OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Nashville Metropolitan Council Regular Meeting - May 7, 2024

Metropolitan Council — Tuesday, May 7, 2024
BodyNashville, Tennessee
SessionMetropolitan Council
DateTuesday, May 7, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Uh Sam Benedict.

0:05

You're waiting for your guests.

0:06

Do we have CM Cash?

0:09

Your guest is right there.

0:11

Oh.

0:12

Okay, so we'll wait a little bit for the presentation.

0:15

He's here.

0:15

He's here.

0:16

He's here.

0:17

He's been here half an hour.

0:19

I know, but I thought that we were expecting that guy who I didn't see down there, who I would love to have come up as well.

0:26

Yes.

0:29

Thank you, Darren.

0:33

Thank you, Pro Tim.

0:35

Good to see you.

0:36

All right, Cast Member Benedict, you recognize I knew you were here.

0:39

Yeah.

0:41

Sorry about that.

0:42

Yeah, telephone.

0:44

Oh, yes.

0:44

Well, that's good.

0:48

All right.

0:53

Very high.

0:57

Thank you again, Pro Tim.

0:59

So this is a proclamation to honor Pastor Jay Voorhees, who has been an institution to our city and uh who will be very much missed to all of Nashville as well as especially to the Madison community.

1:14

So I wanted to celebrate his contributions to the city.

1:18

So whereas Pastor Jay Voorhees has been the lead pastor at City Road Chapel since 2014, after serving congregations throughout the Nashville area, and whereas Pastor Voorhees moved to Nashville when he was 10 years old and has been rooted in the community ever since.

1:35

And whereas he has degrees from Western Kentucky University and Emory University, and whereas Pastor Voorhees was one of the founders of the Southeast Flood Recovery, who provided assistance to families in need after the 2010 floods, and whereas he founded the Call the Name Project as part of Nashville Indigent Burial Program to offer dignified and compassionate burial services for people who otherwise would or could not be memorialized and whereas Pastor Voorhees has served on the Continuum of Care Commission has worked diligently to help resolve homelessness for residents in need, and whereas Pastor Voorhees answers calls and coordinates care for those who suffer from urgent medical emergencies and whereas he is a resource for all Madison experiencing homelessness, giving countless hours to creating supportive services such as mobile showers and food kitchens, and whereas City Row Chapel runs one of the two of the city's mobile housing navigation centers, which provides transitional housing for up to 90 days as the unhoused population moves towards stable permanent housing and whereas City Red Chapel provides child care through the City Ridge Child Care Development Center for newborns through preschool age, and whereas he works to offer support to a person for as long as it takes for them to achieve true stability, whether for mental health needs, for helpless substance abuse, or other contributors to the retention of stable housing, and whereas he has led City Road Chapel to provide workspace for dozens of organizations which help those in need, including incarcerated individuals, and whereas Pastor Voorhees has demonstrated a commitment to the betterment of our city, and whereas it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council extends to Pastor Jay Voorhees our sincere and grateful appreciation for his dedicated service to the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County.

3:44

And now, therefore, I Emily Benedict, Councilmember of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, to hereby recognize and honor Pastor Jay Voorhees and wish him continued success in all future endeavors.

3:59

Thank you, Jay.

4:09

If you'd like to say some words, you can.

4:11

If not, I would love it if you do.

4:15

All right.

4:16

I'm a preacher if you ever known a preacher who had to say words.

4:20

Um as my daughter Anna will tell you, I am in some ways uncomfortable receiving this in the sense that I'm don't necessarily like accolades because I only do what I think all of us should do, which is to love our neighbor.

4:36

That's what we're all called to do.

4:39

And my hope for this council, having now worked around the issue of homelessness for the past ten years, is that you will take seriously the needs of those unhoused individuals who are on the streets through no fault of their own.

4:54

We need to expand our capacity for helping people in this city.

5:00

It's what it means to be good neighbors, and I hope that you all will take seriously that task.

5:04

And so I'm honored to receive this.

5:07

I'm honored to have called Nashville home for 53 years, and I will be watching from afar to see how you are working to make sure that every Nashville is cared for and has a home here in this place.

5:22

Thank you very much.

5:35

My name is Darren Bradbury.

5:37

I have the pleasure of having worked with Jay personally over the last year as we try to soothe homelessness in the 37115.

5:45

I run a transitional house that Jay helps support.

5:49

Uh, I cannot tell you what this man means to me in my life, how he has changed the way that I see and work with people, how he has had patience and grace with everyone who shows up to our doorstep, and then how he has been a personal mentor to me, and I will be in Madison for a long time, as will the people that are sitting on this bench over here and the council people up here, and we will make sure to keep on his legacy.

6:13

And yes, my hat does say fuck around and find out.

6:16

See you later.

6:24

Thank you all very much.

6:26

Thank you.

6:26

Thank you, Fast O Boy, for your services.

6:28

We appreciate it.

6:31

All right, the next presentation is Council Member Cash.

6:37

All right, I think it might still be in committee.

6:40

So we'll go on ahead with announcements.

6:48

So I want us to see if we can try using the button for this.

6:52

Because sometimes people raise their hand and I don't see them.

