In 2015, authorities in Nashville, TN, sent a letter to Lij Shaw, who has a Grammy awarded, professionally soundproofed home studio that he has been working out of peacefully for years. After an anonymous complaint was made however, a letter was sent out that notified Shaw that he had to stop using his property for a recording studio because it was zoned as residential property.
Shaw has spent years pouring his heart and soul into his career, funneling enormous amounts of resources into building his very own home studio. And he isn't read to give that all up just yet. After all, it's what he has been doing for 20 years now. And he says he isn't the only home studio owner who has been faced with the same pressure to cease their work from home.
"Home studios are the lifeblood of the music industry and especially in Nashville," Shaw admits.
Shaw's studio provides him with a living, as it does for many others living in the area. It's how they are able to take care of themselves and their families. It also provides those who are looking for a recording studio option with a much cheaper venue to go with, aside from a larger and more costly studio.
At the moment, it's against the law to serve any customer in your home for any reason in Nashville.
Lawyers who are fighting for Shaw and others to have the freedom to work out of their home, say that the legislation preventing them from doing so makes no sense in that it is arbitrary and has very little to do with regulating traffic or noise. That's because the city does allow some businesses, such as a home daycare or short-term rental for example, to be permitted and along with that comes traffic and multiple visitors.
Shaw is now getting help from the Institute for Justice and The Beacon Center to try and fight for the right to continue doing what he is doing from his very own home studio. They have filed a lawsuit against the city of Nashville, and hope that the courts are going to defend his right to try and peacefully earn a living from his home studio.
Joining his lawsuit is a hairstylist from Nashville who is looking to run a business out of her garage. They both allegedly applied for a zoning exemption but they were rejected. Shaw also brought with him a petition that had dozens of signatures from neighbors, but it didn't help.
Authorities have already tried to have the case dismissed but a judge denied that motion.
Sources:
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8342201/nashville-producer-lawsuit-backyard-home-studio-legal
http://recordingstudiorockstars.com/music-city-declares-war-home-studios-lij-shaw-bjorgvin-benediktsson-chris-graham-rsr118/
https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2017/12/04/lawsuit-challenge-nashville-home-business-ban-including-recording-studios/918866001/
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2017/08/01/nashvilles-ban-home-businesses-hurts-people/529649001/
http://www.tnledger.com/editorial/ArticleEmail.aspx?id=104810&print=1
http://ij.org/case/nashville-home-based-business/