Sylvan Park Overlay Is Approved

Metro Council voted to approve a controversial zoning overlay for Sylvan Park that supporters said would protect the historic integrity of the Nashville neighborhood.

The public comment period went on for nearly two and a half hours, but that didn’t seem help those opposed to the overlay which vastly outnumbered those in favor at the meeting.

Will Sanford is a resident of Sylvan Park who says the issue is more than about preserving homes built before 1945.

“This is a tool for really preserving historic structures that’s being stretched now to preserve entire neighborhoods so it’s not really the appropriate tool try to control growth and change.”

Sanford says a better idea than the zoning overlay which has federal guidelines, would be to create a set of neighborhood standards for things including minimum distance from the street or maximum height of the roof. Those things he said might take care of the concern over the so-called ‘Mc-Mansions’ that supporters of the overlay say are being built in the neighborhood.

Opponents also criticized the size of the overlay which contains over 1700 properties.