Battle over proposed gates in Chickasaw Gardens divides city council

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The great gate debate over the plan to block two public streets leading into Chickasaw Gardens to create a safer neighborhood created division among council members Tuesday.

The City of Memphis Division of Planning and Development and the Land Use Control Board have both already denied a request from the Chickasaw Gardens Homeowners Association to install security gates at two of the six entrances to the subdivision.

There is more support at city council, but is it enough to make the gates a reality?

“I can tell you personally,” said Jim Raines, “there are a number of times when I’ve been walking in the neighborhood, and I’ve had to step off the street because of oncoming traffic.”

Raines and other members of the Chickasaw Gardens HOA told Memphis City Council Tuesday night they want security gates installed at Lafayette Place and Fenwick to ease traffic congestion in a neighborhood with narrow streets and no sidewalks.

”What we want to do,” said homeowner Jarod Wilder, “is not block off and stop people from having access. What we have is a significant pedestrian safety issue and we’re having a lot of close calls.”

Opponents said the plan restricts car and foot access to public streets and a city park and is an attempt to turn Chickasaw Gardens into a private, gated community.

”It is elitist and exclusionary in nature,” said Humes Heights Neighborhood Association member Julie Green, “This sets a precedent that we as a city should not support.”

”I don’t want to see us become a city of gated communities,” said neighbor Lyn Joyner, “I don’t think that bodes well for our future.”

Councilman Worth Morgan, who grew up in Chickasaw Gardens and lives nearby, called the HOA’s request a “reasonable accommodation.”

”There are some people who inherently believe that no street should ever be closed at any point whatsoever,” said Morgan, “And I understand that if Memphis were a Utopia, but it’s not.”

Council Chairman Martavius Jones asked his colleagues to hold off on voting for two weeks and do more research.

”I hope that you will be driven by data, and not by emotions,” said Jones.

Moments later, Council Vice-Chair JB Smiley Jr. introduced new data to the discussion.

”If this truly was about pedestrian safety,” he said, “and please correct me if I’m wrong, someone in planning and development, I think this neighborhood declined speed humps. But it’s about ‘pedestrian safety.’”

By a narrow vote of 6 to 5, the council decided to push the Chickasaw Gardens security gate issue to its next meeting January 9.

The HOA said it did not turn down speed bumps, something that will be researched between now and the next meeting.

Something to keep in mind: five of the current council members won’t be returning next year for the next meeting.

The five newly elected members will be sworn in along with newly elected Mayor Paul Young on January 1, 2024.

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