Nashville Metro Council Rejects $100 Million Downtown Flood Control Project

Opponents of the capital investment plan rejected the plan on the basis that it focused too much on the downtown area.

1 minute read

June 11, 2015, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"The Metro Council in Nashville rejected a contentious $100 million flood-protection proposal Tuesday night that had been criticized for focusing on the downtown area at the expense of other, lower-profile neighborhoods in the Tennessee capital," reports Richard Fausset.

The flood protection proposal would have included a flood wall and a pumping system in response to a flood in May 2010 that left ten people dead and damaged or destroyed 11,000 properties in in Davidson County, which includes Nashville.

Fausset lists a more specific list of complaints from opponents to the project, who said that the flood protection proposal would have protected only a few high-profile, downtown assets, "like the symphony hall and a new convention center." Critics also argued that "the money would be better spent buying and demolishing homes in flood-prone areas."

Joey Garrison's local coverage of the vote included the flood control project among a trio of proposals supported by outgoing Mayor Karl Dean but rejected by the Metro Council. The other two capital investments rejected by the council included $113 million for jail consolidation and $23 million for a new police headquarters.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015 in The New York Times

Aerial view of homes on green hillsides in Daly City, California.

Depopulation Patterns Get Weird

A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.

April 10, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Aerial view of Oakland, California with bay in background

California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million

Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.

April 11, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

A view straight down LaSalle Street, lined by high-rise buildings with an El line running horizontally over the street.

Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing

Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.

April 10, 2024 - Chicago Construction News

Woman with long hair wearing Covid mask sitting on underground train station bench looking at her watch as subway train approaches in background at Hollywood/Western station in Los Angeles, California.

How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment

Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.

April 17 - The American Prospect

Nighttime view of wildfire in Los Angeles hills.

Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards

A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.

April 17 - Los Angeles Times

Bird's eye view of oil field in New Mexico desert.

Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands

An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.

April 17 - High Country News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.