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Residents urge Knoxville council to halt sale of East Knoxville parkland, demand protections
Summary
Dozens of residents and environmental advocates urged the Knoxville City Council to withdraw a plan to sell about 12 acres of Chill/Chihawi/Jahawi Park to a private group, citing tree canopy loss, displacement concerns and the need for enforceable deed restrictions or conservation easements.
Dozens of East Knoxville residents told the City Council on Tuesday night they oppose a proposed sale or transfer of roughly 12 acres of parkland in Chill/Chihawi/Jahawi Park to a private group and urged the council to preserve the property for public use.
Speakers from neighborhood groups, the Sierra Club and longtime residents described the park as an environmental and cultural resource that should remain public. "Selling that land is a Pandora's box that will unleash the wave of change," said Vivian Scheib, addressing council members and warning of long-term displacement if the property is privatized.
The opposition centered on several concrete concerns: an arborist inventory cited by the Sierra Club counting 97 trees across 15 species; plans for a sports complex that, opponents say, remove nearly all existing canopy; the deal relying on a buyer-commissioned appraisal rather than a city appraisal; and the absence of binding protections such as conservation easements or reverter clauses to guarantee ongoing public access. "Once sold, the park property is irrevocably lost," said Kent Mano of the Sierra Club.
Speakers also challenged the proposed buyer's suitability and the process used to vet the proposal. Famika Elliott, a community health worker and land steward, called the proposed sale "displacement dressed up as progress," and urged the council to require deed restrictions, conservation easements or community land trust arrangements that would preserve park use and prioritize local residents.
Several speakers tied the park debate to broader concerns about transparency and equity in East Knoxville. Skykila Smith, an Austin-East teacher, displayed petition signatures and asked why city leadership had not engaged directly with residents: "We deserve public green space," she said.
The council did not take a final vote on a sale during the meeting; public forum occupied the final portion of the agenda. Council members heard detailed testimony and requests for alternatives, including additional city-directed investment in park restoration and proposals that would prioritize legacy residents and local businesses in any redevelopment plan.
Next steps: multiple speakers noted a September 30 deadline connected to the proposal; residents urged continued calls and emails to council members. Council members said they would take public testimony into account and follow up on specific requests for legal protections and appraisal information.
Provenance: topicintro=SEG 2146, topfinish=SEG 2824
