DONELSON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Our Your Voice tour took us to Caliber Coffee in the heart of Donelson.
We met loyal locals who shared their voice with us, to talk about life in this diverse, growing community just a few miles east of downtown Nashville.
Everyone had something to say about how fast Nashville is evolving, including commuting around town and how long it will take the city to implement more elements of the Choose How You Move plan—a plan designed to make travel more efficient.
"My concern for the area would be is that our growth will go at a faster rate than the implementation of that transit plan," Jenny Bell, a Donelson resident said. "I feel like the way Nashville is built up, we've just grown and grown and grown and grown."
Growth is a talking point we were not entirely surprised to hear about as a top concern in Donelson, as we've found a similar response during other visits across the midstate.
So far, we've heard from folks in Spring Hill, Lebanon, and Murfreesboro, all talking about how fast growth and expansion is impacting overall quality of life.
Beyond traffic, infrastructure, and schools, there's a sincere desire to protect the character of their communities as the landscape constantly changes with new developments and new neighbors.
"Even though Donelson is a large area, we're also a small community in itself," Bell said. "You've got people that are engaged in this community and they're committed to supporting growth, but also in a way that's good for the people of Donelson."
It's a proud community that's been on the map for decades, where people tend to settle and stay.
According to the area's chamber of commerce, nearly 75,000 folks live in the Donelson, most between the ages of 20 to 49.
To accommodate the population boom that all of Davidson County is experiencing, 2022 saw more than 600 new residential construction permits approved—a 74% increase from the year before.
The chamber reports construction permits for commercial space stayed flat, but steady.
Even younger people notice what's changing.
19-year-old college student Padrick Feller said he's concerned if this kind of growth continues that Donelson could sacrifice its charm for the sake of profit.
"I think if we lose that uniqueness that we bring to a table in this community, you know, we lose it spark, we lose it soul, we lose what makes this place great," Feller said.
Another Caliber Coffee customer, Les McFadden, who moved to Donelson from Atlanta four years ago, said he can tell that folks who call Donelson home truly love where they live despite all the changes.
"Yeah, when I strike conversations with long-time residents at places like the [YMCA], there's a sense of pride in being a resident in Donelson," McFadden said.
Want to share Your Voice? Email us at YourVoice@NewsChannel5.com
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