The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County met in regular session on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Metropolitan Courthouse. The meeting began with an invocation by Pastor Roberto Pagan, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call. 40 members were present, with one absent (Weiner). The meeting covered appointments, confirmations, public comment, public hearings on multiple zoning bills and resolutions, a consent agenda, and several individual resolutions and ordinances.
Uh Metro ITS team for uh helping us through our technical difficulties, and that is the reason for our latest start. Will all members of the council, as well as the public, please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance. Padre, te pedimos que tu sea dando sabiduría, dando entendimiento y discernimiento através del poder de tu Santo Spiritu. Que Padre is un Podel que tiene todo authoridad y que puede, Señor, cambialamente, Padre Veneil in unidad y entender y hacer lo mejor para tu pueblo, para tu nacion. Te damos gracias y te pedimos, Senhor, que in esta noche to the glorifique honra para ti, Senhor. In the Nombre de Tusantissimo Yohesus. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States to the Republic for which one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. Thank you, Pastor Pagan. Welcome, Council and Community Members to April and Earth Month. Um, it is also native plants month nationally and no mow month here in Nashville. Five council members so far are joining me in not mowing their lawns this April. Okay, thank you, thank you. Um, which helps uh strengthen uh the uh root system of grass, reduces erosion, and stormwater runoff. Clover, violets, henbit, and other wildflowers, which I know Mr. Huffman appreciates given his wildflower work, uh, grow in abundance when we do not mow, which supports our much needed pollinators and our food system. If an entire wildflower field and longer grass lawn makes you uncomfortable. Uh, even though this program is Metro Codes Department approved, you may want to leave just a small section of your yard unmown and see what happens. Or if you typically mow weekly, mow every other week this month. Metro's Agricultural Extension Office has Tennessee Smart Yard resources and programs year-round. So please be uh sure to follow them and see what you might implement in your own yard to save yourself some time and money. When we are thinking about the environment, we also know that more public transit service and fewer individual vehicle miles traveled is very good for our air and water quality and public health. So please do be on the lookout for transit month opportunities throughout April. Uh Pro Tim Sepulveda spoke to it earlier, but I'll touch on it again for those of you that were not in the room. Uh Nashvilleans may want to try transit to a soccer game or a special event downtown and avoid the parking cost and hassles. And council members, uh, with Weego Central, just one block from our historic courthouse in City Hall. Pros Tim Sepulveda and I will be in touch with you soon about trying transit for our April 14th committee meetings and or the April 15th council meeting. So find your quick ticket bus pass that you all received at the start of this term. Make sure you have the transit app on your phone and mark your calendars. Okay. Speaking of calendars, today is Councilman Tom Druffel's birthday. So happy birthday, Councilman. Of all days, right? Why did they pick that day? April 1st is also the birthday of our Metropolitan Government. Nashville was first in the nation to fully consolidate a city and a county. The mayor, vice mayor, and the 40 member council were inaugurated on April 1st, 1963, at the then recently opened municipal auditorium. Members regarding items on your desk. There is a memo announcing a vacancy on the Human Relations Commission and a notice uh regarding vacancies on the Cheatham County Rail Authority and the Nashville and Eastern Rail Authority. We'll take nominations at the next council meeting on April 15th. Additionally, there is a rules refresher, this time on deferrals, uh, which was also linked in your April newsletter from me that you will have received on Sunday morning. Okay. Without objection, we will suspend the calling of the roll and ask the clerk to please record the names of the members present throughout the meeting. Is there a motion for approval of the minutes of the meeting of March 18th, 2025? Okay, there's a motion properly seconded without objection. And seeing no one uh seeking to be recognized for a change to the minutes, the minutes of the meeting of March 18th are approved. Mr. Clerk, are there any messages from the mayor? There are no messages from the mayor.