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Commission votes to remove New Chicago from consideration for new jail site amid contamination and equity concerns
Summary
The Shelby County Commission passed a resolution supporting community stakeholders and urging removal of the former Firestone/New Chicago site from consideration for a rebuilt Walter L. Bailey Criminal Justice Center, citing contamination concerns and community opposition.
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners voted to back community stakeholders and asked that the former Firestone property in New Chicago be removed from consideration as a site for a relocated or rebuilt Walter L. Bailey Criminal Justice Center.
Sponsor Commissioner Henry E. Brooks presented research supplied by community groups and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) identifying historical industrial contamination at the Firestone site, including hydrocarbons, pesticides and metals in soil and groundwater. Brooks said TDEC land‑use restrictions remain in place and that the site has not been cleared for dense institutional uses without further remediation and updated data.
Community leaders and dozens of residents filled the public comment period opposing the site. Speakers included local clergy, neighborhood CDC leaders, state Rep. Justin Pearson, Councilwoman J. Cooper‑Sutton and multiple community organizations that described the area as a brownfield and expressed concern about public health, neighborhood revitalization and the ethics of siting a jail in an already‑impacted historic Black neighborhood.
Supporters of the community position said alternatives should be vetted, such as renovating the current jail site or other county‑owned properties. Those opposed to using New Chicago also argued that past promises of economic benefit from private developers have failed to materialize and that the neighborhood needs grocery stores, health centers and other community investments rather than a jail.
Outcome: The commission approved the resolution to remove New Chicago from consideration. The roll call was 8 ayes, 3 noes and 1 abstention. Commissioners said the vote does not close off a broader site‑selection process but removes the Firestone site from active consideration.
Ending: Sponsors and community advocates said the vote was the first step toward centering neighborhood health and equity in the jail planning process. The commission also asked for an ad hoc process and public engagement to identify and vet alternative locations and to ensure any future plan addresses community health and economic development.
