The Metropolitan Council met on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Historic Metro Courthouse. The meeting featured significant debates on a community safety camera network (FUSES), approval of a tree protection ordinance, a memorandum of understanding for beer permit enforcement, and a controversial bill reorganizing the Metropolitan Historical Commission. Numerous zoning changes were approved, along with appointments and resolutions. The meeting lasted for several hours, with roll call showing 38 members present and 3 absent.
Community Safety Camera Network (BL2025-690): After extensive debate on several amendments:
Tree Protection Ordinance (BL2024-687): Passed third reading 33-0 after an amendment clarifying “applicable staff.” Requires developers to protect trees during construction.
Beer Permit MOU (BL2025-689): Passed third reading 35-0-1 (Eslick abstaining) with a substitute allowing compliance officers trained by Codes to expand nighttime enforcement countywide.
Historical Commission Reorganization (BL2025-742): Major debate:
Other Items:
So do we have to do that? Are you ready? Okay, if you want to take your place, I got something I want to say first anyway. So today is March 4th. My name is Olivia Hill, and this month we have Transgender Day of Visibility. And for the very first time sitting up in this seat, there's an elected trans woman showing visibility for the entire trans community. All right. Go ahead, Councilmember. I've got the mic turned on for you. All right. Okay. All right. Hi everyone. Uh tonight we I have the honor of presenting a resolution recognizing the renaming of Cumberland Park to Wasioto Park. Last week I was in uh Canada. I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at a conference for the Elementary Teachers Foundation of Ontario. And while I was there, they did something that I've never seen at any meeting. They did a land acknowledgement. And I thought that was so cool because before every meeting is in Canada that we acknowledged indigenous people that inhabited the land that they were standing on. And so I felt it's really appropriate with this presentation to actually go ahead and uh do a land acknowledgement tonight. And uh I had Mr. Bender help me. So tonight I want to acknowledge all the tribes that were in the middle, Tennessee area encompassing the uh courthouse land, and the tribes here were Cherokee, Shawnee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, uh, Muscogee, Creek, and Yuchi. Um, the land was taken with the treaty, and the treaty that was with this land is the treaty uh called the Oop World Treaty of 1765. Uh, I think it's very important for us as we continue to stand that we remember that there were people that were here before us and that made the land safe and possible before we could dwell on it. The other thing that I want to acknowledge is that I know that a lot of indigenous people also are not a fan of land acknowledgement, while it's a good thing, because a lot of people feel it's leap service and that we do land acknowledgement and nothing happens with it. So I'm so happy that this is not just leap service on the part of Nashville, that the park board actually voted uh to do the renaming and uh so with now uh I present resolution iris they pulled down 2025-1002, a resolution recognizing the newly renamed Wasyoto Pack and the hard work of local community members in championing the change and acknowledging the ancient and contemporary contributions of indigenous people. Whereas on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation unanimously approved the request of the Indigenous People Coalition to rename Cumberland Park to Wasyoto Pack. And whereas in July, the Indigenous People Coalition, chaired by Albert Bender, submitted a request to the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation for the renaming of the park to Wasitio. And whereas whereas Wasioto Park provides public green space along the Cumberland River and will be in will be an important space as the East Bank is developed, and whereas in addition to the work of the Indigenous Peoples Coalition, the name change also supported by the Wilco Powell, the Native American Indian Association, the Nashville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Global Education Center. And whereas the Metropolitan Department of Parks and Recreation solicited public input for the name change over a 30-day period, which resulted in 236 votes, of which 208 were in favor of the name change. And whereas it is fitting and proper that a Metro Council recognize the work of the Indigenous People's Coalition, Albert Bender, the Wilco Powell, the Native American Indian Association, the Native Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and the Global Education Center, and many others in renaming Cumberland Park to Wasiodo Park in recognition of the important and deep history of Indigenous communities in Nashville and Davidson County. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Section one, that the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as recognizing the newly renamed Wasyoto Park and the hard work of local community members in championing the change and acknowledging the ancient and contemporary contributions of indigenous people. This resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it. And I must say that um I've spoken before the council a number of times over the years, and this is somewhat an anomalous position I'm in, although uh a very uh positive anomalous position because usually I'm advocating for something that has not passed. And um caught a bit off guard at what to say for something that has passed. But again, I want to uh thank uh council member Zulfad Zoro for sponsoring this, and I want to thank the Metro Council for approving it. And of course, I can't miss the opportunity for bringing up an unanswered issue that I think includes uh that concerns all of us, and it's about the uh new Titan Stadium, and there was an article in the Tennessean today saying have a look at the new Titan Stadium, look at the inside of it, and um the question I have to address to the mayor's office is that I'm assuming that archaeological excavation had been done in reference to the stadium site or is being done in conjunction with the construction of the stadium. And um I would appreciate uh timely answer from the mayor's office on this in reference to communications that I have put forth. But again, uh this for this uh resolution uh council, thank you very much. What's that and I do also want to acknowledge uh council member uh Jacob Kupin uh who uh who is a district council person for also working with us on this guy is uh button the middle. Oh do I but we'll cover a lot of people but where's the now uh will you take it with us? Thank you, sir. And you want to hold that up? Okay, I understand I'll open it up for if you want to, you can open it up in it. There you go. Oh, she's doing another one? Okay, don't go yet. Here's the pool.