Good evening, everyone.

Today is Tuesday, March the third, and I want to open up this announcement period by acknowledging that this meeting is being held on the unceded stolen land of the Cherokee Shine and Yuchi people, and to remind everyone that no one is illegal on stolen land built by stolen labor.

To open up our meeting today, we have two proclamations.

Uh also Terry Luke here.

Good to see you, ma'am.

Thank you for being here.

We no problem.

We love our libraries, and uh, we definitely want to make sure that we honor Emily here.

So uh the Proflamation recognizing Emily Talbot, we're just gonna go through ahead and read this.

Whereas the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County recognizes individuals whose dedication to public service has strengthened our community and improved the lives of its residents, and whereas Emily Talbot has devoted more than 25 years to the Nashville Public Library system, beginning her career on February 1st, 2000, and serving with distinction in roles of increasing responsibility throughout the city.

And whereas Ms.

Talbot began her service as a branch service assistant from 2000 to 2002, demonstrating an early commitment to literacy, learning, and public access access to information, and whereas she went on to serve as the Bellevue branch manager from 2002 to 2004, main children's manager from 2004 to 2006, and main circulation and popular materials manager from 2006 to 2009, where she played a vital role in strengthening the library operations and expanding access to resources for patrons of all ages.

Whereas from 2009 to 2014, Emily Talbot served as regional manager at the Edmondson Pike location, providing strong leadership, fostering community partnerships, and supporting staff and delivering high quality library services.

And whereas since 2014, she has served as the Hermitage Regional Manager where her steady leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and general care for the community have helped make the Hermitage Library a welcoming, trusted, and vibrant public space for residents, families, students, and seniors alike.

And whereas throughout her career, Emily Talbot has been known for her professionalism, mentorship of staff, commitment to public service, and belief in the power of libraries to connect people, strengthen neighborhoods, and support lifelong learning.

And yeah, whereas her leadership has left a lasting and positive effect, sorry, impact on the Hermitage community and the Nashville public library system as a whole, and whereas Emily Talbot concludes her distinguished career on January 16th, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of service, integrity, and dedication that will be felt for years to come.

Now, therefore, I, Jordan Huffman, District 14 Councilmember, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, do hereby commend Emily Talbot for her more than two and a half decades of exemplary service to the Nashville Public Library and the residents of Nashville and Davidson County, and we extend our sincere gratitude and best wishes to her upon her well-earned retirement.

Thank you, Emily.

Yeah, would you like to say anything?

A simple thank you to Councilmember Huffman and our other council members who are here.

Um it's been a real honor to work for Nashville Public Library, serving the community of Metro Nashville for almost 26 years, and I hope to continue adding to the community throughout my retirement in many different capacities.

Thank you so much for your your honoring of me.

Thank you so very much.

And next up we have a proclamation from Councilmember Ewing.

A proclamation recognizing Dr.

Jesse Carney Smith, former Fisk University Librarian and Dean.

Librarians are up tonight.

And Councilmember Ewing, you are recognized.

Thank you very much.

This is a proclamation recognizing Dr.

Jesse Carney Smith.

Whereas Dr.

Jesse Carney Smith earned her master's degree in library science from George Peabody College, now known as Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education and Human Development in 1957, and began her career as a librarian and instructor at Tennessee State University.

And whereas she was the first African American to receive a PhD in library science from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and the first African American woman to hold the position of university librarian at Fisk University.

And whereas she helped to oversee the development of the 1.4 million New June open Aurelia E.

Franklin Library and assisted with its design and conducted the move of collections from the existing library facility.

And whereas Fisk University awarded Dr.

Smith, the Camille Causeville Distinguished Chair in the Humanities in 1992, and appointed her as Dean of the Fisk University Library in 2010.

And whereas she has led workshops and lectured to librarians, colleges, and universities throughout the United States, and led a workshop for U.S.

Army librarians in the Pacific, held in Tokyo, Japan, and whereas Dr.

Smith has published prof prolifically, including over 30 works, such as Black Academic Libraries and Research Collections, and Historical Survey, Black Heroes of the 20th Century, Freedom Facts, and First, four editions of Black First, four volumes of the Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture, three volumes of Notable Black American Women, and two volumes of notable black American men.

And whereas she was recognized by the American Library Association, awarded the Martin Luther King Black Authors Award, the Candace Award for Excellence in Education, Distinguished Alumni Awards from both the Peabody College and Vanderbilt University, and the University of Illinois, and was named the Academic Research Librarian of the Year from the Association of College and Research Libraries in 1985.

And whereas, in recognition of her scholarship, Dr.

Smith was elected to the membership of Five Beta Mu National Library Honors Society, and later elected president, and whereas Dr.

Smith retired in 2020 after over 50 years of critical work as a writer, scholar, researcher, and librarian, and has been granted the status of librarian emirata by Fiske University in honor of this work.

And whereas Dr.

Smith's activism led her to be a member and later elected president of the Hendersonville area chapter of the Lynx Incorporated, a prestigious international not-for-profit volunteer service organization founded in 1946 for women of African descent, with over 17,000 professional members and 299 chapters.

And whereas Dr.

Smith continues as an emeritus member of the Nesinville chapter, which continues to make significant contributions to the local, national, and international communities, designing programs to close the achievement gap of African American children, and thereby improve the quality of life of all members of the national community.

And whereas Dr.

Smith is a staunch supporter of community activism and encourages greater citizen engagement, stating that people must be willing to do their part for society by doing things like voting and supporting the nibbles if they want things to change.

Now, therefore, I, Sandy Ewing, District 34 Councilmember of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, do hereby recognize and honor Dr.

Jesse Carney Smith as a scholar of the community and acknowledge the essential work she has done, bridging academic gaps during her decorated and decades-long career.

I'm going to have her son Richard Smith come up and say a few words, if you would like.

Good evening.

She couldn't be here tonight.

But I promised her I would do my best to uh represent her.

One thing that my mom always did instill in me from the early years was that um no matter how how much uh one receives recognition for for any achievement, that person is never better than anyone else.

And I never forgot that from the day she put me on the train to go live with her sister in 1965, the day she started her her career at Fisk University.

Um this day um that particular manager has stuck in my mind for over 60 years.

And um I'm again sorry that she could not be here tonight to uh to witness this, but uh is it is very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Oh, this is the person has the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Thank you so very much.

And that concludes our uh proclamation period.

Uh, we do have special guests with us in the back.

We have the class and cohort of the music city construction careers program.

So uh now we will hear from their executive director, Mr.

Sam Petchelat.

Uh good evening, council members.

Thank you for having us today.

For those that don't know me, my name is Sam Petchelat.

I'm the executive director of Music City Construction Careers.

Um, we are an apprenticeship readiness program focused on preparing individuals in Nashville for careers in the union construction trades.

Um but the other part that we focus on in our class is civic engagement.

Um developing the next uh generation of leaders and union members and union leaders in Nashville.

So we're here tonight uh just to learn what this process is all about and how working people can get involved in uh the important decisions that get made every day in the city.

So I just wanted to say uh thank you for having us tonight, um, and thank you for your time.

And I wanted to let uh my union sister Marilyn introduce herself real fast.

She is about to graduate from our Music City Construction Careers Apprenticeship Readiness Program.

Okay.

Um hi, my name is Marilyn Ulomenful.

I'll be going into the electrical trade um through the MC3 program.

Uh just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity and thank you for having all of us here.

Thank you.

And Mr.

Petchela, if you could share when that graduation is in case uh anyone wants to attend.

Yes, our graduation is this Friday uh from 10 to 12 at the IBW 429 hall.

I can uh happily forward that to someone I have an email address for here on the council that could maybe pass it along.

Thank you, Mr.

Petchula.

I'll share that if you send it to me, I'll share it with my colleagues.

Thank you.

Thanks y'all, and thank y'all so much for joining us today.

Thanks for having us.

And now we'll open up the announcement period to any colleagues that would like to be recognized.

Uh, first in the queue, I see council member Bradford.

You are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Pro Tim.

Just uh reminder for everyone, March is Irish American Heritage Month, and we'll be celebrating this month.

The Irish Network of Nashville will be hosting their annual St.

Patrick's Day Parade Saturday, March 14th and five points.

And the parade steps off at 10 a.m.

And then the festivities will go on until 5 p.m.

So again, that's Saturday, March 4th, come out to our Nashville St.

Patrick's Day Parade.

Thank you, Councilmember Bradford.

Would anyone else like to be recognized?

Councilmember Stiles, you're recognized.

Thank you.

So tomorrow and Thursday, that's the fourth and the fifth at Coleman Park Community Center.

The Choice Lane public hearings are taking place.

I am begging everyone, anywhere in the city to come out and share your thoughts about not wanting to see the Choice Lane exit around Bell Road go through our new Chinatown development.

So we currently have the first building open, a second building has been built.

Um I did meet with T Dot.

I did have a good conversation with them last week, but this is our last moment to be able to get on the record and share that we do not want this location to take place.

I did share with them there is another location that is down the street on Hickory Hollow Parkway.

That could be a proposed alternative site, but they need to hear public feedback.

Public feedback is open until March 26th uh via electronic submissions, but in person is even better, and that is tomorrow night and Thursday night at Coleman Park Community Center.

Please, please, please squeeze it into your schedule.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Councilmember Styles.

Would anyone else like to be recognized?

Councilmember Coopin, you're recognized.

Thank you.

Uh Pro Tim.

Uh, a couple of things.

First of all, Hag Param Samaya.

It is the Jewish holiday of Pur.

I'm celebrating the events of the Book of Esther.

Um, so happy term to all who celebrate.

Um, additionally, the Midtown Business Improvement District, which you also graciously approved at the end of last year, is now in the board formation stage.

Um, if anybody who either lives within the bid boundaries or lives outside of them, but is interested in serving on the business improvement district board.

Um, please reach out to me.

We're hoping to get nominees in by the end of the week, and there's a nominating committee that's evaluating them, and then the annual meeting will be on uh March twenty-third at six PM.

Um, so reach out to me also for more information on that.

And then we hope to have um budget and things back to this body by April fifteenth to get started on our great great first year.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Coop, and Councilmember East Lake, you're recognized.

Thank you, Proteam.

Uh, there are a couple of things going on in District Eleven during March on the sixteenth.

I will be having a Meet the Councilman meeting at Nash Dogs on Robinson Road from five P to seven P.

I'd love for people to come out, just release the newsletter, ask uh questions and answer them about that.

And we also had the new old Hickory Community Center opening on the twenty-first of March at eleven AM.

It's gonna be a grand opening.

Big beautiful brand new community center, and I welcome everybody from the district to come on out.

Check that out.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember East Lake.

Is there anyone else that would like to be recognized?

All right, seeing that I will go ahead and close out the announcement period.

I hope everyone had a beautiful, bounceful, and bliss black history month, and I would like to wish everyone an amazing women's history month.

And with that, I'm going to close the announcement period.

We are adjourned.

Have a quorum.

Today is Tuesday, March third, twenty twenty-six.

This is the fourth meeting of twenty twenty-six and the fifty-sixth regular meeting at 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.

Go ahead, sir.

I had the opportunity to hear him make his last speech before he was assassinated the next day.

It said, Dear Lord, unless I continue my complacent ways.

Help me to remember, Lord, that someone died for me today.

And as long as there is war.

Father, give me the clarity of mind to ask myself.

Am I worth dying for?

And as we get ready to pledge allegiance to this flag, let's never forget what that flag stands for, and the number of lives that have been given the sacrifices every time I visit my father's grave in the veteran cemetery and look at the countless thousands of marble shafts that come out of the ground that represent men and women who had the courage, the patriotism, and the love of country to put that uniform and serve this country.

Let's remember that we're here today because of their sacrifices.

Those men and women in World War II who were African Americans, called colored at that particular time.

Let's remember them not just in Black History Month, but let's remember them and all of their colleagues and brothers and sisters who gave their life for this country.

Pray with me.

Merciful God, our Father in heaven, the Father of our Lord.

We thank you so much for this day for this body for its members and the people that they represent.

We ask you to crown their heads with wisdom and courage, understanding, camaraderie.

We ask you, Father, to make them a body that deliberates for the benefit and betterment of their people that they serve and the communities where they make their homes.

We ask you, Father, to look down upon us in your tender mercy.

We know that you are good God, that you are faithful, that your fidelity is without question.

And we ask you to give us the strength to allow our light to shine that we might demonstrate what it means to serve a powerful and living God.

And be men and women who stand for something that is greater than themselves.

Help us to empty ourselves and fill ourselves with your love and your kindness.

And Father, this evening help us to remember that hatred can't drive out hatred, only love can do that.

Darkness can't drive out darkness, only light can do that.

And that evil cannot drive out evil, only good can do that.

Help us to represent that in everything that we do and in everything that we say.

In Jesus' name, we umly pray and lift up our hearts in awe and in reverence.

Let us together say Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

DeBerry.

How are you doing?

Please be seated and kindly be quiet.

Welcome council and community members to women's history month.

As we highlighted at the start of this term, Nashville's Metro Council is for the first time in our city's history by election and not by attrition, majority women.

And all five at-large seats are held by women.

City councils are the government's closest and most accountable to the people, and ideally highly representative of their constituencies and all their diversity.

As our members know, the Metro Council was the first fully city-county consolidated government in the United States of America.

From 1963 till 1979, the first 16 years of this council, only one woman was serving in a body of 40 persons.

When I graduated from college, 16 years after that, in 1995, there were only five women on the Metro Council.

Two thousand seven saw the election of the first woman as vice mayor, and we appreciate these trailblazing women.

Across all 50 states, women hold just 33% of state legislature seats.

And Tennessee is second to last of all 50 states, with just 15% of the General Assembly being women.

At the federal level, women hold 155 of the 535 seats in Congress.

That's 29%.

There are currently 26 women in the hundred member Senate.

A woman has never been president of the United States yet.

When our downtown library reopens at the end of this month, we're excited about that.

I encourage all council members and Nashvilleans to visit the votes for women room in our downtown library.

And I also encourage you to go to the Nashville sites, S I T E S, National Sites.org website and social media platforms for curated walking and driving tours that highlight women's history throughout Nashville.

All right.

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 February 17th, 2026?

Okay.

There is a motion.

It's properly seconded without objection.

And seeing no one seeking to be recognized for a change to the minutes.

The minutes of the meeting of February seventeenth are approved.

Mr.

Clerk, are there any messages from the mayor?

There are no messages from the mayor.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

We are going to roll right into our agenda.

Um is uh section E for elections.

Um we have two matters for election this evening, and council members will find those on their tablets on their desk.

Um the first um is uh an election uh for the Greenways and Open Space.

This is an election to fill one vacancy on the commission with a term expiring on August 31st of 2027 at the end of this council term.

Uh, with this vacancy, the council is responsible for electing persons from its own membership to serve on the commission.

Councilmember Parker was nominated by councilmember tombs, and council member Hancock was nominated by councilmember Vaux.

Uh, Mr.

Clerk, will you please open the vote?

With all votes in, uh Mr.

Clerk, please show the vote.

Council has elected councilmember Tanya Hancock with 21 votes in favor and 14 votes for council member Parker.

Congratulations, Councilmember Hancock.

Congratulations.

All right.

Um, next we're gonna roll right into E2.

Um, uh still on your tablets for the Transportation Licensing Commission.

Consideration of this nominee to fill one vacancy on the commission with a term expiring on January thirty-first of twenty twenty eight.

Mr.

Clerk, if you will open the vote, please everyone voted.

Is everyone voted?

Um Ms.

Swara, Miss Sepulveda.

You voted.

All votes are in.

Mr.

Clerk, please show the vote.

With 33 votes in favor and two abstentions, council has elected Man and Hall to the Transportation Licensing Commission.

We appreciate your willingness to serve.

All right.

Okay.

We're gonna head into section F of our agenda.

Appointees and nominees.

Uh this portion of the agenda shares all persons, and there were a whole lot of them this evening who were scheduled to appear before the rules, confirmations, and public elections committee for an interview this evening.

Re uh referrals will be uh back to the committee by rule as part of the council's two meeting process for elections and confirmations.

No votes will be taken by the body in this section of the agenda other than for deferrals.

Chair Cash, your brief report, please, sir.

No vote totals necessary, simply the name of those uh interviewed and for which seats, and if there are multiples with each type of seat, you don't need to repeat that each time.

You can just say for this board, all these people.

Go ahead, sir.

Thank you.

They're a lot, I'll do my best.

Uh, do you want to know the the like the two?

There was one withdrawn and one deferred.

You want that first?

Um uh sure, go ahead, sir.

For the planning commission, the reappointment of Jessica Farr was deferred for one meeting.

And for the board of equalization, there was a withdrawal.

Um I'm not seeing it.

Sorry.

I'm sorry, I that's okay, sir.

If you just know there's a withdrawal.

That's okay.

If you just share those folks who were indeed interviewed, then we can ask.

All right, so um for the bicycle and pedestrian advisory commission, the appointment of David Capriella, Civil Service Commission, Alicia Jones.

Uh for board of equalization, there were a bunch, the uh uh Laurie Cast as an alternate, uh Alexa Colton for a member, Deb Dawson for a member, Truett Ellis is an alternate.

