WMNA sent a letter to one of the developers that is doing extensive building in West Meade. Here is the letter:

This letter was written specifically to address the tree canopy, and the fact that developers tend to clear-cut first, before building. However, there are other improvements that WMNA would like to see in the developers in our neighborhood.

1. Speeding – builders need to be more aware of the posted speed limit of 25 MPH. There have been numerous accounts of construction trucks and contractors speeding through the neighborhood.
2. Noise – it has become commonplace for builders to blast their own preferred music while working. Although we wouldn’t begrudge people enjoying music while working, especially in a labor intensive job like construction, maybe they don’t have to play it so loud that it can be heard 3 blocks away.
3. Working hours – There have been accounts of workers ignoring the city ordnance on construction days/hours.
4. Roadway Blocking – There are also rules to abide by when taking up half of the road with vehicles – often requiring a flagman. Some of our hills become quite treacherous when half the road is blocked and you cannot see what is coming over the hill (especially, since it is likely to be a speeding contractor). This is also a problem with landscapers and lawn care personnel. It is especially an issue on trash pickup day.

West Meade and Hillwood are rapidly becoming two of the most desirable neighborhoods in Nashville – as evidenced by the large number of development projects underway on a typical day. We want to keep it that way, and only through determined and stoic insistence, and the strength we display as a unified neighborhood non-profit backed by 1700+ households (over 3000 with Hillwood), can we sway the developers to help us maintain our status.

When the letter to developers is updated to include these points, I will post it for comments.

Paul Garland
Vice President, WMNA