Council Moving on Belmont’s Rose Park Plan

Belmont University’s plan to build a sports complex at Rose Park advanced Tuesday night.

The Metro Council approved the lease agreement on the second of three readings, though the proposal isn’t in the clear yet.

Belmont wants to build track, soccer and softball fields and a baseball stadium that will be used by some of its NCAA sports teams. Residents of the neighboring Edgehill area who oppose the project, say Belmont’s plans won’t let them use the park.

Many council members, including Councilwoman Emily Evans, shared that concern.

“I’m concerned about that precedent with other institutions seeking to use our parkland. We’re the government; we have to say uniformly yes or uniformly no.”

The bill’s sponsors are hoping that the University and the community will be able to come to an agreement over the issue before the bill returns for a final vote in August.

Belmont University President Bob Fisher says the school has worked hard to involve the community in the process.

“There was concerns about lighting. Well, the fields are lighted now, so we asked the folks to design a new lighting structure and they’re using some high tech directional lights so there will be less light that bleeds over into the neighborhood than before.”

Edeghill residents have an appeal pending before the Board of Zoning Appeals. The Rose Park lease bill is scheduled for final reading August 21st, this council’s last meeting.