Um uh John Green as a member, Melba Jackson as a member, Michael Milner as an alternate, Israel Nellis as an as a an alternate, Mia Parker's an alternate, Carnell Scruggs as a member, um Derek Shark Starks as an alternate, Greg Atkins for the planning commission.

Um, Mr.

Chair, do we then presume that it's Roger Farmer who's withdrawn?

Okay.

Yes.

All right, Mr.

Farmer has withdrawn.

All right.

And then for the planning commission, uh, the reappointment of Greg Atkins, also Area Dang, and uh then I said Jessica Farr was deferred.

Also for the public library board, Sharvis Rand, traffic and parking commission, Brandon Mason.

All right.

Again, those uh re-referrals are by rule.

Um would you please make a motion uh for the one meeting uh deferral of the uh interview of uh for the reappointment of Ms.

Jessica Farr?

We would move uh one meeting referral of Jessica Farr.

Okay.

All in favor, please say aye.

Okay.

Um any voting, no or abstaining.

No, okay.

All right, that is deferred.

One meeting.

Okay, now uh Chair Cash, uh for uh section G confirmations.

You're recognized for your committee report on the appointees in the second step of your committee's two meeting process with vote totals this time and a consolidated motion for the confirmation of those persons or first for a deferral motion if there are any.

For the action commission, the reappointment of Shalon Haji for term expiring February 2nd, 2029, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

Umulating committee members.

Um Margaret Darby for term expiring March third, twenty thirty-one, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

Leslie Farmer for benefits, study and formulating committee eight to zero to zero.

Uh Glenn Farner for uh employee benefits eight to zero to zero.

Um or committee uh Gary Moore, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

John Tischler, uh eight in favor, zero against zero not voting for the fire and building codes appeal board, the reappointment of Anthony Locke for term expiring March 1st, 2020 30.

Uh eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

Sports authority appointment of John Glassmire for a term expiring February 17, 2030.

Also for Sports Authority, Anna Page, those were eight to zero to zero.

Um Kendall Poole for term expired February 19th, 2032, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

Adam Sanseveri for the Sports Authority, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

Victor Wynne, Sports Authority, eight in favor, zero against zero not voting.

And I think that is, and then I move approval.

All right.

Um there is a motion to confirm these uh twelve appointees um in a consolidated vote.

Is there a second?

Okay.

Does anyone wish to remove an item from this consolidated motion for purposes of an individual abstention or no vote?

Seeing none, uh all in favor, please say aye.

All right.

Um, you have confirmed uh these appointees, uh, two are confirmed appointees.

If you chose to return to the council chamber this evening, which is not required, uh do please stand as I call your name.

Um council has confirmed uh the appointments of uh Shilhan Haji to the Action Commission and uh to the employee benefits study and formulating committee.

Uh council has confirmed the appointments of Margaret Darby, Leslie Farmer, Glenn Farner, Gary Moore, John Tischler, and then uh go ahead and keep standing.

Mr.

Moore, keep standing, the honorable Mr.

Moore.

Um uh to the fire and building codes appeals board.

Uh uh council has confirmed the reappointment of Anthony Locke.

Uh to the sports authority, council has confirmed the appointment of John Glassmyer, the reappointment of Anna Page, the appointment of Kendall Poole, uh, the appointment of Adam Sanseveri, and uh finally the appointment of Victor Wynne.

Thank you for joining us this evening.

We appreciate you very much.

Thank you for your service.

And we express the same to all those watching at home as well.

All right.

Uh next section on our agenda is section H.

Uh, this is the public comment period.

Members of the public who are Tennessee residents wishing to speak uh during public comment may sign up at a table outside the council chamber from 5 to 6 p.m.

on the day of a council meeting.

Public comment is limited to 20 minutes in total at council meetings, and each speaker is allowed up to two minutes to speak.

Persons speaking on agenda items must be prioritized to comply with state law.

Uh and pursuant to rule 28, all public comment speakers must present proof of Tennessee residency.

All right.

Um I am going to read down the list just two or three, um, so we can kind of keep things moving.

Um, and I will uh ask that you not really cue more than um two or three deep.

Um so first uh for public comment this evening is Kelly uh Kuberly uh speaking on agenda item uh uh or rather resolution 2025 1712.

This is a resolution regarding the boring company.

Um uh she is speaking in opposition after Kelly will be Robert Bennett and Hilary Morgan.

Uh go ahead, you're recognized.

Okay, hello.

My name is Kelly Coverley.

I'm a U.S.

Army veteran.

I'm a tech worker, been in IT here in Nashville for the past 16 years.

And um, I also help run a local nonprofit organization called the Veterans Corporate Council.

We're tied into Operation Standown.

So that gives us the ability to help other veterans, active duty, military guard, reserve members, um, advance their career and get placed within leadership roles here in Nashville, and we help retain that talent to Middle Tennessee.

I attended the meeting uh here February 19th when the boring company presented their plan for the Music City Loop, and um I really appreciate their willingness to work with local authorities.

I thought Metro Council did very well.

They brought up a lot of valid concerns and questions, such as, you know, hey, does a boring company will they make a profit and would they be willing to profit share with Metro Nashville?

I can't think of a better city and a better timing for a project like this.

The best part is it's privately funded, and the time where our property taxes have absolutely increased.

Personally, mine have increased 250% since moving to Nashville in 2017 from Brentwood.

I respectfully ask Metro Council to support the Music City Loop Project and work constructively with the state of Tennessee when required.

Um, I think that this project is not just about boring tunnels, but it's about progress that will make the city better for everybody, including residents and visitors.

I also think that it's a win for Donaldson.

Um Donaldson, I love that they want to kick it off at the airport in Donaldson.

You know, we lost Monell's back in 2024.

That was a tourist destination.

And um lastly, um, I just want to say thank you so much for your time today.

And again, Metro Council, I really really hope that you will support this project.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh next is Robert uh Bennett.

Robert Bennett, are you present?

Robert Bennett, you are next.

Speaking on resolution uh 1712 in opposition regarding the boring company.

Go ahead.

Good evening, all.

Uh, thanks again for your time this evening.

Um I'm uh with Southern Carlson Incorporated.

We're a uh construction supply company here in Nashville and across Tennessee.

Uh I'm a regional uh commercial sales manager for that company and just wanted to speak to the boring company, this project, and the market in general, what this project means to people like myself.

Um, the opportunity it provides, not only for supply companies, but for all the trades around Nashville and the people that work for those trades.

Um this project could really put Nashville on the map and help aid struggling commercial construction market right now.

Um just wish that we can you know recognize what that means to all trades, all markets, and all the communities, the people that work in those communities, what that would mean to them and and to our commercial construction industry in general.

Um that's pretty much it.

Appreciate Charles Tom.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Bennett.

Uh next uh will be uh um y'all we'll move a lot faster if we don't clap in between all these.

Next will be Hilary Morgan, uh, followed by Kanya Williams and Jerry Bosselman.

Uh go ahead, uh Ms.

Morgan.

Hi, my name is Hilary.

I am a business owner here in Nashville, Tennessee.

I'm a mother who have two children in the Metro Nashville Public School system.

And I thank you so much for allowing me to speak in front of you.

I'm here in opposition of resolution 2025-1711.

Um, this afternoon, after dropping my daughter at dance class on the west end to this building, a direct four-mile drive down Charlotte to Dr.

Martin Luther King Boulevard.

It took me over 25 minutes with this tunnel and the stops that they're proposing.

That same distance would take me four minutes.

Okay, with the Music City Loop, I'm with that with the Music City Loop, that same commute would take me four minutes and save me $20 in parking.

This system isn't just for tourists.

This system is for the hardworking people of Davidson County.

Not only will the system alleviate congestion, but it will create real lasting jobs.

The vehicles within the tunnels will be driven by licensed and insured drivers, as well as the infrastructure supported by the people that live here in Davidson County.

If we look at the Vegas system, which has been incredibly successful since it started in its operations, we have seen no crashes, no infrastructure problems.

And I think that when you look at what's happening here in Nashville City, we are more likely 20% more likely than the national average to get into an accident while driving in our city.

Likewise, um, I encourage you as a city to and as our city council to ask the right questions, to do the research, to talk with their CEO, and together we can move Nashville forward with a private enterprise endeavor that does not levy yet another tax on us as people here and residents of Davidson County.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Uh next is uh Kanya Williams, um, followed by uh Jerry uh Bosselman.

Um and then after that, it will be um Megan Shante.

Good evening.

My name is Kanya Williams, and my husband and I are proud owners of TriMed Holling.

Uh we are a local trucking company, and we're excited about the Boring Company project for several reasons.

Um job security for not only us in the trucking sector, the dump truck sector, but also additional job security for the community, including but not limited to contractors, full and part-time employment, excuse me, during and after completion of the project.

Um alleviating traffic, which would decrease congestion, especially during the peak hours, and of course, with the use of the electrical vehicles, that'll cut down on the pollution or reducing pollution.

And also the continued growth of Nashville that we've all experienced, the innovative way of travel will positively affect tourism, uh, the tourism revenue, increasing our economy as a whole.

We do appreciate the opportunity the boring company has provided, and we're so proud to be a part of such a forward thinking project.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Um next uh will be uh Jerry Bosselman.

Um before um uh Megan Shante, I just want to clarify.

So uh we have to by state law balance for and against everyone who has signed up is speaking regarding um this resolution.

Um, and so uh following Mr.

Bosselman, um, there will be one minute and thirty seconds of residual time.

If the next inline uh Shockey Marshall wishes to speak, um they would have a minute and a half, and that would be prior um to Megan Shante.

Um go ahead, Mr.

Bosselman.

Hey, hey, I'm Jerry Bostoman.

Thanks for a chance to talk today.

Appreciate everything you guys do.

Uh, I'm an investor in a bunch of restaurants and some property in town.

And what I'm really concerned about is killing the golden goose.

The property taxes have been brutal.

All of my businesses are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more.

The uh labor cost has skyrocketed the food cost has skyrocketed.

What I'm concerned about is entrepreneurs can't afford to operate in Nashville.

The only thing we're gonna have are billionaires, uh corporations and chains, one of the restaurants.

And once Nashville loses its cool, nobody's gonna come to Nashville, and the golden goose is dead.

Another thing that's going on, if you look at the construction that's happening above the ground, I'm an investor in Mockingbird and in Shohan.

Two great restaurants, also Choi and uh Tonso, both closed because of what we're talking about today.

It's gotten too expensive.

Three of the last five years, there's been a gaping hole right outside the restaurant where nobody can come and eat.

You're trying to eat tiki marsala to the sound of a jackhammer in the back.

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.

The third point would be the ice storm.

I live over in Barrie Hill.

It took me a week and a half to get power.

It took me two weeks to get the roads passable.

And finally, it's gonna take smart people to figure this out.

Uh show a hand.

Who here has invented electric cars and made a green automatic?

We don't do that, sir.

Go ahead.

Sorry.

Uh they we got smart people to work.

So ultimately, what we have an opportunity for is a time machine that would give us access throughout the city.

It won't tell it won't cost a dime.

The entrepreneurs that are already so overtaxed and going out of business in an ice storm.

There's plenty of opportunity to go underground and get your mom to the hospital, or maybe to get to some heat.

Ultimately, if you think about getting smart people, more part smart people are better than less smart people, all the things they've done.

I'm excited about what we put together.

And if it doesn't work, they're spending billions, not us.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

Um Shocky Marshall, do you wish to speak?

All right, again, balancing for and against, subsequent to this, all the kind of divided time and speaking for.

Um go ahead.

Hello, my name is Shekai Marshall.

I've been a resident of Nashville for the past two years.

Um I started my career as a local home builder here in Nashville.

When I first heard the boring company was coming to town, I applied right away.

After my first interview, I fell in love with the company and its values.

They flew me out and I experienced the tunnels in Vegas, and I'm excited to share these tunnels with you guys here in Nashville.

I am now a current employee of the Boring Company.

The boring company is not just an Elon company.

The Boring Company is a giant family and team here in Nashville.

The work ethic of this team here is amazing, and we are going to achieve great things for this city.

Not for everybody.

Hey, y'all, please don't accost those folks speaking during public comment.

Thank you.

I will close by saying we want to gain the public's respect because what we were building is amazing and really cool.

Every vendor that's came out or local community member that's seen the tunnel has been really intrigued by what is going on.

We will continue to do community engagement events and be as transparent as possible.

I've heard nothing but positive feedbacks from the folks that have been around just recently inside the building, and we are super excited for what is to come in the future.

Thank you all for your time.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

That works out just very well on the time.

Next, then um uh beginning uh a group of folks that are speaking in support of resolution uh 1712.

Um first among them is uh Megan Shante, uh, followed by Mara Um Echterling and then um Miriam Alba Fazley.

Um uh Megan Shante.

Are you here?

Megan Shante.

Okay.

Um I am then now going to go down the list to the next person speaking in support.

Um, and that is uh Mara Um Echterling.

Go ahead, Mara.

Hello, thank you, and thank you for getting my name right.

Most people get it wrong right off the jump, so great job.

Um, I want to make a couple of points about the hyperloop, first of all, even though this resolution is not necessarily about the hyperloop specifically, or it's I'll get to it.

Uh, first, the hyperloop project is not actually a hundred percent privately funded.

That might be a technicality, but there are some details that do involve taxpayer money going towards this project.

Um, second point, this project is not a serious attempt to address traffic issues in Nashville.

Third point, the Las Vegas hyperloop is an absolute joke compared to what has been promised to that city, and the city leaders of Las Vegas will tell you that themselves.

Vegas already has a hyperloop, and that city's tourism is still dying on the vine.

Not to mention the contractors here in Nashville that walked off of this project back in November.

Um, this resolution is not about Metro's government stopping the Hyperloop project.

We all know that that's really not something that's possible.

What this resolution is about is uh this is an opportunity to establish a political narrative that says that Nashville will not just lie down and let the state government force us to comply with everything it says when we are left out of every single conversation, which has happened with this project.

Um because up to this point, the boring company and the state government has proceeded with the idea that everyone supports this project.

And there might be people in support of this project, clearly, and that's great.

But the idea that there's just an overwhelming amount of support for this is is obviously not true.

And this is an opportunity for Metro's government to input to the record that not everybody supported this, and it's an opportunity to establish some form of competing narrative with what the state government is is pushing out, and I would encourage you to take the opportunity to establish that narrative to establish the other boundary of acceptable debate.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Miriam Alba Fosley, uh, followed by Saria Lowry Matthews.

Go ahead, uh Miriam.

Hi, I'm Miriam Albofazley, I'm District 34.

Um, I just want to say that right now, for many of us, democracy at the federal level and at the state level is mostly dead.

And at the local level is where we come because we feel that we can engage with you, we can be heard by you, we can have debate and discussion and process.

This resolution is about process, something that is so essential to our democracy that is dying.

What we're asking you to do is to say we will not be steamrolled by corporations again.

This happened to us, and we're still dealing with it when we drive by the Titans every day and see a stadium right next to a stadium when we clearly need those resources as the storm just showed.

So all we're asking is to consider a resolution that says we want transparency.

We want a discussion.

We want to know this subterranean authority that was a bait and switch that cost five million US like our taxpayer money a year is a real thing.

This is not a net uh neutral project.

This cost money.

Y'all get to discuss that.

Y'all get to show your passion, your interest, your analysis, your detail.

I see you smiling at me.

I want to know why.

Do you want the ground under Nashville to go to the state?

Is that what you're here for?

You're here to monitor what is public land, what is land here, and make sure it goes for public resources for public good.

And y'all are ready just to give that up.

Let it go to the state.

Let another caption bill come up that says another 10 million dollars or whatever.

Oh well, our hands are up.

This isn't our city, anyways.

Please, y'all, fight harder.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh next is uh Saria Lowry Matthews, uh, followed by Kelly Knott Sandfer.

It's Soraya.

Oh, I'm sorry, Soraya.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Hi, my name is Soraya Laurie Matthews, and I am a college student at Nashville State Community College and a Nashville native.

Today I stand in opposition to this tunnel project in a support of Councilwoman Delicia Portafield's resolution.

Tennessee has a long history of building major projects in black and brown neighborhoods that later cause harm.

Highways, industrial sites, large developments, building places where families live and where children go to school.

Years later, those same communities face higher rates of asthma, cancer, and other health problems.

That is not a coincidence.

That is the pattern.

So I have a simple question.

Why should we take that risk again?

Before this project moves forward, our community deserves clear answers.

What will this tunnel do to the air we breathe?

What will it do to the water that we drink?

And what long-term studies have been done and who paid for them.

Who is surely responsible for making sure this is safe?

And let's be honest for a moment.

Have we even prepared to manage and maintain everything?

We cannot do, we cannot have basic roads and potholes, and we cannot take care of those across the cities.

So how are we prepared to manage and maintain an underground tunnel if we cannot see what's right in front of us?

How are we going to safely oversee what is buried beneath us?

So my question to you guys when the first emergency happens, who shows up?

Who pays?

Is it the company making the profit or is it the family who lives there and have to deal with the consequences that they didn't even get to say so long?

We should not ask communities to sacrifice their health and for corporate gain.

We should not repeat mistakes that have already cost families entirely too much.

So supporting councilwoman resolution is about protecting the people.

