wish I could have gone last night but was committed elsewhere. Through it all, the part I find fascinating is the discussion about taxpayers and the bridge. There are a variety of bridges suggested for connecting various sides of the Cumberland. I think Old Hickory was supposed to be connected at some point. Nonetheless, federal dollars pay for interchanges all that time in which the prime purpose is to foster development. So one way of looking at it is getting money back to help generate development that creates additional local taxes, etc. It's an interesting circle.

The FAA piece will be interesting to see unfold. May moved the project some on the property to get more out of the flight path. A businessman who is a pilot showed me on various maps what pilots taking off out of there have to do. It looks like planes still will fly over part of the property. But planes do that at Nashville Int'l. So that's something that will have to be explained it bit better.

[Shuzilla]

nashville.gov/mpc

( hello hello is anyone here today?)

Thoughts;

1. Was any new information forthcoming? For instance, the 5000 housing units has been published and discussed, but the 80/20 split between gov't and developer is something I've wanted to know.

2. How would a new interchange with I-40 at Annex Ave be anything but good for Nashville West? I'd say a fully developed N.W. requires a local interchange anyway.

3. Given the 900+ acre conservation easement that goes with the MTC, maybe Metro can be persuaded to give the 800 acres of Bells Bend Park over to the sustainable farming classroom that local activists want. Not a bad trade for Scottsville: concede 450 acres of development on private land for 800 acres of farming on public land. That's a good compromise... if folks have a mind to compromise.

4. Scottsboro needs to come to terms with the scale of development required to make funding a bridge feasable. They made it clear that even 800 units (one per two acres) was too much traffic northward. This is the alternative to access through Scottsboro.

5. If the Mays want Metro to play nice in Bells bend, perhaps they should play nice with Metro. The construction in Belle Meade by H G Hill and Tony G adheres to the urban design overlay and is coming along nicely. The May properties, Belle Meade Plaza and office park, were removed from that plan. Perhaps a little quid pro quo is in order?

6. The Mays may simply be getting a bridge built to their property to sell for a hefty premium to another developer. I have heard they are not developers, so a quick sell at ten times what they've got in it is a good day's wage. Would the Scottsboro community rather work with the Mays, Tony G, or whoever is standing behind door number three?

[wrdbrn]

This was MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION... but ill try to answer as best I can

1. Was any new information forthcoming? For instance, the 5000 housing units has been published and discussed, but the 80/20 split between gov't and developer is something I've wanted to know.

The 5000 unit figure was not released until.. i believe the 13th of February. I participated in the Visioning Meeting and no one there had a clue as to just how many, not that I heard. The 80/20 fed/private split is still federal road dollars.

2. How would a new interchange with I-40 at Annex Ave be anything but good for Nashville West? I'd say a fully developed N.W. requires a local interchange anyway.

What was discussed was NOT AN INTERSTATE EXCHANGE as you are thinking... it would be a spur off I 40 go over the greater Charlotte park community and descend into the proposed development.. it was presented as purely an access only to Maytown. So.. If I have my bearings correct. The plan to enable the wealthy to drive OVER Charlotte Park and Nashville West areas at will. The actual exits onto Charlotte will not change. 'Tony' has specifically said he envisions Maytown as a resource for 37205 and the rest of us can just deal... (considering the rest of us... oh never mind... )

3., 4., 5., 6. The preponderance of the landowners that have adjoining property, and those that have riverfront property all along the bend have been meeting and working for 2 years to make THEIR neighborhood something they want to preserve. Humm... let me see if i can come up with an analogy... My husband, some of our friends and I LOVE to bang on old cars. In my house wedged between 37215 and 37212 on a nice size lot we were LUCKY to get when we did... well our neighborhood wouldn't let me open a fixit shop in the middle of the block. Our neighborhood just went thru a rezoning and conservation overlay process to keep McMansions at bay.... So i have a bit of elbow grease experience in the 'process.' One of the large Scottsboro land owners I talked to rolled his eyes at the marketing theory that proposes another development making all the difference.... his basic position was if a big area of shopping and homes etc was the ultimate solution then 100 0akes, Harding Mall, Bellevue Mall, Metro Center, Fountain Square, Rivergate.... well the all have had more than enough time to work.

Note: 'Tony' has several nice projects underway. Let him finish what's on his plate before ... and I say again... he gets to sink his big red steam shovel into the most pristine land in the county. I think the May legacy would be much prouder of preserving a food source than a pile of bricks and mortar...

[Hankster]

From their own "selfish" point of view, I can certainly see why people from Scottsboro would want their community to remain rural in perpetuity. However, the problem is that Nashville is a growing, expanding metropolitan area. Without doubt, the development will come. The question I would pose is "Where should this development take place?" Should the inevitable development continue to spread further and further out, gobbling farm after farm into the surrounding counties and beyond? Or should we foster more development closer in to the city center, infilling those areas not yet developed, and reducing the amount of urban sprawl, lessening the distances that commuters travel, and resulting in less clogging of freeways. Looking at it from the well being of the many rather than the few, I would support the kind of dense development closer into the the city core envisioned by the developers of May Town Center.

