The fight over traffic and zoning around Cheekwood expanded further this week. A lawsuit filed in June against Metro has now added the botanical garden and museum as a defendant.
It’s all part of an ongoing effort by a group of Cheekwood’s Belle Meade Highlands neighbors. They say Cheekwood has violated zoning rules by hosting large events like concerts, drawing more traffic and causing noise and safety issues in their wealthy neighborhood. At the same time, “Metro has allowed Cheekwood to evade compliance with the zoning code for decades,” the amended complaint contends.
Metro has sought to dismiss the lawsuit, and a hearing on that motion is scheduled for Friday in chancery court.
In addition to the suit, the group, Neighbors for Safety BMH, has also targeted Cheekwood’s permission to host certain large events through Nashville’s Board of Zoning Appeals. Last month, the board opted not to halt construction of a new parking structure at Cheekwood, but has yet to rule on the broader zoning fight.
One other big question looms in Cheekwood’s future: a traffic study that Metro adopted in early 2025 recommended adding a new route into Cheekwood from nearby Highway 100, rather than going through the neighborhood. Momentum behind that push stalled last year amid concerns a planned road could be bad for everything from habitat for wildlife to trails for mountain biking.
How Cheekwood and Metro might address that concern remains to be seen.
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