For years, residents surrounding Cheekwood Estate & Gardens have raised the alarm about traffic and safety — streets so congested that families can't safely walk or bike, and first responders have been unable to reach homes during peak visitor times. A city-commissioned 2024 mobility study confirmed what neighbors have long experienced: traffic volumes on surrounding residential streets exceed recommended levels. 

Now, more than 500 Belle Meade Highlands residents have taken formal action, filing an appeal with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals challenging permits for a new on-site parking structure and asking the city to enforce the terms of Cheekwood's 1996 zoning approval.

To be clear about what this is — and isn't:

• This is not an effort to shut Cheekwood down.
• This is a request that the infrastructure supporting Cheekwood's growth — including a shared Highway 100 access point — be addressed before capacity expands further.
• As our own Chanelle Acheson has said, this is about asking Cheekwood to be a good neighbor.

Our client's goal has always been the same: a Cheekwood that continues to thrive as a Nashville cultural treasure, without sacrificing the safety of the families who live around it.

The Metro Board of Zoning Appeals is expected to hear the case on August 6. We'll continue to advocate for a solution that protects both the community and the institution neighbors have long supported.

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