NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Several Belle Meade neighbors are continuing their fight against Cheekwood, now suing to stop construction of a new parking pavilion.
It's the latest lawsuit in an ongoing battle between the botanical garden and Neighbors for Safety Belle Meade Highlands, a neighborhood group that has raised concerns about traffic, noise and Cheekwood's expansion.
The neighbors say Cheekwood's permit for a 204,419-square-foot, multi-level parking pavilion was approved without ever going before Metro's Board of Zoning Appeals.
Metro's zoning administrator approved the permit in May. The neighbors challenged that decision, but the Board of Zoning Appeals denied their appeal in August.
Now, in a petition filed Monday in Davidson County Chancery Court, the neighbors argue the project should have required approval from the board rather than being approved administratively.
They're asking a judge to overturn the permit approval and send the project back to the Board of Zoning Appeals for further review.
The latest filing follows a separate lawsuit expanded in September, in which neighbors sought restrictions on traffic, noise and the planned parking pavilion, along with monetary damages.
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