It is about safety, it is about accountability, and it's about making sure history does not repeat itself again.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Kelly Knott Sandifer, followed by Joseph Lee.

Good evening, Metro Council members.

My name is Kelly Knott Sandifer, and I am a student at Tennessee State University, born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and I am here in support of RS2025 1712.

The people in power have done very little to protect the residents of North Nashville, and now, unsurprisingly, our state leadership has ignored those complaints and disregarded the city's leadership to bend the need to a corporation unmoved by the rights or safety of its workers, and which has made it very clear to the community who built this city that are not the communities that they intend on in serving.

Let me be very plain with you.

We have been here before.

We know what it looks like when a project cuts through a neighborhood that could not fight back.

We know what it looks like when the language of progress is used to hollow out the places where black people live, worship, and raise their children.

This city has done it before, and apparently some of you are prepared to let it happen again.

This tunnel is not innovation.

It is a vanity project dressed in the language of future, sold to you by a company that will not face the residents in a public forum to explain itself.

Development for who?

Nashville is not asking for private underground tunnels.

It's asking for reliable buses, affordable transportation, and streets that don't get forgotten the morning after election.

Council members, you were not elected to rubber stamp the impulses of the richest man on earth.

You were elected to represent the people in this room and the thousands of more people working on second shift right now.

The question is not whether the boring company can do this.

The question is whether Nashville will once again sell out its most vulnerable residents to the highest bidder.

Thank you.

Um right.

Next is uh Joseph Lee um speaking in support of this resolution.

Go ahead.

Hi, I'm Joe Lee.

I'm here in support of this resolution.

Based on boring's uh own claim of 3.3 million passengers served over about 1700 days of operation.

This averages about to 1900 passengers per day.

Those are rookie numbers, okay.

For I-40 West Bell now, Bridey Parkway sees 170,000 cars per day.

Uh boarding companies' total capacity is less than one percent of the total travel demand of just one direction in this one corridor alone.

But hey, I'm all for solving traffic.

So I came up with some ideas to improve the system efficiency, if you will.

Okay, so what if we reduce uh increase the uh passengers to driver ratio by linking us some of these Tesla cars together?

Right, and make them a little bit bigger with the whole Macdoor so you can support roll out roll off of wheelchairs and luggages, so faster embarkation.

And what if we um put one big engine instead of a little tiny little inefficient ones on the front car, and we don't need to carry batteries too heavy.

We just use the live wire to uh transfer power to the cars.

Okay, and we know that uh uh tire dust is uh very detrimental to uh respiratory system.

So we shall replace rubber tires with steel wheels, and since this um this is a fixed route.

We could just use some steel guyways for steel on steel, which is very efficient in roller resistance.

And I know this might sound like very advanced technology.

Uh so I might ask my six-year-old daughter to draw up a picture of what it looks like.

And it's a train.

This thing does 40,000 passengers per hour per directions.

Maybe you should look into that.

Thank you.

All right.

Um with less than a minute left of residual time.

Um, I am going to call the public comment period closed.

Um, and uh we appreciate everybody uh coming out.

Next is section I of our agenda, rules of procedure.

Um we take up these proposals um from council members uh like we do legislation.

Um when they come on to our agenda, they do have a mandatory uh deferral by rule.

Um this was uh deferred uh last time and is before us this evening.

This is uh section I um item one regarding Rule 13.4 sponsors Evans, Cupin, and Ellis.

This is amendment to our rules of procedure regarding filing deadlines and emergency items, um uh particularly during a declared state of emergency.

Councilmember Evans, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Um basically this uh rule amendment that I'm proposing.

Ms.

Evans, would you request your committee report?

Of course, no.

May I have uh committee reports, please?

Uh Chair Cash.

We voted uh to approve eight in favor, zero against you or not voting.

Okay.

Um and it's uh back to you, uh Miss Evans for a motion to get this before us for discussion.

Move approval, please.

Is there second?

Okay, go ahead, ma'am.

Thank you.

So this uh rule change amendment that I'm proposing basically would give us an opportunity in the event that we're under a state of emergency to file uh non-binding resolutions and not need to have them um potentially blessed by the vice mayor.

Um that's unfortunately, I think probably a negative related to our rules.

Um, and so this would give members an opportunity under those limited circumstances uh to be able to file non-binding resolutions that apply to the state of emergency that's in force.

All right.

Um uh we are on there's a motion to approve uh this rule change, and we are on to discussion.

Are any members uh seeking to discuss uh this amendment to the rules of procedure?

All right.

Um seeing none, we will move to the vote.

Uh all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining.

All right.

Um, this amendment to rules of procedure has passed.

Um special counsel uh Wilson, this will be applied in how many days?

So it won't apply at next meeting.

The rule is uh the rule change will apply uh in 30 days.

Okay, 30 days.

So not next meeting, but likely the meeting after that.

I haven't counted, but uh it would be effective the meeting of uh April the 7th.

Okay, thank you.

All right, um and then uh regarding uh agenda item I uh two um rule 50 uh by sponsor uh coupen an amendment or proposed amendment to the rules of procedure regarding elections to boards and commissions again that is deferred uh by rule to our next meeting.

Okay, all right.

Now we're moving into section uh J of our agenda bills on public hearing.

Spanish interpretation services are provided for all Metro Council public hearings.

Council office team member Karina Valdez is here as the interpreter.

Ms.

Valdez, will you please share how you can help?

Los que interpretación españoles a un disponibles en la audiencia pública.

So you may, but you may want uh otherwise to tell us in what neighborhood or area you live, your connection uh to an agenda item or project, or who your council member is.

All right.

Okay, the first item uh uh for uh in section J for public hearing is agenda item one.

This is ordinance BL 2025-1146, sponsor Johnson.

This is an ordinance amending chapter 17.36 and 17.40 of the Metro Code to create a detached accessory dwelling unit exclusion overlay district.

Ms.

Johnston, you're recognized.

Withdraw.

All right.

Um this uh bill uh has been withdrawn.

Next is agenda item two, ordinance BL 2025-1148 sponsors PrEP T and GAD.

This is an ordinance amending chapters 17.04 and 17.32 of the Metro Code of Laws to revise and add regulations on signs within the zoning code.

Um Mr.

Prep T, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Move to open the public hearing.

Okay.

Um I declare the public hearing open.

Would all members of the public here in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Would all members of the public here in opposition to this bill please raise your hand?

All right, Mr.

Prep T seeing no one here in opposition um uh or support on either side.

I will declare the public hearing closed and it's back to you uh for a motion on your bill.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Move approval.

All right.

Um there is a motion to approve.

It is properly seconded.

Is there any discussion on this bill on uh second on public hearing and it's second reading?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any voting no or abstaining?

All right, this is passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item three, ordinance BL 2025-1149 sponsors Druffle and Ellis.

This is an ordinance amending chapter 17.20 of the Metro Code of Laws to require the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure, also known as NDOT, to complete area transportation infrastructure analyses for certain site plans and rezonings.

Um Mr.

Druffel, you are recognized, sir.

Yeah, Chair.

Uh move to defer this to public hearing on September 1st with a brief comment.

Okay, is there a second for that motion?

Okay, go ahead, sir.

Yeah, I and uh uh planning and myself have been meeting uh for the last month or two to talk about regional impact on traffic.

Uh we're making some headway and uh we just need to spend a little bit more time with some solutions.

So this is just uh move in the right direction, but with a lot of thought.

All right.

Um uh is there any discussion on uh council member Druffel's motion uh to uh defer this ordinance uh to the first meeting in September?

All right, um, Mr.

Eastlick, you're recognized, sir.

Yeah, this is a question for planning and zoning.

Do we know when the infrastructure side of the housing and infrastructure study will be finished?

I know we've already moved ahead with some zoning without knowing the extent of the uh needed transfer uh infrastructure, but if we can get an idea of when that might be out, that may be able to help us make a decision in this case.

Um Ms.

Milligan, you're recognized for the planning department.

Certainly.

The the department has been continuing our work on the infrastructure piece.

It is complex because we're dealing with a lot of different uh departments that handle different aspects of the infrastructure conversation.

Um we are close to wrapping it up.

Um we just need to tie up some loose ends with some departments.

I don't have an exact completion date for you.

All right.

Um is there any uh further discussion on the motion to defer to the first meeting in September?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no or abstaining?

Okay.

Um this uh will be taken up again for public hearing at the first meeting in September.

All right, next is agenda item uh four and five.

We only need to take them separately.

Okay.

Um right.

Um hang on, yeah.

Go ahead, sir.

Thank you.

If we can, we will need to take these separately, they both have substitutes.

However, if we could take the public hearing together, I I would suggest that as well.

For purposes of public hearing, um, may we uh I I think for the clarity of the public, we can certainly subsequent to that separate the vote and the debate.

Um, but I think it might be confusing to the public if we were to separate um the matters.

Thank you.

Uh go ahead, special counsel.

Vice Mayor, uh state law requires public hearings on each matter, and in this case, we are dealing with two separate pieces of property here.

Uh uh I it would be advisable to hold these uh public hearings separately with the knowledge that they're handling the these issues uh that are very similar.

But thank you.

Okay, yield to counsel.

Um all righty.

So um I I think what I would say then um uh uh sponsor Taylor um to honor um your intent and I think for purposes of clarity um with the public.

Um folks, what we have here in agenda item four and five.

Um I'm gonna read them um uh into the record.

They are related to each other um regarding uh Buchanan Street and the commercial compatibility overlay district.

Okay.

So I am gonna read um the first one into the record because pursuant to state law, we do need to have um two public hearings.

Um what I might uh suggest is unless in looking at our agenda and you see uh something specific to your address, your home, your business separate between the two matters, you might choose to speak on one or the other.

Um but if you would just like to generally speak on this topic, um I would ask that you kind of choose that first public hearing.

Um, then we will open the second public hearing.

Um, and then if you have anything that is specific to those matters, those those specific addresses in that bill, um uh we we welcome you to speak at that time, okay.

Um I am gonna read this first one um into the record.

Um so we are generally discussing and approaching uh agenda items four and five.

These are resolutions uh rather ordinances, um, BL2025 and um a dash one one six eight and dash one one six nine sponsor tailor.

They are both regarding commercial compatibility overlay districts um located on Buchanan Street, okay?

Um, but they are uh slightly different in their footprint.

So the first one that we will take up for public hearing is 1168.

This is an ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County by applying a commercial compatibility overlay district to various properties located on Buchanan Street between 21st Avenue North and Interstate 65.

This is 15.78 acres.

Okay.

Um Mr.

Taylor, um, you are recognized again.

Um if you could um please inquire to open or move to open the public hearing.

I'd like to open the public hearing, please.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open on councilman Taylor's bill 1168.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill please raise your hands?

Okay.

Um, would all members of the public here in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Um, will those persons will those persons wishing to speak in support, please come forward to the podium.

No more than five at a time, please.

Supporting speakers will go first, and persons in opposition will speak after those speaking in support.

Okay.

So in um groups of about five or so, if those persons who are wishing to speak in support, would please come forward for council member Taylor's uh first of two bills about the Cannon Street commercial compatibility overlay.

This is the public hearing for 1168.

Supporters, um, please do come forward.

Go ahead, ma'am.

You're very welcome.

Come on forward.

You're recognized.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Uh good evening.

My name is Shaw McGrenolds.

Uh, I'm a native Nashville, and um I have the privilege of uh living in my childhood home on 10th and Buchanan.

Um I've seen a lot of changes in North Nashville.

Um my parents purchased this home in the early 60s.

So I have been in the North Nashville area all my life.

So I've seen through the interstate and all the other various changes and all how things have ran down for a short period of time.

But as we continue to move forward, we see that there'd be a lot of changes.

And I really don't think that it's about noise or anything about having uh an establishment that has a nightlife for it, but have respect for the residents that live there as well.

I believe that we need to come to some type of agreement where we can decide how we need to go about it.

There will always be noise.

You cannot control that.

You can make up the the ordinances for it, but every now and then you're gonna have that outbreak.

We still hear noise in the North Nashville area, some of it that's not very welcoming, but at times when we've had that night life, when it's over, it's awful.

It's awful for a lot of residents who have to get up and uh go to work the next morning.

But that's the only other thing that I see there.

Nothing in opposition of saying, oh, treating the residents so bad or that the night life is terrible.

It's not.

I've had my moments, but I do like to make sure that as we move forward, that even though we may not agree, we can pivot and move forward.

Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you.

All right, continuing with persons in support.

Go ahead.

You're recognized.

Hi, my name is Aretha Caruthers.

I'm a resident of Buchanan for 31 years.

And this is something that I'm behind because for the eight years that I've had clubs on my street, I couldn't, I had to be at work at six o'clock.

That means you got traffic, you got people coming from the club, the loud noise from the club.

So you can't sleep.

So that affects my living.

That affects my money.

A lot of these people here got these tags on saying support, you know, save Buchanan.

We're not trying to destroy Buchanan.

What we're trying to do is get structure on Buchanan for those neighbors that stay there on Buchanan.

Half of the ones that got these acres on, don't even live on Buchanan.

You're supporting the clubs.

We don't have a problem with the clubs.

What we have a problem with is the noise, the traffic that it brings, the trash that it brings.

If you go in front of the school when the club closes, there's beer bottles.

There's, excuse my language, there are condoms.

You know, kids should not see that.

And if you got a 80 an 89-year-old lady trying to clean up the trash that's coming from the clubs, and she bust her head, and then we have to call 911.

Sometimes you can't even get 911 down our street because it's a two-way street.

It becomes a one-way street when you got these clubs open.

If none of y'all would ever think that, oh, you know, my parents are not gonna go through this.

Think about us that do live on 10th Avenue or 11th Avenue or Buchanan Street.

See what we go through.

Put yourself in our predicament, would you want your parent to say, oh, I can't sleep, I can't do my job because we got people on our ring camera screaming and howling, blocking our street off.

My name is Simone Boyd.

I'm Miss Carruthers' neighbor, and I'm yielding my two minutes to her.

So my thing is I'm begging y'all put us first before a dollar.

Because that's basically what it is.

It's a dollar that they're looking at.

We don't need Buchanan to be a another nightlight street where you can't take your family down the street and walk and be able to get something to drink or have a nice time out on Buchanan because you worried about the gang members that we've came the came now neighborhood.

We've had to worry about the um the crime that we've that our crime has gone down since we have not had a club on Buchanan that has been opened.

Ma'am, if I may, Miss Simone, that's very kind on your part.

I was thinking perhaps maybe you just had a little bit more to say.

We cannot get in the pattern of everybody yielding time, respectfully.

Everybody has two minutes.

Um, and so um if you would like to be recognized at this time, you're very welcome.

Isn't that Robert's rules of order to yield?

No, ma'am, that doesn't apply to public hearing.

That applies to us within the body on the floor.

A member may yield time.

You are a member of the public here for public hearing.

We don't engage in back and forth yielding of time for citizens speaking at public comment.

Okay.

Well, I disagree with everything that Miss Carruthers said, and I agree with everything that my neighbor and that our neighbor, Ms.

Sherl said.

All righty, thank you for coming out.

Uh go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

Hello, Juan Vigoromero.

I own the coffee shop, the loading dock on Buchanan Street.

Um, coming out in favor of the overlay, just to protect the community aspect of Buchanan Street.

It's not a mergent major commercial thoroughfare.

It's neighborhood adjacent.

Um, and to be able to limit the types of businesses that can accumulate on the street.

Um, keep the noise down.

We have several schools in the area, um, lots of residences, but up to the back of our buildings, uh, and to keep the integrity of that neighborhood together is important.

Um that's all I got.

Thanks.

Thank you so much.

Uh next, go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

Council members and neighbors, my name is Clinton Grader III, co-founder of Slimmer Huskies Pizza.

My partners and I chose to invest on Buchanan Street when many would not, because we believe in North Nashville.

Just not as a business opportunity, but as a home.

Recently, there have been calls to counsel and boycott our business because we support this overlay.

Let me be clear.

Our stance is not about popularity.

It is about responsibility.

It is about the love for this community and real lived experience as business and property owners on this corridor.

We support this overlay because it promotes intentional progress, including eliminating predatory lenders, enforcing reasonable spacing between liquor stores and auto-oriented businesses, limited over concentration of cigarette and beer shops, and protecting families and enforceable noise ordinances.

As a business owner on Buchanan Street, I personally experienced the cost of unaccountable operators.

We have absorbed extra cost for cleaning repairs and private security caused by late-night traffic that is not ours.

Those are real costs, real consequences, and they are carried by responsible business owners trying to build something sustainable.

There has also been misinformation suggesting that this overlay targets black businesses.

That is simply not factual.

There are no black-owned liquor stores, no black-owned chick cashing locations, or cigarette and beer shops on Buchanan that would be directly affected.

Meanwhile, black owned businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, professional firms will continue to operate as normal.

Historically, Buchanan was not an entertainment strip.

It was a business corridor serving families and residents.

So when I see messaging that says save the book, I respectfully ask, what exactly are we saving?

Saving the book should mean protecting residents.

It should mean supporting accountable businesses.

It should mean creating an environment where families feel safe and entrepreneurs can thrive without absorbing someone else's irresponsibility.

