Brass Tacks

Instead of giving prospective high density developers of Bells Bend everything thing they want (tall buildings, bridges, mixed use) and getting organic carrots in return, proponents of the Bells Bend/Scottsboro neighborhood plan might consider giving their support for May Town Center in exchange for two concessions: that Metro and State government only approve a light rail public transportation line in and out of the Bend (no more automobile roads beyond the tiny one that currently exists) and that for each square foot of urbanized developed property developers agree to buy and devote a square foot of land to green space somewhere else in the Bells Bend/Scottsboro area.

Serious negotiators accept the proposition that negotiating requires giving something up to get something else. I've yet to see developers get serious.