Life on the Brentwood border

Residents of “split” neighborhoods face unique challenges
By AMY STUMPFL
For Brentwood Home Page
In some parts of the country, life “on the border” brings up images of immigration checkpoints, armed guards and drug-sniffing dogs. But here in Brentwood, life on the border – meaning on the border between Davidson and Williamson counties – is more about school zones, and access to municipal services and amenities.

There are “split” neighborhoods – partly in Brentwood proper and partly in Davidson County – such as Annandale, Cottonport and Williams Grove. Then there are those – such as Hearthstone and Fredricksburg – which are located entirely in Davidson County, but with a Brentwood ZIP code.

Cottonport is one of several neighborhoods south of Cloverland Road that has homes in both Davidson and Williamson counties. Both sides have Brentwood mailing addresses.

Unfortunately, the border issue can create tremendous problems for those buying a home – and particularly those wanting to send their children to Williamson County schools. But local officials insist that the problem stems from area ZIP codes, as opposed to city limits.

“We get calls all the time,” says Linda Lynch, community relations director for the City of Brentwood. “People are very upset, insisting that they live in Brentwood and that their kids should be in Williamson County schools. It’s a tough situation, and you can’t help but feel for them.

“The problem is that the U.S. Postal Service picks its ZIP codes and service areas without regard to our city limits and county lines. So they may have a Brentwood mailing address, but not be in the city limits. The best answer I can offer is that if you are actually in Brentwood, you will pay Brentwood and Williamson County taxes.”

The situation can be especially confusing for those moving from out of state, says Kathleen Warren, who relocated to Stone Creek Park from Virginia in April.

“We are in Nashville, but the street behind us is Brentwood,” says Warren, who has elected to homeschool her children, ages 11, 13 and 14, rather than put them in Metro Nashville Schools. “I wish I had stuck to my first impressions and made the Realtor understand I wanted to live in Williamson County. I thought the ‘area’ was enough.”

Along with the schools issue, Warren was surprised to learn that she had to pay a fee to use the Brentwood Library.

“People are very upset, insisting that they live in Brentwood and that their kids should be in Williamson County schools. It’s a tough situation, and you can’t help but feel for them." -- Linda Lynch, community relations director for the City of Brentwood

“My husband says, ‘Brentwood gets our money when we shop or go out to eat, but we can’t use the amenities,’” she says, noting that she understands that the library “had to draw the line somewhere. But the line was drawn in my subdivision – one street over.

“I really think since we are Nashville even our curbs and street work are not as nice,” she adds. “Too bad there can’t be a little rezoning just to include us all since our subdivisions are really one. If not, I see myself moving in a few years to Franklin.”

As a resident of Williams Grove, Betsy Koch also understands the difference between a Nashville and Brentwood address.

“Living in a split neighborhood, we have a very visible comparison of the value of our home in Williamson County versus a couple hundred yards north,” says Koch, who can literally see Davidson County from the front of her house. “Williams Grove was built with similar houses in both counties, but in Williamson County the lots are at least an acre, while they are approximately one-fourth to one-third of that in Davidson. Not only are our real estate taxes significantly lower, but the values of the homes are also higher.”

Because she grew up in Nashville, Koch says she knew that Williams Grove was “divided” when she and her family bought their home in 2002.

“Our children attend private school, so school zoning was not an issue. But we wanted the increased home value that Williamson County Schools provide, and the fallback school position should we need it.

“When I first got my library card, the library was already aware of the neighborhood, and the staff knew which streets and addresses were in which county. The only issue that persists is that the phone company thinks we are in Davidson County, and we do not appear in the Brentwood portion of the phone book.”

Still, a confusing address can lead to more serious concerns, says Keith Brogdon, who lived in Cloverland Acres until 2010.

“Most times, living in a split neighborhood was just a nuisance,” he says. “Our front yard was in Davidson, but our back yard was in Williamson, so although we paid the higher Davidson tax rates, we did have the option of sending our children to Williamson County schools. But because I had Davidson tags on my car, I couldn’t use the Williamson recycling center on Wilson Pike – which was just about a mile from my home.”

Then there’s the time Brogdon dialed 911.

“There was a delay because the call had to be rerouted – they couldn’t figure out whether we were Davidson or Williamson – it was crazy.

“Fortunately, everything worked out just fine,” says Brogdon, who has since moved his family to King’s Crossing in Brentwood proper. “But it definitely makes you a little nervous.”

Allison Lord has been in Banbury Crossing just three years, but already she is thinking about schools and what living in a split neighborhood may mean.

“We were unaware of the neighborhood being split when we moved in and only realized it when we saw a Williamson County school bus in the neighborhood,” she says. “After asking, we found out there are a few houses in Williamson County, but the majority are in Davidson.”

Lord says most issues have been minor, such as having to wait to register her daughter for soccer at the Brentwood YMCA until after the Williamson County residents had registered.

 “Our main concern at this point is schools. We have a daughter entering kindergarten in 2013 and are comfortable sending her to Granbery [Elementary]. However, we will have to make a choice about either moving or putting her in private school for middle and high school.”