Metro Nashville has proposed to sell 11 acres of forested land in our District 2 community near West Trinity Lane and Brick Church Pike. This land is key to the development of a public park as it provides connectivity to another 83 acres of adjacent Metro Parks conservation land all within two miles of downtown.  The land has a very steep and beautiful ridge and gorge with a double stream running side-by-side through it, with a historic abandoned road called the Old Natchez Trail.  The Metro Board of Education introduced Bill BL2019-1476 at Metro Council to declare it surplus property so our public land can be sold to the highest bidder.

On 2/5/19, the Metro Parks Director, Monique Odom publicly stated in the Metro Council meeting, they are interested in the land. She explained under the current Parks and Greenways Master Plan, our area is underserved and future additional land acquisition will be necessary to meet their goals. Selling this particular parcel of land is a huge step backwards for our community. 

Metro Council has deferred this bill three times on 2/5/19, 2/19/19 and 3/5/19.  It will be heard again on 3/19/19.  Our Councilman, DeCosta Hastings is supporting us in opposition to this bill, but we need ALL council members to vote against it. Please contact your council member and ask them to vote NO on BL2019-1476 selling public land at 0 Brick Church Pike.

For a list of Council members and their contact information: click here.  Green means they have been supportive of us in the past and they should be thanked for it.  Red means they have publicly spoken against us and should be asked to reconsider.  If there is no highlight, we do not know their position yet.   To search for your council person by address: Click here

While we fully support funding our MNPS schools, we oppose using the one-time sale of our public lands to meet the $13 million budget deficit as contrary to sound financial management of public resources. 

Therefore, we petition the School Board and Metro Council for the following:

1. Immediate halt of the sale of this public land for private gain, and a commitment by the Mayor's office, Metro Parks and our elected officials to engage in a community-led process on its appropriate development as public green space. 

2. Transfer the land to the Parks Department and implement a meaningful master planning process, led by the community, with involvement of all stakeholders of the site.

ACTION STEPS!

Forward this to all your friends and post on social media.  Click here to like our Haynes-Trinity Neighborhood Coalition Facebook page!

Email or call your council member!  Put “Stop BL2019-1476 land sale at 0 Brick Church Pike” in the subject line. Briefly say why and include your name and address.

 
DETAILS:

Link to Metro Council Ordinance BL2019-1476:  click here

What kind of vote is required for passage?

Ordinances, also referred to as "bills", require passage on three separate readings -- at Council meetings held on three different dates -- and require a majority vote of all Council members (21 votes) for passage on third and final reading.

METRO NASHVILLE COURTHOUSE
ONE PUBLIC SQUARE 

First Reading was 1/15/19 (passed)
Second Reading 3/19/19  6:30 PM (deferred three times)
Third Reading 4/2/19  6:30 PM (Final)