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Opinion |
July 25, 2008 |

WE ASKED:
Nashville Business Journal

Should Metro government

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THE PULSE |
“There are a lot of great ideas
nashvillebusinessjournal.com |

This week’s question:


39

approve May Town Center? 2% 13% incorporated in the project,

YOU SAID:
“No! Metro should not approve
this proposal, as it it shows enor-
mous short-sightedness without
sustainability.”
“We need projects in the down-
town — North Gulch, East Bank
and Metro Center — not on
farmland, which lacks necessary
access and utility infrastructure.”
“‘Keep Bell’s Bend Country’” seems
to translate to ‘force the major
landowners not to develop their
land.’ The city is growing, and it
makes more sense to develop in
town than to continue giving it all
to the surrounding counties.”
“No one wants development in
their backyard, but can Nashville
afford to bend to the will of only
300 existing residents when our
city stands to gain so much?
Smart growth can happen.”
“I think the ultimate tragedy
would be to approve the intense
zoning only to have the “pretty
picture” disappear for lack of
funding/feasability, etc. and
leave the good folks of Bells Bend
saddled with a more intense zon-
ing more suited for the type of
mediocre PUD development that
we see all over suburban middle
Not sure.
36%
No., we don’t need such
a large-scale development.
Tennessee. This scenario seems
so likely to unfold to me that I
wonder whether it’s not the real
game plan anyway.”
“This project will elevate Nash-
ville to new heights. Everyone
will benefit.”
Absoutely! I’m happy for Frank-
lin and Cool Springs, but I’m
tired of all the attention and
headlines that go that way.
Until the urban core gets back
on their feet which I think is
still five to seven years away,
Nashville needs Bells Bend and
they also need to redevelop the
Fairgrounds — no land swap,
Nashville needs them both!”
“Isn’t it about time that our com-
Not yet, Metro should
study the project’s
potential impact more.
46%
Yes, Nashville needs
the project and its tax dollars.
missioners and council members
require Bells Bend to contribute
to supporting the Nashville
tax base as it does the rest of
Nashville?”
“Nashville doesn’t need a second
downtown. The revenue projec-
tions are pure hype.”
“It’s the wrong scale in the wrong
place. Development here should
occur, but this scale is more
appropriate for downtown, the
east bank, fairgrounds and areas
south of Broadway.”
“Let’s finish with downtown
first, because we are a few years
away from a project this big.
Maybe find some companies to
come and take Nissan’s place!”
but it’s location is entirely
inappropriate.”
“Love the concept. How does
this fit/compete with thoughts
on the Fairgrounds? The devel-
opment of both areas would
benefit Nashville if done in
an environmentally sensitive
manner.”
“In no way does Nashville need
this large-scale development. I
sincerely hope no tax money was
spent on this thus far. Honestly,
it sounds like a bunch of propa-
ganda created by those who have
money coming out of their ears.
It’s just a pipe dream for some
group to make money in a new
and different way. Just imagine
the benefits if just one quarter of
what was currently spent on May
Town Center already went into
the Nashville education system.”
“Another boondoggle. How will
Nashville ever get along without
the continued urban sprawl?
Think traffic’s bad now? Do you
really want to give up some of
the last of our green space to yet
another attempt to be an Atlanta
‘mini-me’?”
“There are so many reasons this
shouldn’t happen, but chief on
the list is the trend toward more
compact and efficient (and, yes,
Should the Tennessee
Department of
Transportation subsizdize
the Music City Star?
To vote, go to nashville.
bizjournals.com
green) urban development. Our
wonderful city is replete with
pockets (some rather large) of
neglected areas so close to its
center that should be reclaimed
and developed first. It would
be tragic to destroy this nearly
unspoiled and priceless tract of
riverfront land.”
“With gas prices high and due
to climb higher, with the need
to focus on strengthening
downtown, with the loss of a
unique and incredible natural
resource turned into urban
sprawl — it is time to say no to
the wrong kind of development
and choose creative alterna-
tives.”
“When communities say no to
new business, that is what they
get, no new business. Ask Chat-
tanooga and Birmingham how
long it took them to recover
after they turned down new
business back in the middle of
the 20th century. It took almost
50 years and they’re still having
to recover from those mistakes.”

Proposed legislation could wreak havoc on ownership rights for musicians, writers
By Gene Poole

“To promote the Progress of Science
and useful Arts, by securing for limited
Times to Authors and Inventors the
Right to their respective Writings
and Discoveries”
— U.S. Constitution
automatic copyright protection grant-
ed to individuals that fixes that work
to any medium.
The bill would permit an intended
user who has conducted a “reasonably
diligent search” in accordance with
The images she outlined were of
families finding old photographs in
dusty attics trying in vain to have them
retouched or repaired, but fearing law-
suits since they could not find the pho-
tographer to ask permission.
It has been suggested by the U.S.
Copyright Office that new databases
be established. But when the Register
Of Copyrights claims that they could
not certify these databases and that
the private sector would be responsi-

T
hese words have stood as a testa-
ment to the artistic rights of the
individual and have served as
the beacon that would illumi-
nate the dawn of free expression. The
right to own one’s ideas or creations
were deemed so important they were
built into the very fabric of the Consti-
tution.
Two bills presently making their
rather hasty path through Congress
could jeopardize the livelihood of any-
one who the original intent of Article 1
was meant to protect.
The Orphan Works Bill (H.R. 5889)
and its Senate counterpart (S. 2913)
would change the law related to the
yet-to-be-established “best practices”
to be able to use the work in any
way he chooses if he cannot find
that owner.
And what happens if that pesky orig-
inal copyright owner was to appear
and claim his work was used with-
out his consent? Well, as long as the
infringer “ceased expeditiously,” then
all the rightful owner would get would
be a “reasonable amount” assuming
“no willful intent” was established.
Mary Beth Peters of the Register of
Copyright office, testified before the
House earlier this year and outlined
the problems when a copyright
owner could not be identified or
is unlocatable.
Or a museum or library wishing ble, one must be concerned that indus-
to use archival tries whose only function is data min-
footage, but ing would now be the new gatekeepers
unable to do
What’s of our intellectual property.
so because of |
your Take?| Yes, there has to be reform. But,
frustrations Respond to: the songwriting community must be
associated with included and their opinions heard.
lawilliams@
not being able to bizjournals.com I suggest, as do The National Music
locate the own- Publishers Association and The
ers of the works. Nashville Songwriters Association
Of course, future generations should International, that a separate class
prosper and flourish with new ideas. be created to distinguish and sepa-
Museums should be allowed easy rate museums and nonprofits from
access to the riches of our global cul- those in the professional
ture. This exchange should be encour- music industry.
aged, thus a creator in any medium
should be able to have that work Gene Poole is a music industry professional
accessed by millions of new end users. based in Nashville.