We stand with residents, we stand with the responsible operators, and we stand in support of this overlay because Buchanan Street deserves intentional, sustainable progress.

Respectfully.

Thank you.

All right.

Seeing none, um, we will uh now move to those wishing to speak in opposition.

Um I do again want to encourage um just for uh you know fire safety reasons and otherwise, we don't want to have too deep a cue.

Everyone who wants to be heard will be heard, okay?

Um so if you could uh cue up about five or so at a time, go ahead and come on forward.

Um uh if you are in opposition and you wish to speak.

Um go ahead, ma'am.

You're recognized.

My name is Valeria Lopez.

I am the owner of Chandelier Event Space, located at 1003 Buchanan Street.

I'm a native Nashville.

I am the owner of a property that I grew up in.

My uncle was the owner of Lee and Oaks Dry Cleaners for 40 years, located in the same space on Buchanan.

As you can see, I'm a young black girl.

It's always been my dream to be able to have a space on Buchanan.

A place that I knew, a place that I felt comfortable, a place where I wanted to be able to come and offer my services to the community at an affordable price.

I wear the shirt, it says save the buck.

I'm saving a community, a corridor that looks like me.

We don't have many spaces where we can go in this city.

And I'm not there because of cheap rent.

I probably paid probably one of the highest rents on this on the block on this in this corridor.

I'm there because literally I deserve to be there.

There are things that the councilman could have spoken with us about.

And I don't think that I'm necessarily talking to my customers, but I'm talking to actual patrons that come from different areas in Nashville to patronize businesses in this area.

But I feel like the councilman could have spoken with us, could have had a meeting with us as business owners to see what we could come up with, what the grievances are.

I didn't learn about any of this until um my business neighbor was at his location.

Oh that's okay, your time has expired.

Thank you for coming out.

Go ahead next.

You're recognized.

Good evening, council people.

Uh my name is Sakila Johnson.

I am the CEO and co-founder of the Equity Alliance, but I am also a resident of District 21.

I live on 12th in Buchanan, and I've lived there for about six and a half years.

And I'm not in favor of this overlay for several reasons.

Not because I don't think the councilman wanted to do something that would have helped the residents that spoke to him, but because I feel like it was done without everyone in mind.

As many of you know, I run the largest black-led civic organization in the state.

I live in councilman's district.

I knew nothing of this ordinance.

So when this ordinance came about, I got hundreds of calls from people in favor and people against.

And the one thing that I realized that was consistent was two things.

One, this ordinance does not address the concerns of the neighbors.

If this ordinance passes, does it stop the noise?

Does it stop the trash?

Does it stop the existing gang violence that has always been in Buchanan on Buchanan Street?

It does not.

It's simply grandfathers those businesses in.

I have learned more about planning and zoning in the last month than I ever thought I would learn in my life.

And the one thing that keeps ringing in my head is that every time there is something that we have never done before and that we don't know what the consequences are, it gets tested in black neighborhoods.

So people are not here because they feel like this targets black businesses.

They are here because they do not know.

There's been conversations about misinformation.

Well, we cannot criticize confusion when there was never clarity from the beginning.

And that is what is happening around this overlay.

I am not against Councilman Taylor's intentions, and I am not for the residents being, you know, treated unfairly.

What I am for is adequate community engagement.

So I am asking that this be deferred indefinitely, and that we go back to the drawing board and we do something that is not tested on black residents because we saw what happened when that happened on Jefferson Street with the highway.

Thank you.

Next, go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

My name is Antwain Gaines.

I've been on Buck County for 60 years, and I'm against the overlay.

Thank you.

Next, um, if additional folks do wish to speak in opposition, um there is space, and you can go ahead and come on forward.

Go ahead, sir.

Um, I'm coming as an employer.

Um, this has hurt everybody tremendously, like bad.

Um just coming from a personal space.

Um, everybody that worked uh in this community, we kind of took it hard.

Um we gave people opportunities in school to have jobs, people that's felons, they can't even work a regular job to have jobs.

Uh man, it's just hard.

Um I really hope that like we can like defer this.

Um, I know they said something about the trash, the gang, but man, it's trouble everywhere.

It's Buchanan.

I mean, it's one of probably one of the best is uh one of the best streets in the city.

But as an employer, we we've we've definitely uh took a took a big hit.

And um, yeah, it just took a lot of money, food, um is it's been hard.

So um as an employees, it's been very hard.

It's been very hard.

And then I know you guys said something about the noise, but between 10 p.m.

to two in the morning, that's like the most prime hours for a nightclub.

And the black and the night wife of a black club.

10 to 2.

So if you cut that out, you can't do payroll.

Uh you can't give jobs, and then when Christmas comes around, you can't do toy drives.

You can't, you don't have the money to fund and help different churches to go in the community.

Uh when Thanksgiving around, how can you do a turkey drive when you got to close at 11?

How can you do community outreach?

You can't, because you cutting out our money.

But thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Next.

Go ahead.

Hello, my name is Um Jameer Queen Win.

Um, I do live in District 21.

I apologize because I'm sick.

Um, I do not support the proposed commercial overlay on Buchanan and Jefferson.

These corridors are part of the historic and cultural identity of North Nashville.

And expanding commercial zoning could accelerate displacement for residents, increase traffic, and change the character of the community.

I am also concerned with the lack of communication and engagement with residents before moving forward with something that could have such a significant impact on the neighborhood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead, you're recognized.

Hey everybody, Shani Glappion here.

I have a question that I know you all can't answer right here, but maybe y'all can talk about it on the floor.

But the planning committee said, uh, commission said that they would like more um education around this.

And I'm wondering, can that happen if it's already passed and what does that expectation look like?

Because there, if you all are saying there's a lot of confusion, does that happen?

Um, do you just pass it and let the confusion, you know, exist?

And then does the education happen once it is passed, or do we talk about it before it is passed?

So um, because I know the residents, they they are very um, their their voices matter.

I'm I very much understand and get where they're coming from, but I do want to be able to have the the clarity and even for the residents to understand what this covers for them.

So I don't know, um, I'm not really here to say whether I'm opposed or against it, but I want to know if we can have those conversations.

And if we can't have those conversations, then don't uh if we can't have those conversations before, then I you know, maybe we should be pushing this down the line, right?

Deferring this.

But um, what does that look like for the community to truly understand?

Because this doesn't help with parking.

Parking will still be an issue, right?

So um we just need the clarity for the people.

And uh y'all have that conversation.

I would love to hear where y'all stand on those things.

Thank you.

Is anyone else uh seeking to be recognized to speak in opposition?

Again, this is the first of two.

This is 1168 or the area between 21st Avenue North and Interstate 65.

Go ahead, sir.

Uh, greetings, everyone.

I am Cedric Brooks II, uh, a former TSU student.

I graduated in May of 2025.

And I'm against this ordinance.

I do believe that in the nightclub industry, as somebody who wants to futurely own a nightclub and restaurants.

I think that this kind of patronizes and conflicts with the young youth wants to do in their future, and it takes it away.

Um I do believe that nightclubs bring community together.

Although they do talk about trash and things like that.

That's something that we can clean up as a community together.

That's a simple fix.

Um, the gang violence, yeah, it happens.

It's it's a black neighborhood.

That's what goes on in black neighborhoods, unfortunately.

It's something that we're working on as a community together.

So it's something that we're building on.

It's something that we're looking to grow.

Um, I just feel like if we can come up with a solution to figure out this problem that we're having and this disagreement, it could be simply fixed.

So I don't think that the ordinance should go through.

Thank you.

Um, is anyone else seeking to be recognized to speak in opposition on Mr.

Taylor's 1168 ordinance?

Okay.

Go ahead, sir.

How are you doing?

My name is Robert Higgins.

I'm a um resident, also I own business on Buchanan Street.

Um, just to talk about uh some of the stuff I heard with people in um favor of it.

I just want to say that uh I agree there should be no um vape shops.

I agree with some of the stuff in the bill.

What I don't agree with, the fact that the bill was made without the community in mind.

The bill wasn't made and spoke with with the business owner and the residents, it was just brought up.

And um let me start quickly with a point of context.

No one came to our defense or show support when developers and outside descended on our community in the early 2000s, gentrifying and co-opting, then changing our community name to historic Buchanan Arts District.

No one came to our community to stop predatory developers and investors after North Nashville was ravaged at the tornado and the start of COVID.

No one championed our businesses and community on Buchanan and on Jeffson Street for COVID relief funds.

Here we are again, and our council members refusing to fully be transparent and cooperative.

All we are asking is that this overlay be deferred indefinitely, which him and whoever is driving the intentional legislation to limit and subsequently push out the last few remaining black-owned businesses on Buchanan, as well as limit potential new ones to come into the community.

You do it for every other development in Edge Hill, Bell Mead, Bellevue, and the nation.

So do it for us.

If not, we have been collecting signatures since before the last commission meeting and are collecting signatures here tonight to recall Brendan Taylor.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, are you seeking to be recognized to speak in opposition?

Okay, we're we're gonna wrap wrap this up.

So if anybody wrapped it up real quick, well, my name is Ricky Robinson, and I'm a uh Nashville neighbor, been in National Navy for 44 years, I'm 44.

And I just I wasn't gonna speak, but I heard everybody talking about the trash and the noise.

And the only thing it made me think about was downtown.

Downtown has trash, downtown has noise, downtown has residence, downtown has all that.

But obviously, when downtown was being put together, they had they had something in place to say, hey, we're gonna deal with the trash, we're gonna deal with the noise, and we're gonna make sure that the residents are safe down there.

And so why can't we do that on Buck Hammond?

All right.

Okay.

Um, seeing no one else seeking to be recognized um in opposition or to speak on um 1168.

I will declare the public hearing closed on 1168, agenda item four, and it's back to you, uh, Councilman Taylor.

Thank you.

Um I'd like to move a substitute, please.

Okay, let's move approval, sir, just to get it before.

Okay.

All right, it's before us, and then I hear um you want to move uh the substitute.

Move substitute.

All right.

Um anything you want to share about the substitute, sir.

Yeah, so in the overlay, um, and I'll say the same thing after this.

The overlay has single family property uh that's in the overlay, so this substitute will remove that single family property outside of the overlay.

Okay.

Um, you've heard a description um of the substitute.

There's a motion uh to substitute with councilman Taylor's uh substitute.

Is there any further discussion on the motion to substitute?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

If you'd renew your motion for approval is substitute, thank you.

I'd like to renew my motion for the approval of the substitute, please, with a brief comment.

Okay, there's a motion to approve as substituted on uh second of three readings, and it's properly seconded.

Um, and we're on to discussion back to you, sir.

Thank you.

So um we heard some good conversation.

Thank you all for coming out.

Um, really want you to stay engaged in this conversation.

You saw the boring conversation, many other things that are gonna be coming up on this calendar, it's probably the thickest calendar we've had in quite some time.

So I I invite you to stay with us outside of this issue.

But since we're talking about this issue, uh, one thing I would like to say was a funny meme about me out there.

So I like to say, Mike check Mike Check 1212.

So while we're here, this overlay is about one thing, proximity.

It asked the basic question: should high impact commercial businesses be right next door to single family residential houses.

Families in this corridor invested in the homes with the understanding that zoning around them could provide a certain level of compatibility.

Growth along Buchanan Street is happening, and I support the growth tremendously.

I eat at all the restaurants.

But growth should be intentional and compatible.

Planning staff conducted a peer city review to understand how this happens.

And in our peer cities came up.

Memphis has a 500 feet, since we're talking about the nightclubs, resistance from nightclubs being 500 feet from single family residential homes.

Baked in their code.

It's not an overlay.

There's nothing new.

They just can't be there.

This requires 100 feet.

Charlotte requires 100 feet separation.

It's baked in their code, right?

Outside of the commercial compatibility overlays, Nashua has no distance requirement between bars and nightclubs and single family homes.

But we keep talking about bars and nightclubs.

But this is you heard a lot of people, they like the bill.

They like that we're not gonna have check cashing in a black neighborhood, which is predatory.

They like that we're not gonna have clustering of vape shops and and beer and cigarette markets in a black community.

They like the bill.

I heard tonight that they like the bill, but I also heard that neighbors don't want partying in all of these high-impact businesses on their backs, literally next door.

I didn't pass this out.

But this is a map that clearly shows the homes.

If you see the yellow, those are homes.

These are homes.

If you see the red, they're right next door to single family residential homes.

And these are impacted people that we're hearing.

We didn't have a ground swell of people.

I didn't do a whole lot of social media and and and sending funny memes of what the councilman looked like to get folks out.

I just wanted folks to come out.

What I did hear is people are talking about this and they're tired of talking about it.

We've been meeting about this for years.

A leader spoke to you tonight and said we didn't have anything, any conversations here.

A leader stood up tonight, also looked me in my face and said, I've never been to one of your many community meetings.

We had a community meeting on this maybe five of these people came in opposition to have a conversation with us.

But they're here tonight.

I ask you again respectfully to move this bill forward.

All righty.

Um I think Councilmember Benedict was gonna yield some time to you, but it looks like you've wrapped up.

Um Ms.

Benedict, did you wish to speak on the bill?

Okay.

Um is anyone else uh seeking to be recognized on uh for discussion um on the motion to approve as substituted on this bill's second of three readings.

Um Miss Swara, uh, you're recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I was not going to just say much before, but I decided to.

Um, this conversation about the residents and what's going on is something that I've heard and I've heard before, uh, before this bill came.

Many of you know that I've shared this before that my daughter graduated from John Early, which is right behind Buchanan.

And John Early is a beautiful museum school thriving, but because of so many things that's going on in that neighborhood, the admission of the attendance of Sudan in that school has gone very, very low.

They used to have thousands of kids.

They barely have maybe 300 now.

And it's because of the activities that happened.

What made me get up is the old idea that is the black neighborhood, gang up and crime happen.

We should not be encouraging that.

As somebody whose daughter went to school in that area, that's not what I want.

And so this is a way to get everybody talking together and getting things fixed.

What do we do to that neighborhood?

And so I wanted to speak in favor of this because if it clears up some of this, if it allows the children in that neighborhood to not have to go to school on her and gun shots every day, if it allows the businesses to shove up and the the residents to have some peace of mind, then I I am in support of it.

And so with that, I I stand with Councilmember Taylor as somebody who's listening to who's been part of that area.

I was had some things.

Uh I was gonna leave it to him and the people to sort out, but what I heard tonight, that's not what we want.

We need to do better.

We need to do better for our kids.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, is anyone else uh seeking discussion um before we uh move to the vote?

No, sir.

Uh um, Mr.

Harrell, go ahead, sir.

Is it point of order?

Um I will I would like for the vote to go on the board or constituent of mine acts at the board, the vote be placed on the board.

Okay.

Um there is a request uh for a roll call vote.

Um we need three seconds.

Okay, ample seconds, all right.

Um uh okay, seeing no further discussion um uh with a request uh for a roll call vote.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, uh will you please uh open the vote um on 1168 for um approval on second reading as substituted?

Uh yes, sir.

Uh thank you, madam vice mayor.

Just a point well more point of parliamentary inquiry.

Um, are we voting on the motion to substitute or the motion to approve?

No, sir.

The substitute is already on the bill.

This is a motion to approve as substitute.

Thank you, madam.

No problem.

Um, Miss Porterfield, do you seek to vote?

It's okay.

Got it.

That's all good.

All votes are in.

Uh Mr.

Clerk, please show the vote.

All right.

Um, this bill has passed its second of three readings with 35 votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions.

This bill will now go to the planning and zoning committee of the council on its third reading at next meeting.

Okay.

Um now um again, pursuant to state law to make sure we keep everything uh um as it needs to be.

Um, we are now on to agenda item five.

This is ordinance BL 2025-1169, also sponsor Taylor, also about the Buchanan Street compatibility overlay district.

This ordinance uh amends Title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by applying a commercial compatibility overlay district to various properties located on Bacanon Street between 24th Avenue North and 21st Avenue North.

This is five point six one acres.

All right.

Um uh councilman Taylor, you're recognized, sir.

Thank you.

I'd like to open the public hearing, please.

Okay.

Um I declare the public hearing open uh for uh councilman Taylor's uh Bill 1169.

Uh would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand?

Okay.

Um uh will those persons uh uh here who are wishing to speak in support um if you wish to uh speak again or you have not spoken before, either way.

If you wish to speak in support, please come forward uh to the podium again supporting speakers will go first.

Anyone seek to be recognized to speak in support?

All right, seeing Ms.

Glappian, okay.

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am.

Go ahead.

Yeah, I do just want to let for education purposes um let the people here know that this is the second or third reading and it will be on the agenda again in two weeks.

So hopefully, between that time, councilman Taylor can have some conversations and and help with people so it's not just the end of things.

Thank you.

All righty.

Um anyone else um uh wishing to speak in support.

All right.

Now, if there's anyone wishing to speak in opposition, um uh you may come forward at this time.

Again, this is on 1169 related, also about Buchanan, but specifically before 24th Avenue North and 21st Avenue North.

Hey, y'all, it's me again.

And I'm sure y'all will be seeing me again in 2027 when the majority of you all up for reelection.

And unfortunately, I hate to say this, but I have spoke, I have consistently knocked doors in District 21 every election, and y'all know that.