6:55

Thank you.

6:56

And so if you have an announcement, if we want to try that, let's see if if we can use that.

7:00

If not, we'll still go with the old raised hands.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Zoning and Land Use███████████11%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Public Safety████4%
Short Term Rentals███3%
Committee Reports███3%
Historic Preservation███3%
Community Engagement██2%
Arts And Culture██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Nashville Metropolitan Council Meeting Summary - May 7, 2024

The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County held its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Historic Metro Courthouse. The meeting included proclamations, announcements, three proposed changes to Council rules, public hearings on eight resolutions and numerous zoning ordinances, a consolidated consent agenda, and several individual votes. Key outcomes included the adoption of two rules amendments, passage of several alcohol and short-term rental exemptions, second reading approval of multiple zoning changes, and deferral of controversial items.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the April 16, 2024 meeting were approved.
  • Confirmations: Unanimous confirmation of Sharon Emerson (Equalization Board), Sharilyn Pettus (Equalization Board), and Jeffrey Ezell (Sustainability Advisory Committee).
  • Consolidated Consent Agenda: The Council adopted by a 36-0 vote a large consent agenda containing many resolutions (e.g., RS2024-391 through RS2024-444, with some exceptions) and second/third reading ordinances (e.g., BL2024-307, BL2024-334, BL2024-179, etc.), all previously approved unanimously by their respective committees.

Public Comments & Testimony

Fifteen registered speakers addressed the Council on various agenda items:

  • Support for Arts Commission bills: Molly Sikurd, Jack Bagwell, and Christine Hall spoke in support of BL2024-343 and BL2024-302, emphasizing equity and transparency in arts funding.
  • Opposition to Juvenile Detention Contract: Tristan Warner and Ryan Dickerson opposed RS2024-392 (Rite of Passage, Inc.), citing private prison concerns and linking to broader issues of settler colonialism and genocide in Palestine.
  • Support for AANHPI Heritage Month: Deluvio Palacio spoke in favor of RS2024-442, urging the Council to also stand against Israeli occupation.
  • Opposition to Forensic Testing Contract: Madeline Lewis opposed RS2024-416 (Bode Technology), arguing it funds surveillance and risks wrongful convictions.
  • Support for Workers Memorial Day: Dutch Dorman and Ethan Schmidt spoke in favor of RS2024-444, requesting additional recognitions for local workers and Palestinian workers.
  • Support for Water Infrastructure: Al Comfort Waznowski supported BL2024-361, linking basic human rights to sanitation and criticizing denial of such rights in Gaza.
  • Other speakers: Christine Hall (arts equity), and one speaker for Little Rey beer permit (RS2024-381).

Discussion Items

  • Rule 28 Amendment (Public Comment): Sponsor Councilmember Porterfield proposed reinstating open public comment for items not on the agenda, reverting to pre-2018 practice. After debate (including concerns about hate speech and staff burden), the amendment passed 27-7-1, effective 30 days later.
  • Rule 43.1 Amendment (Deferral Count): Sponsor Councilmember Kupin proposed changing the automatic indefinite deferral trigger from the third to the fourth deferral. Passed 32-2.
  • Rule 43.4 Amendment (Title 17 Exemption): Sponsor Councilmember Sepulveda proposed exempting zoning items from the 60-day deferral rule. Deferred one meeting for further discussion.
  • Resolutions on Public Hearing:
    • RS2024-381 (Little Rey beer permit): Approved unanimously after a hearing with one speaker in favor.
    • RS2024-382 through -385 (28th Ave N STR exemptions): Deferred one meeting at sponsor's request.
    • RS2024-386 through -390 (Whites Creek Pike STR exemptions): All five passed with votes ranging 30-31 in favor, 1 no (Parker on 386 only), and 1 abstention (Suara).
  • Bills on Public Hearing: Over 20 zoning ordinances received second reading approval, most without opposition. Notable items:
    • BL2023-56 through -59 (Pettus Road area): Deferred to July 2, 2024.
    • BL2024-227 (Andrew Jackson Parkway rezoning for Wawa): Passed on second reading after public hearing with both support and opposition; discussion centered on traffic, floodplain, and loss of driving range.
    • BL2024-184 (Zoning definition updates): Approved as amended (housekeeping changes).
    • BL2024-317/318 (Buena Vista Pike 46 units): Passed with sponsor noting ongoing infrastructure improvements.
  • Other Resolutions:
    • RS2024-374 (BNA sewer abandonment): Approved 30-0-3 (abstentions: Bradford, Porterfield, Gadd).
    • RS2024-392 (Juvenile detention contract): Passed 23-3-4 after roll call.
    • RS2024-397 (Action Commission services): Deferred one meeting by rule.
    • RS2024-416 (Forensic testing contract): Deferred one meeting for further questions.
    • RS2024-433 (Colemere building notice): Approved 30-1-1.
    • RS2024-434 (Berdelle Campbell honor): Deferred one meeting.
    • Honorary resolutions: RS2024-435 (Keith Durbin), RS2024-437 (Dr. Glenda Glover), RS2024-439 (Allison Russell), RS2024-442 (AANHPI Month), RS2024-444 (Workers Memorial Day) all approved with Rule 12.3 to add co-sponsors.