Just think of how much land typical suburban development for 5,000 units will gobble up. Think of how many farms, and how many picturesque rural settings laid to waste 20 or even 30 miles outside downtown Nashville that could be prevented from happening by allowing this type development to take place.

[wrdbrn]

Here is a story that just came in via email up date that is the tip of the shark fin....

(Hankster. I am a huge proponet of taking the land that is already dead from concrete and asphalt and making it work. Just in case you haven't figured that out. . Living as close to the source as possible for your needs has always been the best bet. I am the first to say that while I believe that with my whole heart, sometimes I do not get to practice what I preach. )

And now for the story in the City Paper

Deleted: Please read the rules. Don't cut and paste news paper articles on this site

[Shuzilla]

What was discussed was NOT AN INTERSTATE EXCHANGE as you are thinking... it would be a spur off I 40 go over the greater Charlotte park community and descend into the proposed development..

I was thinking of an interchange as shown in the slideshow at maytowncenter.com. Of course, these images pre-date the decision to cut off access to the north, so who knows? This proposal seems to show an elevated road going through some trees and over the old ferry ramp, not houses. It doesn't look too intrusive to the neighborhood. However, local roads will have to be re-worked, contrary to the rendered access ramp network. Ultimately, the government at some level gets to decide the configuration. I guess that's why they get to pay for it.

3., 4., 5., 6. The preponderance of the landowners that have adjoining property, and those that have riverfront property all along the bend have been meeting and working for 2 years to make THEIR neighborhood something they want to preserve.

Thus, the Mays hired Tony G to pitch the idea that the south end of Bells Bend effectively become part of West Nashville, apart from the Scottsboro community, with Bells Bend Park as a common public space. The concept is to leave what is not May property, public park, or utility property just as it is. Taking your analogy, if I lived on the other side of a hill from my neighbors, and I moved my driveway from that neighborhood to a street on the other side of the hill having several body shops already, I'd be quite annoyed if folks who could no longer see nor hear me continued to try to shut my business down.

Right now, the choices for bells bend are either 2 or 5 acre lots, arranged either in clusters or not. Planning is trying to reduce the amount of land that can be developed, and increase the lot size if the community is willing to live with the restrictions they are wanting to impose on others. Metro is not going to force landowners to grow grass forever. At the February 11 meeting, Planning said that even if the community was 100% in favor of 10 acre lots, then Planning would probably go against that recommendation.

The community wants no developments and even more preservation of other folks' property. Planning wants to encourage growth but control it intelligently and allow conservation easements for property owners who want to preserve their own land. Concerns about organic farming, infrastructure tabs and FAA regulations are not at the core of the issue. The city has not come in to preserve Bells Bend, that's what Bells bend park is for, and they are getting frustrated at the community for not understanding that simple fact.

One of the large Scottsboro land owners I talked to rolled his eyes at the marketing theory that proposes another development making all the difference.... his basic position was if a big area of shopping and homes etc was the ultimate solution then 100 0akes, Harding Mall, Bellevue Mall, Metro Center, Fountain Square, Rivergate.... well the all have had more than enough time to work.

Did this gentleman mention the number of successful developments of the scale of any of those projects he has under his belt? One of the reasons that these developers will go hat in hand to the taxpayers for a bridge is precisely because success is not guaranteed in such an endeavor. There is quite a lot of risk involved, and I personally apreciate risk-takers. But, I would agree that there's a lot of risk taking with our tax dollars in that new bridge.

[Flowers]

The question I would pose is "Where should this development take place?" Should the inevitable development continue to spread further and further out, gobbling farm after farm into the surrounding counties and beyond? Or should we foster more development closer in to the city center, infilling those areas not yet developed, and reducing the amount of urban sprawl, lessening the distances that commuters travel, and resulting in less clogging of freeways. Looking at it from the well being of the many rather than the few, I would support the kind of dense development closer into the the city core envisioned by the developers of May Town Center.

surely you jest. we're going to save a farm 30 miles from town by paving one that's only 6 miles out ? there are so many reasons to be skeptical about this project i don't quite know where to begin. regardless of whether this farmland is in davidson county it is hardly urban so paving it over will only intensify the sprawl that already exists. ever drive around the perimeter of downtown or through sobro, the gulch, midtown or west end and wonder how long it will take for these areas to grow together ? i don't know what the answer is but it will surely take much longer if we divert resources several miles from town and try to steer absorbtion away from our core instead of to it. shouldn't we invest our infrastructure (streetscapes, sidewalks, overhead line removal, even light rail) dollars in these areas before we start chasing some pipedream on a farm in a floodplain 6 miles from town ?

we complain about crappy retail in downtown and the lack of a quality urban experience to lure companies to downtown. may town is no panacea and will just frustrate some of the recent progress we've seen within our core. and with all due respect to mr. tony and mr. may, neither have a demonstrated track record developing the type of project that they're proposing. i suspect that mayor dean will give this important detail due consideration before putting many or even any of his infrastructure eggs in the bells bend basket.

