The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the Metropolitan Courthouse. The meeting included elections for the Industrial Development Board, confirmations of numerous board appointments, nominations for leadership positions, public comments, a consent agenda, and debate on several resolutions and ordinances. Key actions included approval of a $3.5 million contract for homeless services at Strobel House, passage of the Nations neighborhood plan (rezoning and urban design overlay), and deferral of a parking minimum elimination bill.
Will the meeting please come to order? Today is Tuesday, August 19th, 2025. This is the 15th meeting of 2025 and the 44th regular meeting of the current term of the Metropolitan Council of Nashville in Davidson County. Will all members of the council as well as the public please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance? The invocation is being offered this evening by Councilmember at large, Berkeley Allen. Thank you. Let us bow our heads. Loving God, we thank you for your creation of abundance and beauty. We thank you for a city full of opportunity and potential. We ask you to give us all the wisdom to see where injustice keeps some from enjoying enjoying the fruits of this bounty. Show us where we can be bold to stand up for those who are hurting, hungry, or without housing. Be with this body tonight as we debate topics that affect people's lives and livelihoods. Help us to keep the good of all in front of us as we make tough choices so that we can make this world a better place. In your name we pray, amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Councilmember Allen. Council members, pursuant to my memo of this past Friday, we will have some changes in leadership effective September 2nd, and thus for some but not all of our committees. This is the last meeting for their current chair. So I do want to express my gratitude to budget and finance chair Delisha Porterfield, Public Health and Safety Chair, Aaron Evans, Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Parker, and all three of whom who've served uh for two years, um, uh as well as Chair Gamble uh for planning and zoning. Um still be presiding um at the next meeting. Um rules, confirmations in public elections, Chair Prep T and Arts Park and Libraries Chair Gadd. So thank you to them all. They have all served you well. Okay, um, I want to express the council's condolences on the passing of the Honorable Judge Bill Higgins, uh, who was also a two and a half term council member representing District 24 prior to his serving five terms, some four decades as a general sessions judge for Nashville and Davidson County. We are grateful for his service and wish also to mark the passing of the honorable judge Randall Wyatt. Um, we extend our condolences to both gentlemen's families, friends, and colleagues. At last meeting, we marked the return to school for our Metro Nashville public school students. And as the Athens of the South, we also have many college students arriving back on campus and getting their studies started this week. So they would we welcome them back to Nashville. And uh back to school month is also National Immunization Awareness Month. So we remind all Nashvilleans to please consult with their physicians regarding recommended vaccines to help keep Nashville healthy. And to that same end, council will be doing its part by joining with the Metro Health Department again for our third year to provide flu vaccines to everyone working uh in the historic courthouse and city hall and its environment and attending our first October council meeting. Um, regarding that first October council meeting, uh, please note that due to the primary election for the 7th district congressional seat, uh, the first October council meeting will be shifted to Thursday, October the 9th. Please make a note, and we will be noticing that shift as well as one for the first meeting in December in the coming days. Okay. All right. Uh, 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 August 5th? As okay. Um, there's a motion properly seconded, and so without objection, and seeing no one seeking to be recognized for a change to the minutes. The minutes of the meeting of August 5th, 2025 are approved. Mr. Clerk, are there any messages from the mayor? There are no messages from the mayor. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. All right. Um, the first item on our agenda this evening, Section E' elections. The first uh and only election that we have this evening is uh for the Industrial Development Board.