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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A proposed development near the Century Farms area in Antioch has some residents concerned about traffic congestion, increased crime, and more.
Rezoning for the apartment development, permitted to have 376 multi-family residential units, and proposed for land near the Ridgeview Heights neighborhood, has passed the first of three readings already. It will be heard a second time on July 15th.
Antioch, in South Nashville, has been growing rapidly since Century Farms began developing in the area in the wake of Hickory Hollow Mall’s closing, once the area’s biggest economic driver.
Century Farms, which has been built out approximately forty percent so far, houses Tanger Outlets Nashville, along with other retail and restaurant sites, an emergency room, medical plaza, apartment complexes and more. The owners of the property expect to have Century Farms built out completely over the next four or five years.
Antioch resident Jeb Johnson told WKRN that he doesn’t want to see farmland be developed.
“This is happening all over Tennessee – all this beautiful land we got? All of it? It’s going,” said Johnson.
Last year, residents in Wilson County protested a plan from an out-of-state group to rezone over a thousand acres of farmland.
Calling themselves “No Industrial Park” after the type of project that Texas-based Hillwood hoped to bring to the county, local residents organized a tractor convoy that ended at the planning commission last June.
Hillwood brought their plans to the planning commission for a rezone and land use plan amendment. With the planning commission’s permission, Hillwood proposed creating 10.35 million square feet of industrial style offices, warehouses, and light manufacturing spaces. Included in the proposal also was a retail mix in the northwest corner of the eastern Wilson County property, off Interstate 40 near the Linwood Road exit, and a conservation easement of 265 acres.
According to the plans, at least 11 buildings of varying sizes were proposed, the smallest at 300,000 square feet and the largest at 1.2 million square feet.
No Industrial Park spokesman Michael Swope said that Hillwood’s plan to create the largest industrial complex ever to be built in Wilson County did not fit the community, as the property is surrounded by working farms. Many of the farmers who took part in the tractor parade were hard at work the previous day bailing hay on their farms that back up to the proposed site.
After hearing from constituents who spoke both for Hillwood and against, the commission voted to deny the rezoning request. However, this did not kill the project entirely as Hillwood was given 10 days to appeal.
The company requested a wait of 5 months before bringing its rezoning and land use plan amendments back for consideration. At the December 16th commission meeting, residents got a second win when the commission voted 17-8 against the proposal.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
