tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post3065465618934377804..comments2024-03-01T07:43:16.529-06:00Comments on Smart City Memphis: Unanimous Vote Shapes New Future For Shelby Farms ParkUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-29904968249756169982007-03-30T17:40:00.000-05:002007-03-30T17:40:00.000-05:00Tyler: Thanks. I guess the pivotal question for ...Tyler: <BR/><BR/>Thanks. I guess the pivotal question for us is whether this is the highest and best use of 1,000 acres of prime land, and even if we leave it for an agricultural purpose, we think it should be opened up for a public use -- perhaps a model farm that can be visited by the public, or perhaps a true urban park where members of the public has its own plots. We don't see much public purpose in Agricenter leasing land to various companies that trash up the land and offer no access to the public. <BR/><BR/>While we think that Agricenter International has long outlived its usefulness and has failed in every objective set out for it when it was founded, we do think that it should be allow to continue its work - Showplace Arena, farmers' market, and its office building. Frankly, the RV park should have been eliminated long ago. It's just another eyesore on another prominent site, and amazingly, Agricenter hasn't managed to plant one sapling to improve the place in the 15 years that the RV park has sat there. <BR/><BR/>We would agree with you that there are some public ag uses that could make sense for the 1,000 acres. We just don't expect Agricenter to be the group to come up with them.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-63516961140627916252007-03-30T04:40:00.000-05:002007-03-30T04:40:00.000-05:00Granted I'm rather ignorant as to the larger purpo...Granted I'm rather ignorant as to the larger purpose of the Agricenter, and its role in the scheme of Shelby Farms, I hesistate at the idea of removing a 1,000 acre bean field from park land. <BR/><BR/>Though I don't know where those beans go, how they're grown, or anything really, I think it might not be in the city's best interests to replace some form of urban agriculture with more park land. Conservation is important for the greening of Memphis, but we should consider the sustainability of the city as directly influencing and contributing to that green future.<BR/><BR/>According to this source: http://www.sustainlane.us/city_study_44%20Memphis.jsp Memphis' dependence on local agriculture for food is at an atrocious low (certainly one of the larger factors contributing to global warming). The Agricenter, I believe, is also hosts one of the city's only two farmers' markets.<BR/><BR/>I'm by no means defending the Agricenter, the people running it, its actions, etc. I'm simply saying we might consider that 1,000 acres of urban agriculture, if used properly (farmed organically and sustainably for the use of local residents; perhaps educational programs could be incorporated as well) , in the long run might be of more good to the city and its future than a new bike trail.Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07569671253071404034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-6469234282660185252007-03-29T11:19:00.000-05:002007-03-29T11:19:00.000-05:00Chuck: Regrettably, the Agricenter structure will ...Chuck: Regrettably, the Agricenter structure will be unchanged by the new park management board and governance structure. However, by being on the new board, Agricenter will be a party to the master plan, and it's our hope that the planner will point out some compelling better uses for that 1,000 acres. Then, perhaps, the vision of an alternative future of that land will create a groundswell of political and grassroots support that demands changes in Agricenter's operations and use of the land. At this point, it's a travesty that at the center of our county, we have a 1,000 acre bean field. We'll contribute to a fund to buy Agricenter land in Fayette County if it will get out of our park.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-11775001148280265512007-03-29T10:34:00.000-05:002007-03-29T10:34:00.000-05:00Dear Smart:With the Agricenter Commission remainin...Dear Smart:<BR/><BR/>With the Agricenter Commission remaining in place (unless state law is changed), will the new "park management board" provide oversight to actions of Agricenter Commission or will new board merely replace the powerless Shelby Farms Board? You talk about the County Commission's 12-0 vote as establishing "management" over 4,500 acres, which includes 1,000-acre agricenter. Will new board be able to exercise management authority over Agricenter Commission?city watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12626094647810622229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-58206039545489466382007-03-29T08:09:00.000-05:002007-03-29T08:09:00.000-05:00With all the negative news coming out of Memphis o...With all the negative news coming out of Memphis of late, this is a much needed positive step forward.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com