Greenways
Greenways are open spaces that create a high quality of life that attracts tax-paying businesses and residents to communities. For example, in Chattanooga investments in downtown parks and greenways have spurred new businesses and increased property values. Greenways that seem to have caught the attention of every major city in Tennessee.
Gallatin highlights its Station Camp Greenway in 10/14/05 meeting to spur regional interest. Speakers - Bart Gordon, Diane Black, Hank Thompson, Bob Richardson, David Utley, Mike Moulton, Mike Goff. All spoke enthusiastically about value of Greenways and how Sumner County seems to be among last to realize importance. Of fifty or so people attending, Hendersonville had minimal representation!
- A 1998 study of property values along the Bay trail in Brown County Wisconsin showed lots adjacet to trail sold faster & for 9% higher than comparable property not on trail.
- In a 2002 survey of recent home buyers (by National Assoc. of Realtors) trails ranked as 2'nd most important community amenity out of a list of 18 choices.
- Realizing the selling power of greenways, developers of Shepherd's Vineyard housing development in Apex, NC added $5,000 to price of home adjacent to regional greenway. Those homes were still the first to sell.
CRIME on GREENWAYS
Mention building a greenway and you can be certain somebody will falsely claim they are potential attractors for crime. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even a land owner challenge me to do a Google search of “Greenways and Crime,” which with some trepidation I promptly did it.
The results were a HUGE surprise. I read the first 50 hits and scanned the next 50. Without a single negative comment my search overwhelming supported the construction of greenways.