[barakat]

^ I'm agreeing with you on this. It really doesn't sound like the best plan for Bells Bend. I still think $4 billion would make a killer east bank development, new LP Field island, marina, ampitheater and all.

[Dawn]

I was thinking of an interchange as shown in the slideshow at maytowncenter.com. Of course, these images pre-date the decision to cut off access to the north, so who knows? This proposal seems to show an elevated road going through some trees and over the old ferry ramp, not houses. It doesn't look too intrusive to the neighborhood. However, local roads will have to be re-worked, contrary to the rendered access ramp network. Ultimately, the government at some level gets to decide the configuration. I guess that's why they get to pay for it/

Unfortunately what is shown in the slideshow is just an artist's rendering..i.e. art. It is definately not fact. Tony's "Bridge of Affluence" if constructed as shown will divide two well established (over 40 years), strong, stable neighborhoods. The abundance of trees shown in the rendition is actually nothing more than a small slue (unless some houses currently occupied will be lost to plant the trees). In truth, the route as discussed in conjunction with the May Town project will actually send upwards of 50,000 or more commuters back and forth across it daily - directly through the backyards of those living in the Beacon Square and Charlotte Park neighborhoods. Noise pollution and carbon emmissions are but a few of the ecological concerns. Qualitiy of life for those who suddenly find themselves living under the bridge is another. If roads are "re-worked", it will mean that hard working families will lose their exisiting homes because there isn't room to do it another way. Remember, part of a developer's job is to make his proposition look as appealing as possible, whether in fact it is or not. There are other options available as possible sites for this bridge, including one that would not even require the addition of another interstate exit or invasion of existing residential neighborhoods. Some bridge tolls are just too high and I believe that the current bridge proposal is one of them.

[Dawn]

The question I would pose is "Where should this development take place?" Should the inevitable development continue to spread further and further out, gobbling farm after farm into the surrounding counties and beyond? Or should we foster more development closer in to the city center, infilling those areas not yet developed, and reducing the amount of urban sprawl, lessening the distances that commuters travel, and resulting in less clogging of freeways. Looking at it from the well being of the many rather than the few, I would support the kind of dense development closer into the the city core envisioned by the developers of May Town Center.

If that is the case, then my question is why don't we finish what we have already started and just revive the pipedream that became Metro Center? It is closer to the city center than Scottsboro/Bell's Bend and has ample room for expansion. It's infrastructure is already in place and no bridges or additional interstate ramps would have to be built. Think of how much money we've just saved the taxpayers! With the savings, we could revitalize a few other projects that sounded good at the time like Bellview or repair some of the city's aging infrastructure without having to issue another bond.

[Shuzilla]

Unfortunately what is shown in the slideshow is just an artist's rendering..i.e. art. It is definately not fact. Tony's "Bridge of Affluence" if constructed as shown will divide two well established (over 40 years), strong, stable neighborhoods. The abundance of trees shown in the rendition is actually nothing more than a small slue (unless some houses currently occupied will be lost to plant the trees). In truth, the route as discussed in conjunction with the May Town project will actually send upwards of 50,000 or more commuters back and forth across it daily - directly through the backyards of those living in the Beacon Square and Charlotte Park neighborhoods. Noise pollution and carbon emmissions are but a few of the ecological concerns. Qualitiy of life for those who suddenly find themselves living under the bridge is another. If roads are "re-worked", it will mean that hard working families will lose their exisiting homes because there isn't room to do it another way. Remember, part of a developer's job is to make his proposition look as appealing as possible, whether in fact it is or not. There are other options available as possible sites for this bridge, including one that would not even require the addition of another interstate exit or invasion of existing residential neighborhoods. Some bridge tolls are just too high and I believe that the current bridge proposal is one of them.

Well, of course the rendering is not fact. It is meant to convey a simple idea. That idea is to get a bridge into the bend from the south so Scottsboro is spared the traffic from development. Should the rezoning be approved, the bridge still needs approval and funding, the stormwater and wastewater managements need to be approved, each structure needs to be permitted, etc. It's far from a done deal.

Whoever told you those trees are a "small slew" is misinformed. Check Google Earth. All RTKL did was paint a road through. Beacon Square and Charlotte Park are currently separated by about 800 feet of forest between the creek and Annex. I went down to the old ferry personally to look around, because I was skeptical of the location of the bridge, but I can see it is do-able. The road to the bridge will be on the side of Annex that for the most part has no homes. There seems to be an old road to the ferry that predates Annex, and perhaps it still retains its right-of-way. At most, one strip of homes, on the southeast side of Thunderbird, may be affected if the offramp cannot fit within the ROW. One could hardly find a better suited location for a new interchange, especially if Nashville West is made accessible to I-40.

How many hard working families might gain from this enterprise? Why, in the opposition's view, is everyone the victim of this development, but only the developers are the beneficiaries? You know, cutting I-40 through the Nations and around Fisk was incredibly tragic and short-sighted. Put into perspective, losing one or two homes to eminent domain for a project that 50,000 people (your number) may drive to daily doesn't bother me so much.