Revised site design for West Precinct gives Richland Creek a lot of breathing room

When Metro Nashville decided to purchase the Bob Frensley Ford dealership on Charlotte Ave. for its brand new West Precinct police station, there were many who voiced opposition to the decision. What caused most of the angst was the proposed site plan, that many felt did not include an adequate buffer for Richland Creek. But when the great flood of May 1 transformed Richland Creek into a raging river which washed right through the abandoned property, it made the planners think twice about how to site this new police station.

One voice that shouted louder than most, was that of RCWA (Richland Creek Watershed Alliance). And while the flood probably did enough to persuade the planners to build responsibly, RCWA was there every step of the way to be sure they followed through. In RCWA's latest newsletter, the Creekvoice, details of the revised site plan show that the proposed stream buffer is now set at an average of 94 feet wide with a total length of 575 feet. This buffer is more than what RCWA had hoped for when they initially suggested to return the buffer to a minimum width of 75 feet.

While it is unfortunate that it took a catastrophic flood to persuade the planners to build sustainably, it is great to see that a portion of Richland Creek's natural stream buffer will be restored.

You can read the whole story here.