Neighbors File New Suit Over Cheekwood Parking Lot Plans

Neighbors for Safety has filed a new lawsuit in an effort to overturn Metro Nashville's August decision allowing Cheekwood Estate & Gardens to build an on-site parking facility. The group has raised concerns about traffic and safety in the Belle Meade and Highlands neighborhoods.

The dispute began when nearby residents filed an appeal with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals seeking to stop construction, citing long-running traffic and safety concerns. Metro denied that appeal in August. Cheekwood stated that a formal legal appeal had been filed with the Board of Zoning Appeals to halt the project.

Neighbors for Safety filed a separate lawsuit against Metro Nashville challenging the validity of legal approvals that Cheekwood has operated under for decades. Cheekwood has argued that halting the appeal would stop all functions and affect the future of the botanical gardens. Cheekwood has also issued an open letter seeking community support, stating that it is "facing an unprecedented and radical existential threat."

The new lawsuit seeks to overturn Metro's August denial of the appeal to stop the project. The Metro Board of Zoning Appeals handled the earlier appeal.