Metropolitan Council Meeting - July 21, 2026: Key Votes on Data Centers, Entertainment Commission, and Vision Zero
Metropolitan Council Meeting - July 21, 2026: Key Votes on Data Centers, Entertainment Commission, and Vision Zero
The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Historic Metro Courthouse. The meeting lasted until approximately 10:00 PM and included confirmations of 13 appointments, public comments from 8 residents, and action on over 40 resolutions and ordinances. Major items included a resolution urging renewed Vision Zero commitments, final passage of data center zoning regulations (BL2026-1391), a temporary moratorium on data center permits (BL2026-1448), and a contentious second reading of the Nashville Entertainment Commission restructuring (BL2026-1431).
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (34-0) a consolidated consent agenda including: RS2026-2077 (HUD Consolidated Plan update), RS2026-2114 (criminal records digitization agreement), RS2026-2115 (affordable housing grant amendment), RS2026-2116 (NEH grant for Nashville Public Library documentary), RS2026-2117 and RS2026-2118 (settlements totaling $285,000 and $89,258), RS2026-2119 and RS2026-2120 (opioid abatement funds totaling $744,789), RS2026-2121 (PSAP interlocal agreement), RS2026-2122 (ChargePoint EV charging agreement), RS2026-2123 (EMPG grant), RS2026-2124 (Vector Solutions training software), RS2026-2125 (Intergraph contract amendment), RS2026-2126 (mobile command posts), RS2026-2127 (police equipment), RS2026-2128 (police vehicles), RS2026-2129 and RS2026-2130 (settlements of $50,000 and $55,000), RS2026-2131 (aerial encroachment), RS2026-2133 ($28,000 settlement), RS2026-2136 (Richland Creek flood-prone property acquisition), RS2026-2137 (Rose Monte Phase 4-1 water/sewer), RS2026-2138 (Belmont Cord Powerhouse water main), RS2026-2140 (Inverness Avenue water/sewer), RS2026-2141 and RS2026-2142 (Hamilton Church Road Phases 2 and 3), RS2026-2143 (Parthenon Flats sewer manhole), RS2026-2144 (flood-prone property purchase), RS2026-2145 (NES tree trimming metrics), RS2026-2147 (honoring Rosetta Miller-Perry), and numerous second and third reading ordinances (BL2026-1449, BL2026-1453, BL2026-1454, BL2026-1459, BL2026-1314, BL2026-1362, BL2026-1387, BL2026-1397, BL2026-1398, BL2026-1399, BL2026-1410, BL2026-1413, BL2026-1417, BL2026-1418, BL2026-1419, BL2026-1421, BL2026-1427, BL2026-1428, BL2026-1429, BL2026-1435, BL2026-1444).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Emily Otniss (artist and real estate professional) spoke in support of data center regulations (BL2026-1391), citing risks to wildlife (Nashville crayfish), AI impacts, and community opposition. She noted 520,000 signatures from opponents.
- Manon Hall spoke in support of data center regulations, urging the council to pass the bill without deferral and to continue strengthening protections.
- Charles Remke (District 20 resident, Save Our Nations Neighborhoods) spoke in opposition to BL2026-1423, arguing that the filed amendment for mural preservation lacked enforceable teeth and that the developer had not made written commitments.
- Whitney Adkinson (District 34 resident, former Nashville Zoo docent) spoke in support of data center regulations, describing scientific studies on noise impacts on zoo animals.
- Chris Pipkin spoke about his daughter's expulsion from Antioch High School, presenting a forensic handwriting analysis that he said showed she did not write the threatening note, and asked for council assistance.
- Carly Moffa (musician, Nashville resident) spoke in support of data center regulations, raising concerns about water contamination and the need for continued oversight.
- Richard Massey (from Memphis) spoke in support of data center regulations, sharing experiences with XAI data centers in Memphis, including methane gas turbines, water use of 800,000 gallons per day, and lack of community notice.
- Shawnee Glappion spoke in support of data center regulations, urging the council to pass the bill without deferral and to stay engaged for stronger restrictions.
Discussion Items
- RS2026-2064 (Vision Zero Resolution) – Sponsor Kupin initially moved to defer to September 15, citing NDOT's RFP for a Vision Zero program director. After debate (Councilmembers Sepulveda, Welsch, Evans, Bradford opposed deferral, citing urgency), Kupin withdrew the deferral and moved to adopt. The resolution passed 36-0.
