West Nashville Community Plan Process under way, continues Monday (Nov. 3)

More than 70 residents attended last night's West Nashville Community Plan meeting hosted by the Metro Planning Commission. Here are a few highlights:

• State Senator Douglas Henry (above) addressed the crowd and clarified that "West Nashville" is a misunderstood term. He placed the blame for much of the confusion on the broadcast media for referring to some neighborhoods as "West Nashville" even though they are not.
  
  
• Sen. Henry subscribes to a fairly strict definition of West Nashville, one championed by the late Sarah Foster Kelley. According to Kelley, author of West Nashville: Its People and Environs, West Nashville consists of the following neighborhoods: Richland Park (now considered a part of Sylvan Park), Sylvan Park, Richland Avenue (now Richland-West End), White Bridge Road, Robertson-Urbandale, Morrow-Centennial and Pilcher Avenue (part of which is now in Sylvan Park).
  
  
• Sen. Henry noted that, although the term "West Nashville" may be loosely applied in its usage in the planning process, he understood that the purpose of the series of meetings was to make the area a better place to live by improving the overall quality of life. He applauded the commission and thanked them for taking time to seek community input.
  
  
• Neighborhoods such as Hillwood, West Meade and Belle Meade Links, though not a part of what was once referred to as West Nashville, are included in the area for community planning purposes. One of the goals of the planning process will be for residents to choose the name, whether West Nashville or something else, to call the group of neighborhoods for planning purposes. The area has been referred to by the Metro Planning Commission as "Subarea 7" in the past.
  
  
• Council Members Emily Evans, Jason Holleman and Buddy Baker attended the meeting. Evans and Holleman briefly addressed the group before deferring to the Planning Commission.
  
  
• Planning Commission Executive Director Rick Bernhardt said that the planning was intended to balance the needs of present and future generations. He emphasized the need for the city to think regionally when making planning decisions and noted that projections indicate as many as 400,000 people will move to Nashville by 2020.
  
  
• Bernhardt said that much of West Nashville has been "developed out" and that, consequently, looking for opportunities to redevelop properties that are currently underdeveloped or in disrepair makes sense.
  
  
• Bernhardt said that one way to balance the needs of neighborhoods and development is to intensify development along major corridors while preserving existing neighborhoods. He pointed to mixed-use properties as practical uses in many urban areas.
  

Residents were invited to complete two survey documents regarding their opinions about the community and about sustainable development. Neighbors are encouraged to attend the next meeting, which is scheduled for this Monday, Nov. 3, to provide further input in the planning process.