Hard fought battle won
So CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) has withdrawn BL2009-429 as promised last Thursday according to this morning's City Paper. It's been a tough fight and I don't envy the folks that will have to live with Murray for the remainder of her term.
A couple of errors in the City Paper report. Hollin is President of the West Eastland Neighborhood Association not the Maxwell Heights group and the property is own by both Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood and his wife Sheridath.
Here's Charles R (Friday) Blackwood's email to all council members. I'm redacting his email address.
Council Member:councilmembers@nashville.govHe was just the innocent victim of a 'get Murray' campaign? Not from where I'm sitting. He brought this on himself and said so himself. He said he created this mess and he was going to clean it up. Well, now he can. Of course, the rest of us, neighbors, concerned citizens, government entities, taxpayers won't get back all the time and resources we expended fighting his illegal activity.
Name: C.R. (Friday) Blackwood
Email:
Home Address: 304 Singer Dr. City: Madison, TN
Zip Code: 37115
Daytime Phone Number: 615-305-7611
Comments: I am asking Councilmember Pam Murray to withdraw my rezoning request at 837 Cleveland St.,BL2009-429, scheduled for Second Reading Tuesday, July 21st.
It is obvious this has gone far beyond a rezoning issue. Councilmember Murray faces the impossible task of trying to represent the people in her district when there are those whose only goal is not what is best for the community, but to humiliate her before her colleagues in the council. She is responding with class and dignity, but we have chosen not to ask her to endure further abuse on our behalf.
Although I felt my proposal would have been a very attractive addition to that neighborhood, I have been unable to obtain the neighbors approval of my design, therefore, I will honor their wishes by withdrawing the bill and retaining the presently zoned single-family status.
Thank you for the time you devoted to this endeavor.
Respectfully,
Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood
Now the Blackwoods are faced with the choices of converting the property back into a single family home (and adding the threatened chain link fence for the safety of the children) or selling.
The offending property (the lower left one in this photo) is only one of three that the Blackwoods own on this busy little intersection on the one mile stretch between Ellington Parkway's Cleveland Street off ramp and Gallatin Road where East Nashvillians buy the bulk of their groceries. They admitted last Thursday they didn't have the money to develop it beyond what it is now. I know neighbors have made serious offers on the property so that others, who have the means, can develop this and help revitalize this neighborhood. If what's best for the neighborhood really is a consideration for the Blackwoods I sincerely hope they will accept a reasonable offer and be content with obtaining a sizeable amount of cash to use for maintenance of their other dozen or so properties and enjoying life generally. I will encourage selling to to someone who does have the cash and skills to create a neighborhood hub of commercial/residential mixed use that complies with the neighborhood plan and that will create jobs and opportunities for the neighbors far beyond a quadplex for transients. It's their call.See also:
It was Uggglyyyy II
It was uggglyyyy
As Cleveland Street Turns
Guidelines or rules?
Firetrap shuttered
She Needs to Resign and Stay in Detroit
Pam's Loss Neighborhood's Gain
5 comments:
Ms. Brooks,
You don't have a clue what a reasnable offer is. You own one piece of property in Inglewood. You have called us everything from slumlords to words you can't even spell correctly...scawflaw? Even home-schooled children deserve better than that. You have seen to it that all of our property addresses (including home) are posted - I only hope people will take the time to pull up each piece of property on Webpro (not always the most flattering of pictures) and see if they still call us slumlords.
Sheri Blackwood
Sorry I want to make a correction in my statement. I intended to say - (omit even) home-schooled children deserve better. I do respect your work with students. I just don't appreciate all the personal attacks. It's time to just let it go.
Sheri Blackwood
"reasnable"? Did you mean reasonable?
Yes, I do make the occasional typing/spelling error. We all do. Thank you for pointing it out. I've corrected it and given you credit for catching it. A teacher needs to be teachable. Thanks for the lesson.
Your property ownership is a matter of public record easily available on-line now days. I did not post them. I only said there were others.
Whether $330,000 is reasonable is something you need to take up with those who actually have $330,000 to hand you. I hope that you can come to an agreement with a buyer and move on from what has got to have been a tremendously stressful time and enjoy the financial fruits of your labors.
Yes, it is time to let it go.
Congratulations to all East Nashville neighbors who fought this long and difficult battle. I hope the Blackwood family makes the right decision on the 837 property, putting it in compliance with the neighborhood plan.
Perhaps Pam Murray will do District 5 neighbors a favor and let this term be her last. Dividing the district along racial lines is the wrong way to go.
I believe Murray is in her second term and so, by law, her last as a Metro Councilman from the 5th District.
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