Historic Bluefields Demands Impact Study!

Neighbors expect damages will be in the millions and will extend to millions lost in future development investment around Donelson Station....

A packed room at Fifty Forward on Tuesday night was given the first of what is expected to be several presentations and updates on the status of the 120 foot tall proposed cell tower that is slated to placed on railway land (and within inches of Bluefields private property).

Seven days ealier the neighborhood had been given their first introduction of the proposed tower with Railway and AT&T officials. Since that meeting neighbors have been running at fever pitch to establish facts (and fiction) as we commence establising a plan to fight and block this proposed action.

It was unanimously recognized by all neighbors in attendance that the proposed cell tower would cause signifcant property value damage that would run from the core tower area to all parts of the neighborhood. Most likely the tower will be visible in the winter from all parts of the neighborhood which is over 250 homes.

The damage or property value loss will run in the millions and comes at time when Historic Bluefields was set to become a shining star and showcase neighborhood of the RTA's Music City Star Communter Train. With transportation and the amp dominating Nashville News Bluefields had everything that a neighborhood located on a railway could offer. Beautiful Historic Homes with large lots that have been neighboring the railway line for 85 years, walkable access to Donelson Station for over 250 families for a quick communter train downtown) and adjoining neigbhorhoods that are a key base of future ridership on the music city star. 

And this does not stop the boundaries of Historic Bluefields!

RTA and Nashville Metro Government should realize the potential damage is going to have a tremendous affect of transit development along the line for many years to come.

Surrounding Business/Future Developement may loose millions in future investment around Donelson Station (and specifically the Donelson Pike end). Future growth around Donelson Station as a rapid transit station is expected to attract the development that includes uptown restaurants, retail and exclusive apartments and condominiums. No developer is going to develop 3 story condos that overlook at 120 Foot Cell tower with a base that will resembles a jail or nuclear zone. If right of way is used to bowl over local law (local neighbors, local business and local development) then developers will take a tremendous risk building multi use neighborhoods around railway stations and any land along the current Nashville - Eastern Railway Line.

Could a 120 foot cell tower become a new neighbor to the Hamilton Springs that was recently awarded $1.6 million grant for commuter rail station Hamilton Springs, Middle Tennessee’s first transit-oriented development, that will soon have a Music City Star rail station at its center? According to railway right of way you BET IT COULD!

The final concern for neighbors that has been bought to the fore front is the environmental studies that have been taking place at the proposed cell tower site by the railway line and AT&T. It is now secret that 100 years of railway line fuel and equipment dumping have been lying in the ground in this immediate area and to disturb this land will dangerously release toxic polutants into residential homes. Approximately 15 children play in this immediate are daily and their safety and health is something that federal right of way for a railway was never meant to jeopardize.

Frustratingly we have been denied access to these reports after repeated requests and the residents safety concern is at fever pitch. There is no telling what information will be established from these environmental studies. It is possible a major environmental clean up of this area may be the final outcome for the railway which could prove very costly to Nashville & Eastern Railway Line.

Follow up with local, state and Federal officials will continue this week as we continue to share our concern with the proposed cell tower. Ironically the same local, state and Federal officials have worked so hard to ensure funding has been provided for the Music City Star and Nashville Eastern Railway Line will now learn about the cell tower plans that will benefit Nashville Eastern Railway and AT&T while destroying property values and decreasing the actual tax base collections.

There seems to be a very a logical approach for Nashville & Eastern Railway to take and that is to to stop and allow the correct government agencies to do impact studies on both Historic Bluefields and surrounding Donleson Pike Busines and Land Owners before its too late.  

If Nashville truly wants transit to be a big part of its future then RTA and Metro Government needs to get involved in this issue. With the amount of money and energy spent on the AMP focusing on the only commuter line train in Nashville sounds like a really good plan!