A “Third Vision” for Bells Bend
06.23.09 2:55 AMIn the debate over the future of Bells Bend, much attention has been focused on the potential economic impact of the proposed May Town Center. A group of Scottsboro-Bells Bend residents opposed to the May Town Center plan have been working to find an alternative plan which would still produce economic benefit and value to Metro Nashville.
These 50-100 residents have hired the Ochs Center, a Chattanooga-based research organization, to come up with a “third vision” for the land use. A recently released Ochs Center report says the corridor from Bells Bend to Beaman Park could be developed as "a low density residential and agricultural community complemented by environmentally compatible businesses."
The report suggests that the area could be preserved by creating a conservation district with conservation easements, designating properties in the National Register of Historic Places, and designating the corridor from Bells Bend to Beaman Park as a “heritage area” through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
These preservation efforts align with a recently released summary report provided to Mayor Karl Dean by the Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability, titled “Making Nashville Green.” Making Nashville Green contains goals, recommendations, and metrics that will support efforts in enhancing and protecting Nashville’s environmental quality and livability.
The Ochs Center researchers estimate the area, as proposed by the “third vision,” would draw 200,000 visitors a year and could generate $34.6 million a year in economic impact and provide 395 jobs.
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