- BL2026-1431 (Nashville Entertainment Commission) – Sponsor Vo moved to approve. Councilmember Styles moved to defer one meeting, arguing the commission wanted a single bill and the mayor's office had not engaged. After a roll call, the deferral failed 10-25-1. Kupin offered an amendment to give the commission a role in narrowing executive director candidates; the amendment failed by voice vote. The bill then passed on second reading 27-7-3.
- BL2026-1432 (Entertainment Commission companion) – Sponsor Styles withdrew after the Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Entertainment Committee recommended indefinite deferral (7-1-1). The bill was indefinitely deferred by Rule 8.2.
- BL2026-1442 (Waste Management contract amendment) – Sponsor Toombs moved to approve. Councilmember Parker offered an amendment to remove a five-year extension and $60 million in additional scope, arguing the contract should go out to bid. The amendment passed by voice vote, and the bill passed on second reading as amended.
- BL2026-1391 (Data Center Zoning) – Sponsor Horton moved approval of the bill and then offered Amendment 1 (housekeeping). Subsequent amendments were considered: Amendment 15 (Toombs, quarterly reporting), Amendment 6 (Porterfield, public notice), Amendment 4 (Huffman, late-filed amendment replacing
Meeting Transcript
It's Tuesday, July the twenty-first, and I would like to call this meeting to order. I want to open by acknowledging that this meeting is being held on the unseated stolen land of the Cherokee Shawnee and Yuchi people, and to remind everyone that no one is illegal on stolen land built by stolen labor. And with that, I'm going to open the announcement period. If any council members have any announcements, please raise your hands and join the queue or push the button. And the first person I see is Council Member Heel. You are recognized. So if you want to go, you're more I'd love to see you all there. Congratulations, Councilmember Hugh. Council Member Styles, you recognize. So I hope people will make plans to attend. We have a community parade with our Antioch High School bands. We have a culture parade, giving away free backpacks, and then in the evening from 6 to 10, we have a free music festival featuring Nashville's own butter and grit, who are now on America's Got Talent. So hope to see you all there. Thank you. Councilmember Harrell, you're recognized. Thank you, Madam Pro Tem. Um so District 8, we will be having our monthly meeting on July 27th, the last Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at Hamilton United Methodist Church. Our guests will be uh Metro Way Services. Thank you so very much, Councilmember uh Councilmember Kimbrough, you're recognized. Thank you. District one will have a community meeting on Tuesday, July 28th at the Ivy Center on Ashland City Pike. MDHA will be present. Also, I'd like to alert or bring to everyone's attention that there's a Tennessee State University graduate who also completed one year of law school, who is missing. If you Google Lakeisha Gunn, L A K E S H A Gun, G-U-N-N, you'll see her picture. There's a TBI silver alert for silver alert for her. She's five foot two, one hundred and twenty pounds. Um my understanding from the family is it hasn't really received the proper attention. So I want to make sure that everyone knows that this lady is missing. Um, and share that information with your friends. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Kimbra. Um Councilmember Sorora, you're recognized. Thank you, Pro Tem, and I do hope that uh we'll find Ms. Gone safe and sound, and I will share as well, and I encourage everybody to do so as well. Um I want to thank everyone that came out Saturday for the John Louis Wayfield and John Louise Way March. I was very, very hot, but uh she didn't show up. Thank you, colleagues that came, the vice mayor, the mayor, our speaker, uh Reverend Dyson and Reverend Brown, a whole lot of them. We have about 15 ministers to serve as a Grand Marshal. It was uh it was a beautiful day to step out and step in the footsteps of our ancestors. There's been a lot of matches in Nashville that are code to ensure that change happened, and that's what we were emulating and doing what they did in those days. But I also want to remind everyone that while it was good for us to do that, uh, we also have to follow it up with action. So Ellie voting is going on right now. Uh uh, so we already matched. Now we need to match to the polls. We need to go vote. Uh, and so please go out and let your voices be heard. Um, the second thing that I wanted to do, uh, Madame Pro Tem is it's my I wanted to welcome a colleague if she will stand up. Uh, she's a council member from Colorado Spring, Councilmember Kimberly Gould is visiting us, and I wanted to welcome her to Nashville. Thank you, Councilmember, and welcome.
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