So when it came time to talk to constituents, I reached out to Councilman Taylor and I said, Look, people are conflicted.

People don't know what they want.

Let's have a conversation about it.

And that was denied.

In fact, he said he didn't send out emails.

He hired one of my former organizers who who worked for the Equity Alliance to help him organize around it, collect sign-ins at the sign-in thing that I'm sure he sent around to you all.

But I don't say that because I don't feel like the council members on this floor are trying to do what's best for their constituents and what you think is best.

I know a lot of you all personally, and I know that you all are operating with good intent.

But intent doesn't always mean direction.

The reality about North Nashville is you have three housing projects within a 10-mile radius.

You have a homeless shelter, you have drug problems.

That's part of the reason why I invested over there.

I I've lived there for six years with nightclubs, without nightclubs, with bar with cigarettes, without cigarettes.

There are things happening on that street.

And so I say that because a lot of what you heard today in favor and in opposition was not a clear indicator of what's happening on Buchanan Street.

So I say that for that reason.

And the final thing I will say is it has been very difficult to get people civically engaged.

You all know that.

This is the first time in my 15-year career where people who do not pay attention have asked me, what do they need to do to register to vote?

What do they need to do to impact council?

So people are watching y'all, and I just hope that you aren't doing this in favor to him, but in good belief of what you think is right.

Thank you.

Next, you're recognized.

Hello, I'm back again.

My name is Valeria Lopez, but I wanted to make a statement.

Um, Councilman Taylor stated that this overlay is gonna help the residents that have all of these grievances that consistently they talk about noise.

They talk about trash or they talk about the night life of the club.

But this overlay won't change that.

Those of us that are grandfathered in, all this overlay is going to do for us is literally drive the police to us, literally get us a uh um one strike, maybe a two-strike, maybe three strikes, and then we're out because we're a nuisance at that point.

What I'm stating is the same things that you're gonna have to put in place to literally move this overlay to keep people in compliance, it's the same things that you can do right now.

Like there are ordinances for loud noise.

Why do we need this overlay?

Why do we need to test it in Buchanan?

It's never been used before.

So I'm like, at this point, why can't we just do our job?

Why can't somebody do their job?

Why is it okay for all of you to sit back there and literally use us as a testing ground for something that you're still gonna have to do your job with?

All right, uh, go ahead, come forward, please.

You're recognized.

I'm gonna go fast.

Good evening.

My name is Stephanie.

I'm a Nashville native.

Am I here to I'm here to give my input on the overlay of Buchanan.

I grew up in East Nashville, but I've been a residency in North Nashville since 2009.

And in the mid to late 90s, Buchanan, at his as it has been for years, is a historic African-American commercial corridor.

And I've seen growth of this area since becoming the residence.

Being that Nashville's considered Music City that originated from the Fist of Juvilee Singers in 1870 tour, there are different areas throughout the city that cater to different genres of music.

For example, Broadway is mostly country and Murphy's Borough Road, Knowlesville Road is Latino, and uh the North Nashville areas, predominantly African American music, which is jazz, RB, and hip hop.

Okay, so none of the former areas that I just mentioned is being considered for curfew again.

I'm a Nashville native of 50 years and have yet to seal Curfree place on one certain area.

Now I know Nashville's growing fast, and we have individuals.

Okay.

Now I know Nashville's growing fast, and we have individuals from all over the country that are seeking residency here, but it isn't fair to the natives or demographic of North Nashville for those come coming to see the value of the property at a lower cost and assume that they could have the same environment as if they were to choose uh to habitat another part of the city.

That being said, there's a small industry here that will be affected greatly if this bill is passed, meaning business owners, the employees, and the patrons of these businesses after 11 p.m.

I asked as a productive native citizen of Nashville that this bill isn't passed.

And because, and just to give an analogy, you can't change Adidas to Jordan's, okay?

The place has always been vibrant.

Now, I live, I just got up because I live within this area right here.

I only know as I've heard, and there's been nightclubs in this area.

I haven't heard that, but I did hear Taylor Swift concert at my home.

Thank you.

Please don't pass that.

Thank you.

Yeah, I have a good night.

Next, please.

Hello, my name is Kaya Crawford.

Um, I am originally from Chicago, and I moved here for TSU.

Um, and when I kind of left TSU.

The club on Buchanan was like my first opportunity of getting outside of TSU.

And that was my first opportunity of meeting the people I know now, creating the connections I have now.

Um, and really just venturing out.

So outside of me working there, I also work at the school.

I heard somebody mentioned John early.

I work at that school as well.

Both of them are in two blocks radius of each other.

I have never heard any of my co-workers, none of my students speak about any of the clubs that's on Buchanan.

Um, and another thing that I want to mention is you know, they're saying about the trash and the noise.

As far as the trash, I remember Minerva put together a community cleanup.

I cannot recall anybody in here that claims they live in that neighborhood doing the same thing if they so concerned about the trash.

Um, as far as the noise and the violence, we implemented police.

We we had them in front of the the the club so that we could keep the crime down.

Now, again, things are not perfect, but this bill does not mean they will be.

The projects are still gonna be there, it's still gonna be the liquor store down the street.

It's still gonna be there.

So, with or without this ordinance, it's still gonna be the same.

So I don't understand the direct purpose of limiting what we can and cannot do, because not only like you all think it's helpful, but I don't think that you all are thinking about how harmful it is as well.

It is it it would affect a lot of people, like many of us said.

It um, well, that's my time, but yeah.

Thank you.

Is anyone else seeking to be recognized uh to speak in opposition?

Last call.

All right, you're recognized.

How are you doing?

Robert Higgins once again.

Um for everybody that voted yes, I just want to say that the council should be about the people.

As you see, the people are here.

It's houses next to I also want to clear up something, Councilman Taylor said about houses.

There's houses in Memphis.

I have a venue in Memphis with a house right next to it, so that wasn't correct.

But also, council is supposed to be about the people, and tonight the people are here.

These are not outsiders, these are not agitators, these are residents, business owners, and members of the community who are directly affected by this.

We keep hearing the word community used over and over again.

Well, this is the community.

The people standing here speaking tonight, this is who lives it every day.

In other parts of the city, there are homes next to nightlife and businesses in places like 12th South and other neighborhoods, and those communities learn how to coexist.

So it's difficult for many of us to understand why Buchanan Street is treated differently.

I also want to say something, honestly.

This bill has caused division between people who I care a lot about, people I call friends, people who care about the same community, and many of us didn't know this conversation was happening until it was already moving forward.

That's hard because the same community we say we are trying to save is divided by this bill now.

If the council is wondering why there isn't always a massive turnout for things like this, sometimes because a large number of people simply don't agree with what's being proposed or not communicated well with.

When issues directly affect us, though, we do show up.

And tonight you see people are speaking up.

The typical part of many of us is feeling like those voices are not truly being heard.

What I will say is this tonight taught me something important.

It taught me that we do have a voice.

And moving forward, I can I plan to continue to use mine.

And I just ask that when we look back 10 years from now, when Buchanan Street may not look the same as as it once did.

Remember these faces.

Thank you.

All right.

I will declare the public hearing closed on 1169, and it's back to you, uh Councilman Taylor.

Thank you.

Uh like to move the bill, please.

All right.

Is there a second?

Okay, go ahead, sir.

Um I would like to add and move a substitute, please.

Is there a second on the motion to substitute?

Okay, go ahead.

Um, you want to share what the substitute does.

The substitute does exactly what the last substitute does.

It's a single family residential parcel in the overlay.

It has to be removed per the rules of the overmill.

Okay.

Is there any discussion specifically on the motion to substitute?

Miss Pulvida, do you seek to be recognized on the motion to substitute?

She is shaking her said no.

Anyone else on the motion to substitute?

All right.

See none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no or abstaining.

All right.

The substitutes on the bill.

If you'd renew your motion, please.

Thank you.

I'd like to renew renew my motion to move the substitute, please.

Well, actually, you're renewing your motion to the case.

Excuse me to move the to approve the bill is substitute.

Substitute.

Alrighty, here we go.

Um now we're on to discussion.

Um anything you want to uh share, Mr.

Taylor.

Absolutely.

So this is future looking.

Um existing businesses.

I mean, this was in an intent to make sure that is this even business uh businesses remain whole.

Um we're future looking.

I think we talked about I talked a little bit about clustering, right?

We we don't want a future uh uh future uh vision with clustering of these businesses along the corridor.

Uh we we've talked about the nightclub.

Um the the nightclub has the least restrictive um spacing in the bill.

Nightclubs could actually be per law in this bill, every single parcel in the overlay.

Right.

So this isn't about nightlife and killing nightlife.

This is about proximity.

This is about creating opportunity for a community to thrive.

It's about creating opportunities for us to listen to people who have told me that live in this community for over 30, 40.

We we have somebody that had the interstate come through their neighborhood.

This is about listening to those people that have felt silenced for many, many years in North Nashville, even silenced by people that look just like them.

And so this is exactly what this bill does is as a representative.

My goal is to represent my community.

This has been a conversation for several years.

If you've known me, I've been trying to figure this out.

This is the most balanced approach that I could find to do this.

Again, I renew my motion.

Uh please respectfully ask for your vote.

All right.

Um, so we are on to discussion.

Uh, there's a motion to approve on second reading um as substituted.

Uh Ms.

Sepulveda, you're recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Um, I I just want to speak very briefly.

I there was a comment made about uh COVID funds before and prioritizing them, and I just want to highlight that uh council member gamble and representative love served on the COVID-19 committee and the uh ARPA fund committee with me, and they specifically made sure to prioritize those funds for um North Nashville, and um they they took uh painstaken uh steps to make sure that that happened, as did I for the immigrant community, and so I I did want to speak to that.

Um I also wanted to note that I did do an overlay for a part of my district in Limbar Wallace Road, and which I made sure that um a storage unit, uh a cash app stores, uh more liquor stores, vape shops, etc.

weren't going to be built in that area.

Um, because there were rumors that um one of the developers wanted to build that specifically in my district.

My district has the largest Latino population in the city, and I did not want that being built in my community, so we put that overlay um in my district several years ago now.

Um I do want to say thank you to all the community members who came out.

Um I know that it's very difficult to get um people to participate.

Um I I do want to encourage you all since this is just second reading, you all still have one more reading to go.

You all have the opportunity to come together with your council member um to figure out solutions from here to the next meeting.

Maybe there can be solutions, maybe you all can figure out if there can be um community cleanups that are planned um with the businesses, and you know that there's middle ground somewhere.

And you know that there's middle ground somewhere.

There are definitely residents who have voiced their concerns.

And I I don't want that to be ignored.

And so you know bashing the council member is not gonna get that accomplished.

And so you all have that opportunity from here until then.

But I I do want to acknowledge that I did do that in my district, and and it it worked.

Um I I just didn't want that to go unnoticed.

Thank you, Miss Wilvida.

Uh next, Councilmember Swar, you're recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Um, I did not want a lot of things to get lost in the conversation because I think it's very important for us to clarify.

Uh, just as much as we have people that came to speak in opposition, there were people that wrote letters and contacted us that were in support.

Most of this originated from community members, people that live there that are that that made the complaint.

Um, but I asked the uh planning department.

Uh I I pulled the recommendation to read this.

And in making this decision, they actually look at peer cities.

I think Councilmember Tillow talk about this.

It's not so much that there is nightclubs, is that the nightclubs are right next to residences where people live.

And the idea was that there has to be some distances between this that we don't have.

This overlay may be new, but it's something that a lot of people want in the city, and council member Tello applied for it.

So I wanted to uh say that this is not just uh at least for myself and a lot of us, this is not just something we're doing just to support the council member.

No, it's because there were so many community people that wanted this that lives there that are complaining about this.

I want to echo what Councilmember Sandra Sepovida said.

Even the people that came in opposition, one thing that I heard again and again is that they were blindsided or they felt like they didn't know about it soon enough.

I know somebody that has a business that was in opposition, but changed their mind when they found out the facts.

Uh so I will encourage and I will encourage my colleague to be for third reading that another meeting with the community will be good to talk about it again and make sure that everybody understand what he does now, what he doesn't do, uh, because I've had some things about what it doesn't do that people talk about as well.

So uh if the council member and the group will talk before the third reading, I think that would be great to explain.

This is starting to balance the need of the residents and the businesses that are there, and trying to find a way for everybody to coexist while we don't have that 300 to 500 feet that some of the other cities required.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Swara.

Um, is anyone else uh seeking to be recognized for uh discussion on the motion to approve as substituted on second reading?

Uh Mr.

Harrell, given how the vote went last time.

Do you want to request a roll call at this time?

Okay, we'll just do it by voice then.

Um, so Ms.

Ellis has requested a roll call.

It needs three seconds.

Okay, all right.

It will be a roll call vote then.

Um Mr.

Clerk, if you could please uh load the vote, all votes are in, Mr.

Clerk.

Please show the vote.

All right, this has passed its second of three readings with 35 votes in favor, one against, and one abstention.

So this will now be referred to the planning and zoning committee of the council on its third uh reading at next meeting.

All right.

Next is agenda item six, ordinance BL2026-1247, sponsor Kimbrough.

This is an ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro government by changing from RS10 to R10 zoning uh for the properties located at one nine zero five and one nine zero seven Ashton Avenue, approximately 337 feet south of John Millette Drive.

This is 0.48 acres, all of which is described here.

Thank you.

Request open the public hearing.

All right.

Okay.

I think I have full visibility at this juncture.

Okay.

Um I declare the public hearing open uh for uh council uh member Kimbrough's uh ordinance one two four seven.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

All right, Miss Kimbrough, seeing no one um seeking to be recognized on either side, I will declare the public hearing closed, and it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Move for approval.

Okay, um, there's a motion to approve.

It's properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no or abstaining?

All right.

This has passed its second of three readings.

Uh next, um uh these two can be taken together.

Um, our agenda items seven and eight.

Um uh the first is ordinance BL 2026-1248, and its companion uh uh one two four nine sponsors Vaux and Horton.

1248 is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from IWD to RM20 ANS to SP zoning for properties located at 513 and 525 Merritt Avenue, 1300 and 1312 Martin Street and 548 Hamilton Avenue at the northeastern corner of Martin Street and Hamilton Avenue.

This is 4.03 acres and partially within the Wedgewood Houston Chestnut Hill Urban Design Overlay District to permit a mixed use development.

And again, it's companion 1249, uh, which requires certain materials to be restricted in the construction of buildings at all the addresses that were mentioned in 1248.

Uh Mr.

Horton, uh Chair, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

May.

I'd like to open the public hearing, please.

Okay.

Um I declare the public hearing open uh for council member vo and Hortons uh uh bills 1248 and 1249.

Would all members of the public hear in support of these bills please raise your hand?

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to these bills, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition to the persons here in support seek to be recognized to speak.

They are shaking their heads no.

Um, and so with that, uh Mr.

Horton, I will declare the public hearing closed, and it's back to you for a motion on these bills.

If you'd like to move for approval, please.

Okay.

Um is there second?

Okay, there's a motion to approve um uh together 1248 and the companion 1249, properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

Okay.

These have passed their second of three readings.

Next is agenda item nine, ordinance BL 2026-1250, sponsor Greg.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from OL to M U L A N S zoning for property located at 408 Donaldson Pike, approximately 140 feet south of Lakeland Drive.

This is 0.67 acres.

Councilman Gray, you're recognized, sir.

Thank you.

I'd like to open the public meeting.

Um, I declare the public uh hearing uh open uh for council member Gregg's uh ordinance one two five zero.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Mr.

Greg, seeing no one here seeking to be recognized on either side, I will declare the public hearing closed and it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you.

I'd like to move for approval.

All right, it's properly moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any abstentions?

Any no's all right.

Um, this has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 10, ordinance BL 2026-1251.

Sponsored GAD.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from R 8 to RS10 zoning for various properties located along Rolland Road, east of Wilson Boulevard and west of Cardin Avenue.

This is 2.4 acres.

Yes, Madam Speaker.

I'd like to move the public meeting to be open.

Yep.

I declare the public hearing open for Council Member Gad's bill one two five eight.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

All right.

Seeing no one here in opposition to the persons here in support seek to be recognized or speak.

All right.

Y'all are shaking your head no.

And so with that, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Uh thank you so much, madam speaker.

Um I would like to thank my constituents for being here tonight.

Um this is something that they have worked on for the last several months.

So very appreciative of them being here.

And with that, I would uh ask for everyone's support.

All right.

Um there is a motion to approve.

Um it is properly seconded.

Um is there anyone else uh seeking discussion on um Ms.

Gad's bill 1251?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

Okay, this has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 11, ordinance BL 2026-1252, sponsor Kimbrough.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from RS10 to R 10 zoning for property located at 1704 River Drive, located approximately 280 feet west of River Court.

This is 0.98 acres.

Ms.

Kimbrough, you're recognized.

Request to open the public hearing, please.

All right.

Um I declare the public hearing open uh for council member Kimbrough's bill one two five two.

Uh would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition, does the gentleman here in support seek to be recognized or to speak?

He is uh shaking his head no.

And so with that, Ms.

Kimbrough, I will declare the public hearing closed.

It's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you.

I'll move forward.

Okay.

It's properly moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion on this bill?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

This is passed its second of three readings.

