Brentwood Green Space
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Community Facts and Figures
Brentwood’s population is estimated to be 38,500 people, with projected growth to be over 45,000 by 2020.
The current area of corporate Brentwood is approximately 42 square miles. The area that is outside the City limits but currently within Brentwood’s Urban Growth Boundary is approximately 7 square miles.
Over 3% of our community overall is in dedicated, publically accessible parkland, including:
0 Approximately 966 total acres of open space;
0 Eleven active parks, with two future parks envisioned; and
0 Almost 24 miles of multi-use paths though-out the City.
The Brentwood 2020 Plan Update completed in 2014 supports the contention that the vast majority of citizens believe the preservation of more green space in Brentwood is important. Specifically:
0 Green space preservation was ranked as one of the top 3 issues facing our community based upon the most recently completed 2020 Plan updates (Traffic > Growth Management > Open Space Preservation).
0 97% Agreed or Strongly Agreed on supporting actions to preserve green space in the future.
0 There were many comments about open space preservation. Here are just a few:
§ “Please preserve the beauty of Brentwood! When moving to Nashville, we chose Brentwood for its community charm, dedication to open spaces and the separation of residences and business. If this changes, it will be a great disappointment. Don't overdevelop. Don't change zoning to crowd in more housing.”
§ “Brentwood is one of the finest cities in the USA. This city has been a great place to raise our three children. I don't want to experience an overgrowth, meaning high density housing. We love the open space and rural feel of the city. Growth for the sake of growth is NOT an option."
§ “We are newcomers to Brentwood, and appreciate the pride taken in order to preserve green spaces. Chose Brentwood because of its beauty and small town feel. Please do not develop these beautiful open spaces! “
Why Green Space Preservation is Important
Green space is an essential component of the quality of life valued so dearly in Brentwood.
Increased population will decrease the amount of available green space.
Open space is an essential ingredient in attracting and retaining businesses and the work force they rely on. With more freedom to choose a site,
businesses often select a community with a high quality of life in order to compete for young, highly trained workers who value parks, open space, and easy access to the outdoors.
Cost of Community Services (COCS) studies show on average that residential development does not cover its costs. For every dollar communities realized from residential development, they had to deliver $1.16 in services. From a purely economic standpoint, residential development is a tax liability to communities, not an asset.
Studies show that parks can increase the value of surrounding land and development. The increased value in land near parks is passed on to cities in the form of higher property taxes.
Sustained increases in energy costs underscore the need for alternative modes of transportation. The need for a system of “walkable” and “bikeable” trails that connect neighborhoods with commercial areas will become increasingly important in the future. Trails and greenways can be actively used to augment transportation networks to link parks, public facilities (schools, libraries, etc.) and neighborhoods.
Why We Must Act Now
We believe that time is of the essence if our community is going to meet, or exceed, the open space standards other competitive communities have realized. Here’s why:
0 The confluence of depressed land prices and the low cost of capital create a “once-in-a-lifetime preservation opportunity;”
0 Delays in green space acquisition can be costly, especially in light of the current economy;
0 Failure to act raises the risk of increased costs to the City and the loss of desirable green space that may be currently available;
0 The need for an aggressive timeline relates to the fact that:
* Open space disappears daily
* Land prices will escalate
* The cost of capital remains near an all time low
* Community support for open space acquisition remains very high.
Conclusion: The green space you see today is already zoned residential. If we do not act now to preserve Brentwood's unique rural character for our children and grandchildren, our green space will be gone forever!
