Zoning and Development Issues

By James Bruce Stanley

The zoning and development issues, along with the manner in which they are addressed by elected officials, are discussed in this position paper and play a crucial role in preserving and stabilizing suburban communities throughout Davidson County.

Because of my involvement in the Donelson-Hermitage Neighborhood Association, I became thoroughly familiar with the Subarea Planning Process, the Metropolitan Zoning Code, metropolitan officials involved in the zoning process, and the necessity of including citizen input and opinion when addressing a rezoning proposal. It became clearly evident of the responsibility the elected councilmember had to the constituents of his district regarding proposed new developments. My election to the council in 1995, representing District 14, allowed me to set specific criteria for the developers to meet for my endorsement of their rezoning proposal. Included among these criteria is proof that the existing highway infrastructure is capable of handling the traffic to be generated from this development, the necessity of their submitting an acceptable stormwater drainage plan to protect existing contiguous development from flooding, and their willingness to attend community meetings with those contiguous to the proposed development. I have always considered the final criteria to be of primary importance due to necessity of obtaining the community's support for a proposed development prior to my endorsing the project. In addition, the protection of existing citizen investment should always be a primary consideration in determining whether or not new development should be allowed.

It should always be remembered that neither citizens of the community or their elected councilmembers are anti- development. However, it should also be remembered that not all development is progressive and that any proposed development which threatens to adversely impact the existing community should not be allowed. It is therefore the responsibility of the elected councilmember to work with metropolitan officials, the citizens, and the developer to adequately address the issues associated with any rezoning and/or development issue.