Next are uh companions to each other, agenda items 12 and 13.

Um sponsor Welsh.

Uh, this is ordinance BL 2026-1262 and 1263.

1262 is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from RS5 to SP zoning for properties located at 228 and 230 Alberta Street at the corner of Burbank Avenue and Alberta Street.

This is 0.56 acres to permit five multifamily residential units, and again 1263, the companion, which requires certain materials to be restricted in the construction of buildings at the addresses uh in ordinance 1262.

Ms.

Welsh, you're recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open uh for council member Welsh's bills 1262 and 1263.

Would all members of the public hear in support of uh these bills, please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to these bills, please raise your hand.

All right.

Um I see that someone here is in opposition.

Knowing that, do the persons in support seek to be recognized?

Okay.

Persons in support will speak first, and those in opposition after.

Go ahead, sir.

Uh thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Members of the council, my name is Michael Garrigan.

I'm an engineer with Dell and Associates.

516 Heather Place.

Um, this lot is is a bit unique in that it's uh it's a corner lot and it's extraordinarily deep.

It also has an improved alley for access.

Um what we're proposing is to maintain one of the homes and build four new homes.

Um the concerns that we heard, which were uh very minimal but and and easily um just took some explanation essentially.

Um the community did not want tall and skinnies, so these are limited to two stories and they're wider single family homes.

Uh the community did not want short-term rentals, those are prohibited.

Uh, and um the community uh wanted to uh preserve the trees along Burbank Avenue, so we've set the houses back and access them from the rear so that we can maintain the existing mature trees along that frontage.

Um those were the only concerns we heard, and and like I said, once uh we we had the discussion of them.

Um all we've heard is support since then.

So we asked for your support, and thank you very much.

All right.

Is anyone else uh seeking to be recognized um to speak in support?

Seeing none, we'll move to those wishing to speak in opposition.

Uh go ahead, you are recognized.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Barbara Clinton.

I've lived in the 16th district on uh uh in this in this uh district on Peachtree Street for the last 40 years, and I've been very active in the neighborhood for most of those years, not every single year though.

Um this is a historically very modest neighborhood.

It's right off Nolasville Road.

Most of you are probably familiar with the fact that it traditionally housed uh railroad workers and working class people.

Uh now has a large number of senior citizens in the neighborhood.

The fact that it's a relatively low income neighborhood, one of the few remaining modest neighborhoods in our city has made it possible for us to attract a wide diverse population.

So we've got lots of wonderful restaurants and a very diverse set of residents in the neighborhood.

There is a developer who for many years has salivated looking at the neighborhood because of its low cost, and he's now proposing to put five multifamily homes on two lots that currently have one duplex and one single family home.

So it radically changes the character of those very quiet, modest blocks.

There's nothing like this development currently in that area.

As a member, as the vice chair of 16th District United, we've been doing surveys in the neighborhood to determine what people are looking for and what they're concerned about.

And one of the surprises to us has been the extensive concern about flooding in the neighborhood.

And the flooding that we're seeing is largely from the construction of it's true, tall skinnies or buildings with a lot of concrete around them that no longer have the lawn to absorb the rain water, and so the water rolls down to the house below it or around.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um is anyone else seeking to be recognized uh to speak in opposition?

Seeing none, I will declare the public hearing closed, and it's back to you for a motion on these bills.

Oh, I'm sorry, Ms.

Welsh.

Go ahead, ma'am.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to move to approve with a brief explanation.

All right.

Uh there is a motion to approve 1262 and its companion 1263.

Um is there a second?

Okay, go ahead.

Thank you.

Um this um development is going to be maintaining a house that's um been in the neighborhood quite a long time, um, taking down another house that basically is uninhabitable and putting up for additional houses, which will be having access to the houses off the alley in the back.

Um and the houses are going to be priced for first-time home buyers, so it's going to be staying within the price point of the neighborhood and keeping it um affordable.

Um, it was a big concern for individuals that uh they might become um uh Airbnbs and things like that, but as we know, that's not allowed in residential areas, and so um that we don't need to have we don't have that concern.

Um but this is going to bring when the choice lanes come into my district, we are gonna be losing 28 houses um as it currently stands with the state of Tennessee, and so this is just the beginning to start making up for the housing that we're gonna lose, and hopefully we can keep some of the people who will be losing their houses in houses like these um once we get this development um completed.

So I ask my colleagues to support.

I renew my motion to approve.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Uh is there any discussion on these uh two bills on second reading.

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no, any abstaining?

All right.

Oh, um, Mr.

Eastlick, um uh would you record him as an abstention, Mr.

Clerk?

Thank you.

All right, 1262 and 1263 have passed their second of three ratings.

Next, um, our agenda items 14 and 15 sponsor tombs.

They are companions to each other.

Uh the first is uh ordinance BL 2026-1264 and its companion uh 1265.

1264 is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from R6 to SP zoning for property located at 1004 and 1104 Cass Street at the northwest corner of Cass Street and Owen Street.

This is 0.38 acres to permit eight multifamily residential units and uh again the companion bill 1265, which requires certain materials to be restricted in the construction of the buildings at the addresses mentioned in 1264.

Councilmember Toombs, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Request to open a public hearing.

All right, I declare the public hearing open for council member tombs bills 1264 and 1265.

Would all members of the public hear in support of these bills, please raise your hands?

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to these bills, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition, does the gentleman here in support seek to be recognized or speak?

He is shaking his head no.

And so with that, Miss Toombs, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you for a motion on your bills.

Move for approval.

All right.

Um there's a motion to approve uh 1264 and its companion 1265.

It was properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

Uh these have passed their second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 16, ordinance BL2026-1266 sponsor Harel.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from AR2A to RM 15 ANS zoning for properties located at 4046 and 4060 Murphersboro Pike, approximately 399 feet southwest of Maxwell Road.

This is 10.12 acres and within the Murphursboro Pike Urban Design Overlay District.

Councilmember Horrell, you are recognized, sir.

Madam Vice Mayor, I would like to uh open public hearing.

All right.

I declare the public hearing open for Councilmember Harrell's bill 1266.

Would all members of the public hear uh in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition, uh did the gentleman here in support uh seek to be recognized?

Nope.

All right, with that, Mr.

Harrell, I will declare the public hearing closed and it's back to you for a motion on this bill.

All right, move forward all with approval.

Okay.

Um there's a motion to approve, and it's properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

This has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 17, ordinance BL 2026-1267 sponsor Welsh.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from RS5 to R6A zoning for property located at 307 Joiner Avenue, located approximately 164 feet west of Burbank Avenue.

This is 0.17 acres.

Councilmember Welsh, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

All right.

I declare the public hearing open for Councilmember Welsh's bill uh one two six seven, twelve sixty-seven.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill?

Please raise your hand.

All right.

Seeing no one here on either side, Miss Welsh, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Move to approve.

All right.

Um there's a motion to approve 1267, properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

Um, this has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 18, ordinance BL 2026-1268, sponsored tombs.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17.

The Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from RM20A to SP zoning for properties located at 33B, 579, 11, 13A, 13V, 13C, 13D, Fern Avenue, and 101 103, 105, and 107 Elmhurst Avenue at the northeast and northwest corners of Elmhurst Avenue and Fern Avenue.

This is 0.61 acres to permit all uses of the RM20A zoning district and not owner occupied short-term rentals.

Thank you, madam vice mayor, request open a public hearing.

All right.

I declare the public hearing open for Council Member Toomes' bill 1268.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill?

Please raise your hand.

All right.

Um seeing no one here in opposition.

Uh does the gentleman here in support seek to be recognized?

All right.

Um he is shaking his head no.

Uh former council member, um, the honorable Scott Davis.

Hello, sir.

Um, uh okay, it's back to you then.

Um I declare the public hearing closed.

Ms.

Toombs for a motion.

Move for approval.

All right.

Um there is a motion uh to approve.

It is properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no or abstaining?

Okay.

This has passed its second of two readings, or rather three.

It's already a little late.

Okay.

Um agenda item 19, ordinance BL 2026-1269, sponsor Parker.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17.

The Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by amending a neighborhood landmark overlay district on property located at 1085 Zophy Street, approximately 215 feet west of Gallatin Pike, zoned R6.

This is 0.21 acres within a neighborhood landmark overlay district to add personal care services as a permitted use.

Councilmember Parker, you are recognized, sir.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open for council member Parker's bill uh 1269.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Uh would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Seeing no one here in opposition, does the person here in support seek to be recognized or speak?

Shaking their head no.

Um, and uh with that, I will declare the public hearing closed and it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to move approval.

Okay.

Um is there second?

Properly moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

This has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 20, ordinance BL 2026-1270.

Sponsor Welsh.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17.

The Metro Code of Laws is zoning ordinance of Metro Government by changing from RS 7.5 to R8A zoning for property located at 505 Patterson Street.

Located approximately 125 feet west of Mead Avenue.

This is 0.34 acres.

Councilmember Welsh, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

I declare the public hearing open for Councilmember Welsh's bill 1270.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition, uh, does the person here in support seek to be recognized or speak?

Shaking their head no.

And so with that, I will declare the public hearing closed.

It's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Move to approve.

All right.

Is there second?

All right, it's properly moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

This is passed at second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 21, ordinance BL 2026-1271, sponsored tombs.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County by changing from IWD to M U G N S zoning for property located at 50 Vantage Way, located at the corner of French Landing Drive and Ven and Vantage Way.

This is 3.43 acres.

Councilmember Toombs, you are recognized, ma'am.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor, request open a public hearing.

I declare the public hearing open for Councilmember Toomes' bill 1271.

Would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Thank you.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here in opposition, um, does the person here in support seek to be recognized?

Shaking their head no.

And so with that, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you, Miss Tombs.

Move for approval.

All right.

There's a motion to approve.

It's properly seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

Uh this has passed.

It's second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 22, ordinance BL 2026-1272.

Sponsors Vaux and Horton.

Uh this is an ordinance to amend Title 17, the Metro Code of Laws is zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from R8 to R6A zoning for property located at 1106 West Grove Avenue, approximately 79 feet west of 11th Avenue South.

This is 0.17 acres.

Uh Councilman Horton, Chair, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mary.

I'd like to open the public hearing, please.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open uh for council member votes, Bill 1272.

Would all members of the public here in support of this bill, please raise your hand?

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Seeing no one here on either side, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you, uh Chair Horton for a motion on this bill.

Like to move for approval, please.

Okay.

Properly moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstentions?

All right.

This has passed its second of three readings.

Next is agenda item 23, ordinance BL 2026-1273.

Sponsors Coupen and Styles.

This is an ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro government to make various changes to the downtown code, DTC, all of which is described here in.

Council Member Coopin, you are recognized, sir.

Thank you, Madam President.

I was wondering if we could take up item 23 and 34 back to back.

23 is the text amendment, and then 34 is the rezoning for the parcels itself.

So they're um related.

They are related.

Is there any objection subsequent to uh the uh so we're gonna take them separately, Mr.

Koopin, but you're just asking them to be taken sequentially.

We can get to that after 23, but um just for clarity, is there any objection um to pulling uh item 34 uh which is related to 23 forward such that it follows uh agenda item 23?

Any objection?

All right, um so moved.

It will happen.

Um let's proceed then first uh with uh agenda item 23.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

Okay.

Um I declare the public hearing open uh for council member uh Koopin's uh ordinance one two.

Uh would all members of the public hear in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Uh would all members of the public here in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

All right.

Um, so there are persons here in opposition.

Uh given that, do persons here in support uh seek to speak and be recognized.

Persons speaking in support will go first.

Um does anyone in support of the bill uh wish to speak?

If so, please come forward.

All right, person speaking in opposition will follow those in support.

Um go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.

Go ahead.

Good evening.

David Byerley.

Uh so nice to see many of you.

We've spoken to in the past in 1998.

I first uh drove by this site in 99.

I attended a game and I pointed over and said, one day I want to buy that scrapyard.

And uh here we are a few years later, as many uh desired, and uh and and we were able to do that.

Uh right time, right place, and uh uh it is my belief that both we we have a place in the market that has a great need.

Um it is also missional uh for me.

Uh that is this is why uh at this point more than a hundred local uh middle Tennesseans, especially Nash Nashville's have uh locked arms to see something beautiful happen on the site after being kind of removed from the public's hand for about 75 years now.

And uh I believe it should be a place for families.

Uh uh I have great friends that own uh bars on Broadway, and I'm I'm all for it.

I love great music.

I have a uh history of it myself.

Uh but I believe Broadway ends at the river, and uh when we cross over that river, it should be for families.

I believe family entertainment, family living, uh, and businesses, essential retail, uh, and things of this nature.

And this has been our story.

It's very easy easy for me to speak without notes because we've only got one story to remember.

And uh we appreciate all the the support uh that has been shown for this project.

Uh it's uh we've got good work to do.

Uh, and it's moving uh pretty quickly, so that it appears it it it's moving pretty quickly.

But the fact is we've been working intently on this project following uh imagine uh East Bank's plan and been working and planning on this site for almost five years now.

And so uh thank you so much for your support and uh to our community and and to our councilman Jacob Kuppen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, go ahead.

All right, good evening.

I'm Chris Weinman.

I live with my family in District Six.

I'm here tonight to speak in favor of the East Bend subdistrict.

I appreciate the ownership group group's efforts to work closely with metro planning throughout the entitlements phase of this project.

They've used a team of locally known as well as internationally renowned consultants, and they're beginning to imagine a neighborhood from thin air.

We know that density must be a hallmark of this area, and we should embrace that.

Like most of the East Bank, the East Bend plan is a work in progress, but I'm encouraged by how it prioritizes the public realm.

Uh features such as a dedicated pedestrian promenade from KVB to the river, with the potential to be lined with retail, restaurant, and neighborhood activity will help make the area feel lively and safe at human scale.

I am a frequent bike commuter uh into downtown via Davidson Street.

We all know this area is currently an industrial wasteland.

Uh so whether it's dodging semi trucks or rolling over metal shards or avoiding clouds of brown smoke from the O'Neill Steel plant.

This is seldom a very pleasant place to ride, even with the separation of the current cycle track.

I believe that the streets can be designed for people within the context of the zoning that this vote will put in place.

I do sincerely hope that NDOT and planning will push further to champion true multimodal infrastructure in this subdistrict and throughout the entirety of the East Bank.

This is a transformational opportunity.

Passing these two pieces of legislation are important steps toward realizing a vibrant, human-centered neighborhood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead, you're recognized.

Good evening.

Excuse me.

My name is Joe Farrell.

I live at 1179 Pinoke Circle, Brentwood, Tennessee, 37027, and I'm with the Congress group.

We were the developers of the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residence in Nashville and are actively working on several really substantial sites within the urban core, which includes residential.

We are big believers in Nashville and it's a livability within the urban core, having an early adopter and delivering 144 for sale residents on 2nd Avenue at a time that was unheard of.

Over the years since we began that project, downtown Nashville has continued to add more residences and more amenities that make it a fully realized and dynamic place to live.

The redevelopment of the East Bank and importantly the transformation of the scrapyard is a vibrant neighborhood that delivers public amenities and a generational opportunity for the city.

Juxtaposing the future of the East Bend against what's currently set in the site for decades.

What an exciting and wonderful opportunity this is for the city of Nashville.

So I tour I also urge the support Bill 2026-1284 and 1273.

This turns 60 years of an industrial site into a neighborhood built for national families with strict design standards, protected open space, and the housing our city desperately needs.

Thank you.

Go ahead and come on forward.

You're next.

Hello, my name is uh Matthew Payne.

Um resident for over 25 years.

Um could you step just a little closer to Mike or pull it up towards you?

Yeah, that's okay.

Um I've been a national resident for over 25 years.

Um, I've seen unbelievable growth um in this community since I moved here as a teenager.

Um my wife and I have seen and been involved in a lot of the growth that we own businesses.

Um we have helped develop properties, we have uh done many things to hopefully add value to the community.

And when I see what has happened with that scrapyard, it's something that I vividly remember some of the first days I moved to town, and I asked myself why in the middle of downtown is there this piece of land.

I think everything that's going on um is needed.

I think um most importantly, as a father, um I personally would love a place uh downtown that I can take my family and um not be surrounded by bars, and um I love those significant amount of the ordinances um in regards to adult entertainment, et cetera, in the area.

It's it's very important to me.

Um that's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Go ahead, you're recognized.

Thank you.

My name is Richie Jones.

I live at 1903 Holly Street in East Nashville and been there for 23 years.

Um I'm here tonight as a landscape architect um and partner at Hodge and Douglas Landscape Architects, also located in East Nashville, to talk specifically about how the East Bend framework plan aligns with Imagine East Bank Master Plan.

We were uh on that consultant team that crafted Imagine East Bank with planning, and I think when we crafted that almost five years ago, this was the type of development we envisioned happening on the East Bank.

The East Bend Framework Plan aligns with the Imagine East Bank plan in four key ways: family neighborhood and livability, mobility and connectivity, best practice, stormwater and resilience, and celebrating the Cumberland River.

In terms of family neighborhood and livability, the plan delivers a true mixed-use neighborhood consistent with East Bank's vision for walkable family-oriented districts, family first is how this team is looking at this neighborhood.