Key Outcomes

  • Rules Changes: Rule 28 (public comment) and Rule 43.1 (deferrals) adopted; Rule 43.4 deferred.
  • Approvals: All five Whites Creek Pike STR exemptions, Little Rey beer permit, multiple zoning changes on second reading, consent agenda, and honorary resolutions.
  • Deferrals: Pettus Road zoning (to July 2), 28th Ave N STRs (1 meeting), BL2024-255 (mail notice) to Aug 6, BL2024-293 (fence permits) to July 2, two Homestead Road bills (1 meeting), and RS2024-416 (1 meeting).
  • Withdrawals: BL2024-181 (single exit stairway) and BL2024-371 (Elliston Place sewer) withdrawn.
  • First Reading Passed: Multiple sewer/water easement ordinances and BL2024-343 through -372 (except withdrawn/deferred ones) passed first reading.
  • Next Meeting: Specially called State of Metro Address on May 14, 2024 at 10 a.m.; regular meeting May 21, 2024.

Meeting Transcript

Uh Sam Benedict. You're waiting for your guests. Do we have CM Cash? Your guest is right there. Oh. Okay, so we'll wait a little bit for the presentation. He's here. He's here. He's here. He's been here half an hour. I know, but I thought that we were expecting that guy who I didn't see down there, who I would love to have come up as well. Yes. Thank you, Darren. Thank you, Pro Tim. Good to see you. All right, Cast Member Benedict, you recognize I knew you were here. Yeah. Sorry about that. Yeah, telephone. Oh, yes. Well, that's good. All right. Very high. Thank you again, Pro Tim. So this is a proclamation to honor Pastor Jay Voorhees, who has been an institution to our city and uh who will be very much missed to all of Nashville as well as especially to the Madison community. So I wanted to celebrate his contributions to the city. So whereas Pastor Jay Voorhees has been the lead pastor at City Road Chapel since 2014, after serving congregations throughout the Nashville area, and whereas Pastor Voorhees moved to Nashville when he was 10 years old and has been rooted in the community ever since. And whereas he has degrees from Western Kentucky University and Emory University, and whereas Pastor Voorhees was one of the founders of the Southeast Flood Recovery, who provided assistance to families in need after the 2010 floods, and whereas he founded the Call the Name Project as part of Nashville Indigent Burial Program to offer dignified and compassionate burial services for people who otherwise would or could not be memorialized and whereas Pastor Voorhees has served on the Continuum of Care Commission has worked diligently to help resolve homelessness for residents in need, and whereas Pastor Voorhees answers calls and coordinates care for those who suffer from urgent medical emergencies and whereas he is a resource for all Madison experiencing homelessness, giving countless hours to creating supportive services such as mobile showers and food kitchens, and whereas City Row Chapel runs one of the two of the city's mobile housing navigation centers, which provides transitional housing for up to 90 days as the unhoused population moves towards stable permanent housing and whereas City Red Chapel provides child care through the City Ridge Child Care Development Center for newborns through preschool age, and whereas he works to offer support to a person for as long as it takes for them to achieve true stability, whether for mental health needs, for helpless substance abuse, or other contributors to the retention of stable housing, and whereas he has led City Road Chapel to provide workspace for dozens of organizations which help those in need, including incarcerated individuals, and whereas Pastor Voorhees has demonstrated a commitment to the betterment of our city, and whereas it is fitting and proper that the Metropolitan Council extends to Pastor Jay Voorhees our sincere and grateful appreciation for his dedicated service to the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County. And now, therefore, I Emily Benedict, Councilmember of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, to hereby recognize and honor Pastor Jay Voorhees and wish him continued success in all future endeavors. Thank you, Jay. If you'd like to say some words, you can. If not, I would love it if you do. All right. I'm a preacher if you ever known a preacher who had to say words. Um as my daughter Anna will tell you, I am in some ways uncomfortable receiving this in the sense that I'm don't necessarily like accolades because I only do what I think all of us should do, which is to love our neighbor. That's what we're all called to do. And my hope for this council, having now worked around the issue of homelessness for the past ten years, is that you will take seriously the needs of those unhoused individuals who are on the streets through no fault of their own. We need to expand our capacity for helping people in this city. It's what it means to be good neighbors, and I hope that you all will take seriously that task. And so I'm honored to receive this. I'm honored to have called Nashville home for 53 years, and I will be watching from afar to see how you are working to make sure that every Nashville is cared for and has a home here in this place. Thank you very much. My name is Darren Bradbury. I have the pleasure of having worked with Jay personally over the last year as we try to soothe homelessness in the 37115. I run a transitional house that Jay helps support. Uh, I cannot tell you what this man means to me in my life, how he has changed the way that I see and work with people, how he has had patience and grace with everyone who shows up to our doorstep, and then how he has been a personal mentor to me, and I will be in Madison for a long time, as will the people that are sitting on this bench over here and the council people up here, and we will make sure to keep on his legacy. And yes, my hat does say fuck around and find out. See you later. Thank you all very much. Thank you.

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