From a mobility and connectivity standpoint, the plan prioritizes pedestrian and bicycle connectivity aligned with East Bank's multimodal framework, including East Bank Boulevard.

From a best practice, stormwater and resilience standpoint, imagine EastBank emphasize cleaning and keeping the water on site with a district-wide uh strategy.

This plan will go a long way toward realizing that.

And then finally, celebrating the Cumberland River.

This plan activates the river edge as a public asset with accessible, inclusive waterfront open space, which I think is one of the more exciting things about this plan.

So as a professional, a neighbor, uh, and consultant, uh, I think this plan uh really aligns with Imagine East Bank, and we're excited about its possibility.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Good evening.

Uh Doug Sloan.

Uh I just want to emphasize what Richie just talked about, and that is all the effort that went into Imagine East Bank Vision Plan and the community efforts that the planning department went through, uh, and the council members who were involved in it to get that written to create a vision for the East Bank.

Uh when uh David Byerley came to me and asked me to be a part of his team, I was thrilled.

I was thrilled for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is I've had a number of mayors ask me, what are we gonna do about the scrapyard?

How do we deal with the scrapyard?

How do we get rid of the scrapyard, quite frankly, and those industrial uses uh that are in that area and make this a more friendly place for Nashville and for East Nashville to get down to the river.

Uh and time after time we failed at that.

Uh before you stands the opportunity to fix that and to make this a not only a great neighborhood, but a neighborhood that connects East Nashville to the river.

Uh the plans that that you see before you that the planning department uh worked with us uh to finally put together uh has an incredible amount of uh open space and networks, transportation networks that aren't just about cars, uh, but are about bicycles and about pedestrians.

Uh to the the point that we've elevated uh we're trying to elevate uh the boulevard so that there's not a conflict between uh the environment the pedestrian environment and the vehicles.

We've been very thoughtful all the way through this, and as we move into the next phase where we are working on the MCSP and the changes that occur there, we're working closely with BPAC, we're working closely with Walt Bike Nashville.

We want them sitting at the table with us and Vision Zero, uh, while we go through how we allocate that open space.

Uh one of the biggest things that they got me on board with David was that he said that this is going to be uh neighborhood focused.

There'll be entertainment uh portions, but the majority of it are going to be neighborhood focused, and we need that good urban neighborhood downtown.

So thank you all.

Thank you.

Um is there anyone else uh seeking to be recognized in support?

Okay.

Uh with that, um, we will uh transition.

Uh, if there are folks uh wishing to speak in opposition, uh you can come forward at this time.

I really must get tired of me.

But you know, I I have a long memory, and I want to remind you that you actually passed a zoning change for along the um Cumberland River between downtown and Shelby Park.

Um there were Scientologists, I'm only mentioning this, I have nothing against well, question some psychology stuff.

But anyway, those folks came here, they gave you an incredible plan.

They worked with the planning commission.

This was this whole thing they were gonna do.

It was a zoning change request.

You gave it, like the plan was amazing, right?

You approved it, and what did they do?

They did exactly what we said they were gonna do.

They flipped the property.

What they wanted was to build very tall buildings.

It's probably gonna happen along the river, but it's not going to be the folks who came to you for the zoning change.

They wanted the extra money that they got because all of a sudden that property was worth more money because of the zoning change.

So I'm really encouraging you to look closely at these questions that are being put in front of you.

I went to one of the represent um council person coupins.

I went to the first one that was held in the community.

First time I ever saw Steiner Leaf property was 1981.

I was shocked.

Um I will tell you that one of the issues with the hearing, and one of the issues with this proposal is that there's questions that are not being addressed.

For instance, at the meeting, we were told there were fewer toxins on the site than they had expected, but they failed to tell us what were the toxins on the site.

What are we talking about fewer?

I don't know how much you think is there, but I'm really concerned about putting residential there when you don't know what it is.

The other thing is we were promised downtown was not going to be jumped over to East Nashville.

This is jumping downtown across the river.

This was promised to us not to happen over many years.

That's what's happening.

We got the stadium property, we still don't know ultimately what's happening on that property.

We get this expectation.

They said it's not going to be affordable housing.

What do we want there?

Like, what are we saying?

Our community would like affordable housing.

That's not what this is.

More comments, but that's what I'm gonna stop with.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

You're recognized.

Hi, good evening.

My name is Heather Fitzgerald, and I manage government relations for Sitco Petroleum.

Um, we're not necessarily opposed to this bill.

We do have some concerns.

Um, and thank you for allowing me to share those with you tonight.

Um Sicco Petroleum Corporation owns and operates petroleum products, um, a terminal at 720 South 2nd Street along the north side of Cumberland River.

Sitko has proudly supplied the national market with petroleum products since the 1940s.

Um we do want to register our concerns with the rezoning of property near Sicco's national terminal to downtown code.

SICKO's concern that the downtown code may result in development, which in turn may cause issues for the terminal.

In particular, we're concerned that the development development near the terminal uh may cause increased traffic congestion.

For this reason, in the event of development near its facilities, our facilities, sorry, SICCA would like to request the following be considered conduct a comprehensive traffic and study, safety study to include established current traffic and safety benchmarks for the area, conduct traffic modeling using data from the study to forecast future conditions, and recommend effective traffic management solutions that will ensure the safety of both the community and the terminal operations for approved zone.

Additionally, as part of the development plan, we request a stoplight at 2nd Street and Davidson for safety reasons.

Keep construction equipment and construction vehicles off of 2nd Street during area development.

So consum can so customer fuel trucks can maintain flow to and from the terminal, and finally ensure fire department and other emergency responders has access to the terminal and they can obtain thank you so much, and we appreciate um being partners.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

You recognized.

Good evening.

My name is Kelly Francis Finland, and I am not an investor, a developer, or a business representative.

I'm merely a resident, a longtime resident of District 6 in East Nashville.

I'm speaking tonight to convey my concerns and reservations about the proposed beach east bend rezoning.

Like many of my neighbors, I'm learning more about this project more recently than I'd like, and have some concerns.

There have been a flurry of text threads, conversations over weights at the local YMCA, conversations while our kids play in the street, and we watch them on their scooters over the cut past couple of weeks.

And so I'm here to speak a little bit about that.

I really look forward to the scrapyards redevelopment.

I'm excited for what development of the property makes possible, but I am very uneasy about the lack of guardrails and this proposed rezoning to protect our neighborhood's infrastructure, environment, and character, as well as the lack of binding agreements to increase our neighborhood's affordability for residents and small business owners alike.

Tonight I'm asking you to reject this rezoning proposal unless binding amendments are added that protect our community and realize the opportunity this property offers for our city.

I support thoughtful, intentionally designed density that creates opportunities for more neighbors and local businesses.

However, I cannot support a plan that towers over the existing neighborhood, proposing a minimum of 14 parcels that are 40 stories tall on just 47 acres is entirely out of scale.

Its least significant impact might be on transit infrastructure, and with years of experience navigating the Edgefield neighborhood and Shelby exits on a Titans Game Day.

I know adding this level of unchecked density will create a traffic nightmare that traps East Nashville residents or causes significant delays just getting home.

More significantly, buildings at this scale will default to luxury or hospitality spaces.

Let's welcome tourists, but avoid avoid building only for them.

We need limits on building scale and hotel keys and requirements for missing middle housing.

Specifically, I'm asking for a neighborhood, not a tourist zone, middle housing insured, local businesses prioritized and safety for main for walk and biking.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead, you're recognized.

Hi, my name is Lindsay, and I live off Petway Avenue in District 5.

The sale of the scrapyard is exciting for all of us.

This is the defining opportunity for the East Bank.

We're asking you to support an amendment that aligns with the Imagine East Bank vision.

Don't let a land flip replace the East Nashville community vision.

The primary reason this proposal fails is traffic inversion.

The Imagine East Bank Vision warned that current interchanges already created spillover effect on the East Nashville streets.

It recommends redesigning these intersections to reduce traffic on local roads before we allow large-scale growth.

However, the current proposal does the exact opposite.

An earlier speaker referenced the 14 parcels over 40 stories.

For context, the Batman building is 33.

This concentration generates the most traffic exactly where the East Bank vision warned us it would be the most dangerous at the Shelby Avenue bottleneck.

When you put that much commuter volume in a subdist subdistrict, E Shall Be Banned, you aren't building a neighborhood for Nashvilleans.

You're building a permanent gridlock that will flood our residential streets with cut-through traffic.

We have one chance to get this right.

Please amend appropriately.

Let's build an East Bank we can all enjoy.

Thank you.

Next, go ahead.

Good evening.

My name is Cale Schmidt.

I live in District District 6.

I'm here because I believe in the Imagine East Bank vision plan.

A plan we spent two years building together.

That plan promised a stair step hike transition to respect the river.

This proposal ignores that alignment, placing 40-story shear walls near the bridge.

This isn't about growth or density, which I definitely support.

It's truly a breach of the community contract.

We need to be honest about what 40 stories actually does to a neighborhood.

You cannot build 40 story towers and provide affordability.

The construction costs are so high that the ground floor rents will be astronomical.

That means our local makers and small businesses are priced out before they can even open.

East Bend will be a generic canyon of national chains and luxury hotels that no local resident can afford to shop in or live in.

The Imagine East Bank plan already gave us the answer.

We are asking the council to mirror the IDA standards and reducing the minimum stories to keep them at four to seven stories.

This lower scale construction allows for missing middle housing and creates affordable retail bays where natural startups actually have a chance to survive.

Let's ensure the East Bank remains a neighborhood for Nashvilleans.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Hello.

My name is Patterson Finlan.

Uh I am uh live with my family on South 11th Street, District 6.

Um, like my uh much more eloquent uh compatriots here, especially my sister.

Um I am uh concerned to say the least um about the lack of guardrails, the impact on infrastructure um and the um towering canyon of uh 40-story buildings.

Um it just seems um unnecessary and and out of keeping with what we're trying to do um on the east side of the river.

So um I'll leave it at that.

Um, but I would uh hope that we will amend and and take this opportunity seriously um to do this the right way.

Thank you.

Um does anyone else uh seek to be recognized um to speak in opposition?

All right.

Seeing none, I will declare the public hearing closed.

Um and it's back to you, uh Mr.

Koopin uh for a motion.

Thank you, Madam President.

Move approval.

All right.

Um uh there is a motion to approve, properly seconded.

Go ahead, sir.

Like to uh before discussion, uh move the substitute, please.

Okay.

There's a motion to substitute properly seconded.

Anything you want to say about the substitute?

Just that this brings what the uh planning commission um discussed onto the bill um at their last commission.

There's a couple of other conditions, um, including addressing some of the concerns Sitco brought up, um putting that on the bill.

Okay.

Um uh is anyone so we're on a motion to substitute.

Is anyone in the queue uh specifically seeking to be recognized on the motion to substitute?

I'm seeing head shakes no.

Ms.

Evans on the motion to substitute, nope.

Okay.

Um is there any uh uh further discussion on the motion to substitute?

Mr.

Horton, no, sir.

Okay.

Um uh all right.

Uh we'll seeing no one seeking to be recognized on the motion to substitute, we'll move to the vote.

All in favor of the substitute, please say aye.

Any voting no or abstaining?

Okay, if you'd renew your motion, please.

Renew motion to move as substituted.

Or to move this, move as substituted to approve a substituted, sure.

Um, okay, is there a second for that?

I see it.

All right.

And so we're on to discussion.

Go ahead, sir.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you to everyone who came out to speak both for and against.

And a special thank you to David Byerley and his team.

Um, this is a massive undertaking.

I've only been in Nashville 13 years, but I've heard that it feels like more more like 130 years that this uh scrapyard's been around and been something that we've wondered what's gonna happen to it.

So I'm really excited to be a very small part of this really exciting um project and effort.

Um, and you've heard Imagine East Bank referred to a number of times.

I uh first really dove into it through the uh the Fallon deal and now have dove deep into it again the last couple weeks for for this deal as well.

And there's um really great engagement and and goals and ideals in there that I think uh we want to continue to analyze projects through and and analyze this project through.

Um there's two items before you tonight.

Um the one that we're on right now is an expansion of the downtown code.

Um later you'll hear a bill rezoning the neighborhood to the this new downtown code.

Um downtown code for for many who may not have engaged with this a lot is a form-based zoning code.

So I've told people this is kind of like the first half of an SP.

Um so we're not prescribing exactly what the building's gonna look like and and exactly how tall and exactly where it's gonna turn, but it does does give style and massing um direction to it.

Um and so we've done uh a lot of community engagement around this.

We've had two um I've had two community meetings, planning commission meetings.

My colleagues, um Councilman Cap, um Benedict and Parker are gonna have a meeting this Thursday.

Um and again, I want to remind my colleagues that this bill is also amendable on third reading.

Um, and so I think it's important to me to um continue to have the community engagement.

I think that people are really excited about it, even the folks that you've heard in opposition are not opposed that I've heard to the scrapyard becoming something spectacular, um, but want time to um engage with it.

And and um I also it's really important to me.

I've said this throughout multiple of the East Bank developments to make sure that East Nashville does have a voice in this process.

And I know my colleagues um have heard from their constituents that they'd like a little bit more time, and I want to respect that.

Um so with all that being said, what I would like to do is to uh move to pass today on second reading, um, but then move to defer third reading until April 7th.

Um, but I don't and I'm not sure if this is part of the official motion or at the request of the planning chair to have this be heard at the March 16th uh planning commission meeting such that we can discuss it.

Their amendments proposed, talk through that, um, but then have it on um April 7th.

I've gotten those dates correct, I believe.

So motion to approve on second and then defer third to the first Tuesday meeting in April, which I believe is the seventh.

All right, so you are amending your motion such that um it is a motion to approve on second as substituted with third reading deferred to the meeting of April 7th.

And um Mr.

Cuban, are you comfortable just then with saying you would like to request the the planning and zoning chair um have a discussion about this prior to April 7th?

So I'm I'm comfortable asking the planning chair if he'd be willing to add this to the March 16th planning and zoning committee meeting as a discussion item.

Okay.

Um special counsel, that is a super specific motion.

I know we have a little bit of a precedent in that regard where um we deferred out something and we wanted to have a preliminary discussion as it related to amendment.

So can you just advise how to make sure we're doing this uh in proper order, please, sir?

Yes, Vice Mayor.

At this point, uh upon reviewing the minutes uh from the last time this discussion happened, uh the proper motion would be to uh approve on or a proper motion would be to approve on second and then defer third uh to the meeting of April 7th.

Uh the while the request is entirely valid, it it may not be part of the formal motion.

Okay.

Um is that okay with you?

And then y'all can kind of work it out with special counsel as to the appropriateness of notice to have the preliminary or additional discussion in the meantime.

That sounds great.

Thank you.

Is that okay with you, Chair Horton?

Not gonna paint you into a corner on its specifics, but just that y'all will work that out.

Okay.

Um so we've got a motion now, um, which is to pass on second as substituted and defer um uh third reading to April 7th.

Um, and we are on to discussion now at this juncture.

Okay.

Um uh first in the queue is Councilmember Parker.

You're recognized, sir.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Um, and I'm rising in support of the uh complicated motion that was just put before us.

Um as Councilmember Coopin said, we've got a meeting that um Councilmember Cap scheduled on the East Side that uh Councilmember Benedict and I will be joining uh Thursday at Kirkpatrick Community Center at six o'clock.

So I'd encourage uh specifically Eastside folks to come join that, but anybody who wants to come uh discuss the proposal, um, share concerns, give feedback, any of that kind of stuff.

I'd encourage y'all to come join us.

Um so you know, we've talked a lot about the Imagine East Bank plan here, and the Imagine East Bank plan was a really huge endeavor to get all that through.

I do want to just make sure that folks are aware that the a lot of what we were focused on with the Imagined East Bank plan was publicly owned land.

Um so we were able to do things both in the the priorities of that document and then in the agreements that we made with regard to specific metro owned parcels in that area with regards to affordability and programming and whatnot, and we're just not capable of using zoning to accomplish a lot of that.

Um so we can do things like bonus high bonus programs for affordability and what, but we can't dictate affordability.

We can't dictate, you know, oh, you have to have a grocery store here.

Um we can do things like form and controlling uses and uh modal hierarchy.

And so those are the things that I think there might be room to dig in a little bit more on this stuff um to make sure that the form is kind of reflective of what we've already approved on the initial development area with Imagine East Bank um uses, you know.

Um I I don't know, uh I don't have a super clear grasp on if there's any controls over like how much of this could be hotel under this plan.

You know, we're not necessarily looking for like Harmony Crine's 2012 Spring Breakers vibe in this area.

We we we we want it to be a neighborhood.

The developers have said they want it to be a neighborhood family-oriented, you know, housing options for for families.

Um and and on the modal hierarchy, that's something that I specifically want us to dig a little bit closer into in the East Bank in the Imagine East Bank planning documents, you know, and and specifically early on in that process.

What we heard from um the then chair of INDOT, uh the then director of INDOT and and lots of other folks was this was gonna be this very walkable, bikeable pedestrian forward thing, but then through the planning process, as we've gotten kind of glimpses into proposed cross sections and whatnot, um, folks have had a lot of concerns about what they're seeing.

So I want to see is there ways that we can either kind of lock in that modal hierarchy in the zoning or at least make sure that we've got sort of public touch points that we've that we've got that process where those changes, those choices are made, those changes are decided, that we do have some public visibility into that process, whether that's at this body, at other oversight bodies that exist in metro.

Um, just making sure that we are building an urban neighborhood and not a suburban uh destination, and that's my time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Um next in the queue is Councilmember Benedict, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam Vice Mayor.

Um, I'm rising in support of the motion.

I appreciate that the sponsor um is willing to defer this out to so especially so the east side, you know, the east side council members here have received a lot of um questions and feedback about this.

I really appreciate hearing from both sides tonight.

I really appreciate hearing from both sides tonight, and I really like hearing from the um applicant side of things what they envision for um the area, and I want to make sure, you know, when we talk about um, you know, the promenade and the raising of things and you know, all the street, the the MCC M MSCP, I always get that one.

MCS collector street plan.

It's only six years in.

I still get the four letters.

Yes.

So um, you know, I love the idea of making it family friendly and um, you know, making sure that it's about vehicle or about pedestrians more than cyclists.

Um I just want to make sure that that's what's in the bill.

And so I think that this gives us the opportunity.

This deferral gives us the opportunity to talk with the public and make sure that the things that they want to see here that were a part of that vision plan are actually incorporated into the legislation.

So um I'm looking forward to hearing that feedback.

Thank you, Councilmember Parker, for sharing the details of the meeting on Thursday.

Um, and of course, um uh, you know, thank you again to the sponsor for the additional look at this in committee on the 16th for the request and to the committee chair for that.

So looking around the room to tell you guys, um, but again, I'm supportive of this motion and look forward to hearing from the public some more.

Thanks.

All right, uh, Councilmember Capp, you're recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I want to second and reiterate everything that my neighbors have said, and I am here to speak in favor of the motion on the floor.

I'm particularly grateful to Councilmember Coopin for moving this deferral uh because there is an all-east community meeting on the fifth again, 6 p.m.

Kirkpatrick Community Center.

Uh, but every day between that day and the next committee meeting is spring break.

And so uh the east side needs time to discuss this, and we need to hear from the folks on the east side.

Uh of course, the land under discussion is in district nineteen, but what happens there will affect east side neighborhoods in a direct way.

Uh it's significant for the region, but it's a neighborhood uh issue for folks on the east side.

And so it's been a priority for me all along to try to make sure to elevate and channel the east side voice into discussions about the east bank, and I'm grateful to Councilmember Coupin um for allowing that to happen.

I think committee discussion will also be particularly useful.

The values that I'm bringing to this are the same that I always have.

We should be building a neighborhood for Nashville's.

We should not be jumping Broadway across the river, and we should be building significant police places like this in ways that are friendly and accessible and safe to modes of transportation that are not cars.

That kind of stuff has to happen before the buildings get built.

We got to establish those patterns.

We do not want to induce another downtown's worth of car traffic into the east bank.

This is a once in a century opportunity, and I look forward to developing the east side voice into that conversation.

Again, I support the motion and thanks to Councilmember Coopin for making it.

See everybody on Thursday.

All right.

Um Councilmember Horton, planning and zoning chair.

You're recognized.

Uh thank you, Vice Mayor.

Uh, in response to um the district council members' request, uh, would be happy to have this uh and on the agenda as a discussion item at our next uh planning and zoning committee uh meeting uh in order for us to use this time um as productively as possible.

Request um any interested council members to please please bring uh any um uh considered amendments um for discussion at that committee meeting.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Uh councilmember Allen, you're recognized.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um I want to also thank the the sponsor for building in some time for us to have some discussion and just uh elevate one thing that I intend to talk about.

One of the speakers mentioned here was simply the the plan in the east bank it uh process is already been put in place to step down to the river.

Um that's not totally included in this new point, and I hope that that's a conversation we will continue to discuss as we talk about potential amendments.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Miss Allen.

Um is anyone else uh seeking to be recognized for discussion?

All right, um oh, Miss Benedict, go ahead.

Thank you, madam vice mayor.

One thing I I I wanted to point out to the public because there were requests and we're talking about amendments.

This bill for the public to understand is amendable on third reading.

So just because if it passes tonight on second, doesn't mean that it's like other bills.

Those amendments that we're talking about are um uh something that we can put on bills that we uh with zoning bills that we can on other bills.

So yes, all Title 17 bills, zoning legislation uh goes to committee on uh third reading and is amendable then um and can be deferred innumerable times for purposes of refinement.

So thank you for uh adding that to the discussion.

Um seeing no one else in the queue, uh we will move to the vote.

Um again, this is a motion to approve on second as substituted with a deferral of third reading uh to the meeting of April 7th, and you've heard the planning and zoning chair confer around amendments and uh the discussion that will happen at the next planning and zoning committee meeting, which will be on March 16th.

Is there any further discussion?

All right, uh all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

Um this has passed its second of three readings, the third of which will be on April 7th.

All right, okay.

Um, as you heard, uh, Councilmember Coopin' sponsor request, and there was no objection prior, the related matter, uh agenda item 34, um, also related to um East Bend Um will be pulled forward at this time um for uh consideration.

Uh so again, that's agenda item 34 ordinance BL2026-1284.

Uh sponsor coupen.

This is an ordinance to amend title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro government by changing from IG to DTC, um, that is again downtown code, um uh zoning for various properties located east of Korean Veterans Boulevard and south of Sylvan Street.

This is 40 point nine six acres.

Uh Mr.

Koopin, you are recognized.

Thank you, Madam President.

Open the public hearing, please.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open uh for council member coupen's uh bill one two eight four.

Uh would all members of the public here in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Um I see one person in opposition.

Um can you share person in opposition?

Are you going to seek to be recognized to speak?

Okay.

So those folks in support, um, knowing that um uh someone in opposition intends to speak.

Uh will uh folks in support um always speak first.

Um, thus, if one of you wants to come forward, and I see that happening now, um, you have the podium first.

Go ahead.

Sir, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Doug Sloan again.

Uh and thank you, uh Councilman, uh, for moving the bill forward.

We very much appreciate that.

Uh, we also have heard from the other council members in East Nashville and their desire to have community meetings within their district.

Uh we're anxious to have those.

We think that we have a fantastic plan and we want to publish it as much as possible.

And we want to be able to answer questions.

So we look forward to the meeting on Thursday.

Uh, and we hope that it'll have a lot of people turn out.

If you have questions, uh my email is D Sloan D-S-L-O-A-N at Thompson Burton.com.

And please send me those questions so that we can make sure that we are there.

We have the right people at the meeting to be able to answer those questions.

Uh we really do mean what we say.

We're anxious for you to see the development that we've gone through with the planning department and how neighborhood focused and how pedestrian and bicycle-friendly everything is that we've done.

Uh, I do also want to recognize uh uh Councilman Nash.

And and the reason is uh when he when he worked at this area with the police department, uh he pointed out a lot of problems that we had, uh, and that some of those were uh derived from some of the businesses that we had in the area.

Not that we don't need scrapyards, uh, but sometimes uh they became part of the problem.

And we believe that changing this industrial land into a neighborhood uh with businesses uh that people can go to with grocery stores and things that serve the community uh will be a much better improvement than what we've had there for almost a century, uh, and that the the community in East Nashville has had to endure for almost a century.

So thank you for your time.

Look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

Thank you.

All right.

Is anyone else seeking to be recognized to speak in support?

Um I would also just add and advise the public if you are emailing the developer's representative, you would probably want to uh CC, your district council member first name dot last name at Nashville.gov.

So they are likewise aware of what you are elevating or your questions.

Okay.

Um all right.

Um now we will move um to persons wishing to speak in opposition.

Um you are recognized.

Thank you so much.

It's a couple of additional comments.

The developers said, and maybe he misspoke, that what they wanted was a good neighborhood downtown.

This is not downtown.

I'm just gonna remind you, it's not downtown.

It's on the other side of the river.

We've always been promised downtown was not gonna be jumped over the river.

That is what's happening now.

The other thing in 2013, um, Kelly Poole was a lawyer with the Tennessee Environmental Council at the time.

And her group and another one had filed a federal lawsuit that argued that PSC Metals had violated the Federal Clean Water Act by repeatedly allowing harmful pollutants to flow into the Cumberland River.

I really want you folks to really examine this question about what is the soil there.

Now they told us at that first community meeting.

Um very easily to take off that topsoil.

We know what happens with environmental issues and the degradation of the soil.

That means the environment there, putting buildings on there without a really clear environmental um research around that place and letting the community know.

I mean, I would suggest just covering with grass and letting it, you know, sit there, but I realize that this is very valuable property.

Um there was one other thing I wanted to mention.

Oh, yeah.

Um, like I appreciate that there's public meetings, but uh I don't appreciate that it's like we were sort of told these are good guys.

They sort of said we're really nice people.

We're this is our vision.

I want to remind you, along the river, we were told this is a great plan.

It meets everything around the Nashville next uh template, and nothing has happened with that property because they're waiting again, probably to resell that.

We have to be really very careful that when we're being sold on what's going to be done, that it is what's best for us in this community.

And high high rises, they didn't even talk about that at the first.

They didn't even say how high the buildings were going to be, just they were gonna be high.

So I think we really need to examine this closely.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, is anyone else seeking to be recognized in opposition?

Seeing none, um, I will declare the public hearing closed.

Um, and it's back to you uh for a motion on your bill, Mr.

Koopin.

Thank you, Madam President.

I'd like to move approval, please.

All right.

Um is there a second for that motion?

Okay.

Um, so uh there's a motion to approve properly seconded.

Go ahead, sir.

Move the substitute as a substitute on this.

You don't have a substance.

No substitute on this one.

Yeah, then I would like to make my makeup.

Can I remake the complicated motion or do you want me to restate the okay?

Yeah, because I was I was wondering.

Um so uh need to track with the other bill.

Yeah.

Um, so if you you're gonna move approval on second.

Yes, I'd like to move approval on second and then defer third reading to the meeting of April 7th with the same request to the planning chair to include this discussion on the next planning uh thank you.

Um is there any discussion on that motion?

Seeing none.

All in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

Um, this has passed its second of three readings.

Um, and uh the third reading will be uh April 7th.

Okay.

And all that other stuff.

Okay.

Now we're gonna go back in uh to regular order, and the next uh bill is agenda item 24.

Uh, this is ordinance BL 2026-1274 sponsors Welsh and Styles.

This is an ordinance to mend Title 17, the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro government by changing from R S 7.5 to R6A zoning for property located at 524 High Street, approximately 42 feet northeast of May's Street.

This is 0.16 acres.

Uh Councilmember Welsh, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to open the public hearing.

Okay.

I declare the public hearing open for Councilmember Welsh's bill one two seven four.

Would all members of the public here in support of this bill, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Would all members of the public hear in opposition to this bill, please raise your hand.

Ms.

Welsh, seeing no one here on either side, I will declare the public hearing closed.

And it's back to you for a motion on your bill.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

I'd like to move to approve.

Okay, it's properly moved and seconded.

Is there any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor, please say aye.

Any voting no?

Any abstaining?

All right.

This has passed its second of three readings.

Um, next, um, and these bills can be taken uh together.

Our agenda items 25 and 26.

They are companions to each other, sponsored gamble.

Um uh agenda item 25 is ordinance BL 2026-1275, and agenda item 26 is ordinance BL 2026 1276.

1275 is an ordinance to amend title 17 of the Metro Code of Laws, the zoning ordinance of the Metro Government by changing from R S20 to SP zoning for property located at West Campbell Road unnumbered, approximately 360 feet north of Cunniff Parkway.

Uh this is 12.91 acres to permit 17 single family lots and 19 multifamily residential units, and again the companion 1276, which requires certain materials to be restricted in the construction of buildings at the addresses mentioned in 1275.

Councilmember Gamble, sponsor, you are recognized.

Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Request to open the public hearing.

I declare the public hearing open for Council Member Gamble's bills uh 1275 and 1276.

Would all members of the public hear in support of these bills please raise your hands?

Thank you.

Uh would all members of the public here in opposition to this bill, these bills please raise your hands.

All right.

Um given uh that we have uh persons here uh in opposition, um, and that persons in support speak first.

Um uh would those folks uh here in support uh like to speak at this time?

All right.

They are coming forward.

Persons in opposition will speak after those speaking in support.

Go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

Thank you, madam vice mayor.

Thank you, council members, for sticking with us tonight.

Um my name is John Claxton.

I'm a civil engineer with Thompson Hunting Engineering.

I'm the project manager for this project.

Um I'm here representing the development team.

I'd like to thank council member gamble um for helping us get to this point.

Um we have gone through five neighborhood meetings um in person in combination of in-person and online.

Um, through that process, we have um the density of the site has gone down.

We've increased buffers, landscape buffers um on the site.

I'd like to say we've come a long way and we're helping make this a better project for the community.

Um I do want to say there's a large portion of existing open space that is being maintained on this property.

Uh, a lot of mature trees, um uh an existing stream.

We're not touching that portion.

Um, let's see.

What else?

Oh, um, just want to uh let everyone know that the their 17 single family homes and then the 19 multifamily are detached cottages um that'll help provide attainable housing um to Nashville for people who live here and want to afford um who work here and want to afford to live here as well.

So um just want to thank you for your time and uh thank you for the neighbors for coming out and uh appreciate it.

Thank you.

Uh go ahead, you're recognized.

Come on forward.

Good evening.

My name is Teresa Vidito, my brother uh Perry Day and I, who is behind me and will speak in a few moments, our owners of the property.

We know that there's been strong opposition to developing the land by the community.

We understand their concerns, we've heard their concerns, we've read their letters, we've read their emails, and we respect that not everyone can agree.

Change is hard and it can be difficult.

Our developers have worked very hard in an effort to protect their property values while making changes and addressing concerns that the community and the neighbors have voiced.

This is not about disrupting the community, but it's about allowing us to use our property for reasonable use.

We respectfully ask that you review the facts and approve this plan so we can move forward.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Go ahead, sir.

You're recognized.

Hi, my name's Perry Day.

I'm one of the owners.

Uh, I just like to say that uh this property has been in our family for over a hundred years.

And we've paid taxes for over a hundred years.

And my grandfather, he gave a property for so they can build Calbur Road.

My father gave a property so they could put TV power line across the place.

And then they changed the law to where we can't raise cattle if we got rid of them, or even if they got killed.

And so now we're just paying taxes.

We can't use the property because my father had to get rid of the cows that got so old.

And plus the builder that uh we've actually had four people that has offered full uh pay that we was offered, uh offering or won't, and we turn all those down because we didn't like what they was gonna build.

And this builder here, he's really gonna build some nice houses, some affordable houses so people this young that can't afford a six to eight hundred thousand dollar home, they can buy the a house and start a family with with their own property.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Um is anyone else seeking to be recognized in support.

All right, with that, we'll transition to those wishing to speak in opposition.

If you would please come forward if you wish to speak.

Um sir, can you make sure you're not obstructing the hallway?

Sir, thank you.

Yep, go ahead and come on forward, folks.

All righty, you're recognized.

Go ahead.

Good evening.

Uh, my name is Ron Johnson.

I live on West Campbell Road, and uh, which is across the street from where this proposed development is uh taking taking place.

I want to point out to you that the three people who spoke there, none of those people live in Davidson County.

None of them.

Everybody who is opposed to this, all of my neighbors, I don't know of one of them who is in favor of it.

Now, the most of the people in red, they live in uh district three, which is Miss Gamble's district.

I live in District 10.

Nobody in 10 that I know of is in favor of this.

Now, nobody is opposed to building houses.

Let's get that clear.

We want to stick with the zoning that was established by the people in metro many years ago.

That's all we want to do.

Um Ms.

Campbell has had many meetings with members of the community where hundreds of people have come forward saying we don't want this.

She said she's trying to build a consensus.

The consensus is we don't want this.

We don't mind again having houses.

We just want something that is consistent with what's in the neighborhood.

That's all we want.

We've tried to figure out why she wants to make these changes.

It seems like she wants to crown more people in our neighborhood.

She seems to be more concerned with the quantity of life in our neighborhood than the quality.

So I ask each of you, think about that.

You don't need the wisdom of Solomon here.

You need to do what the people in our community want to do, and that is we're okay with development in concert with existing zoning, but we ask that you will not vote in favor of changing the zoning laws.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

You're recognized.

Hello.

Uh, my name's Abby Ferris.

I'm a resident of District Three.

I actually live on Woodshire, which will be directly affected uh by this development.

I want to thank you all first for giving us time to share our thoughts on this matter.

I'd like to walk you all through why I oppose this ordinance and why I believe it should be deferred at a minimum until infrastructure deficiencies are addressed.

I also want to mention first that I'm not opposed specifically to development, but I urge you all to carefully consider the character of the neighborhood.

This area already faces infrastructure challenges.

Utility services provided by NES to our neighborhood have been inconsistent, and existing systems do not appear equipped to support the additional density proposed.

Meaning, even in the last week or so, we've had a momentary interruption to our power.

Approving this rezoning before addressing utility capacity raises serious concerns about reliability and service disruptions for current residents.

Regarding utilities, the open space mentioned by the developer is only due to TVA easement andor right of way.

So houses cannot be built under it.