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2026-05-19 - Metropolitan Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (approved on June 2, 2026). No video or agenda is on file.

Invocation

  • Mr. Stephen Watts, guest of Council Member Welsch, gave the invocation.

Elections

  • 26-087 East Bank Development Authority (one seat, term to June 30, 2030): Nathaniel Carter, nominated by Toombs and recommended by the Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee, received 34 votes with no abstentions and was declared elected.
  • 26-088 Property Standards and Appeals Board (term to April 7, 2030): Roger Farmer (nominated by Evans) 21, Grafton Brittle (nominated by Kupin) 13; Farmer elected. Property Standards Appeals Board Election.
  • 26-089 Short Term Rental Appeals Board (term to August 31, 2027): Diamond Bell (nominated by Toombs) 26, Kevin Griffith (nominated by Kupin) 8; Bell elected. Short Term Rental Appeals Board Election.

Appointees, nominees and confirmations

  • Confirmed unanimously, each on Council Member Cash's motion after committee recommendation: Marcus Shute, Jr. (Airport Authority, term to April 5, 2032, 26-090); Steve Swartz (Airport Authority, same term, 26-091); Winston Wright (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, to April 16, 2030, 26-092); Sylvia Marcela Gomez (Farmers Market Board, to May 5, 2031, 26-093); Elizabeth Mayhall (Historic Zoning Commission, to June 1, 2031, 26-069); Andrew Cook (Midtown Central Business Improvement District Board, large commercial property owner, one-year term, 26-082); Dr. Sybril Brown and Mark Hayes (Tourism and Convention Commission, to June 30, 2029, 26-094, 26-095).
  • Re-referred to the next meeting: Ilke C. Hanloser and Tim Prow (Fire and Building Code Appeals Board), Dr. Jeffrey G. Stovall (Board of Health) and Tom Sturdivant (Traffic and Parking Commission). All four were confirmed on June 2 (2026-06-02 - Metropolitan Council).
  • 26-096 Transportation Licensing Commission: nominees Erica Penley (nominated by Spain and Preptit), Jalilah Haqq (nominated by Toombs) and Annie Klaver (nominated by Kupin). Haqq's nomination was withdrawn and the others were re-referred. Transportation Licensing Commission Election.

Public comment

  • Registered speakers addressed the Council on matters of interest. The minutes record no names or positions.

Rules of Procedure

  • Rule 46 (Council meetings; scheduling): the Rules Committee recommended deferral. Preptit moved to defer; voice vote, approved. Council Meeting Schedule Rule.

Resolution on public hearing

  • RS2026-1964 exempting Momotaro, Middleman and Alla Vita (Houston Street) from the beer permit minimum distance requirements: Vo requested the hearing; no one spoke; adopted 33-0-0 on Vo's motion. Momotaro Beer Permit Exemption.
  • Resolutions from RS2026-1962, second reading bills from BL2026-1368 and third reading bills from BL2026-1296, voted together. Yes (31): Suara, Porterfield, Allen, Hill, Kimbrough, Toombs, Gamble, Cortese, Parker, Capp, Harrell, Webb, Evans, Bradford, Huffman, Gregg, Vo, Cash, Kupin, Horton, Gadd, Preptit, Nash, Benton, Ellis, Sepulveda, Rutherford, Styles, Lee, Ewing and Spain.
  • Finance: up to $208,000,000 in interfund tax anticipation notes (RS2026-1962, Interfund Tax Anticipation Notes); a one-time payment of $6,240,000 from Water and Sewerage Services to Metro for the transfer of control of a parcel (RS2026-1985, Proposal 2026M-003PR-001); an increase in funding for property acquisition for the Dry Creek water reclamation facility flood mitigation project (RS2026-1984).
  • Grants and contracts: a LEED for Cities certification cohort in-kind grant (RS2026-1965); the Northern Middle Tennessee workforce interlocal agreement (RS2026-1966); Broadband Ready Communities application (RS2026-1967); STI prevention grant amendment (RS2026-1968); amendment two to the Village at Glencliff homelessness medical respite contract (RS2026-1969); in-kind and cash gifts for parks from Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms, Friends of Sevier Park, McCabe Park Little League, Friends of Warner Parks and Greenways for Nashville (RS2026-1970 to 1975); Emergency Management Performance and DNA backlog grants (RS2026-1976, 1977); participation agreement amendments for Sojourn Nolensville Apartments and for a sidewalk at 1401 Gallatin Pike (RS2026-1978, 1979); Water Services and Waste Services purchasing and sole-source contracts (RS2026-1980, 1982, 1986, 1988); a U.S. Geological Survey joint funding agreement for water quality monitors and flood gages from FY2027 through FY2031 (RS2026-1983); repeal of the Elmington Capital Group sewer participation agreement with a refund (RS2026-1987).
  • Honors and statements: denouncing the state's attempted takeover of the Airport Authority (RS2026-1993, Airport Authority State Takeover Resolution) and recognizing June 2026 as Pride Month (RS2026-1999).
  • Bills on second reading: park transfers and licenses (BL2026-1368 to 1370), the Metro police training memorandum with Vanderbilt's police department (BL2026-1371), water and sewer acceptances and easements (BL2026-1372 to 1375) and settlement funds from Tyco Fire Products and Chemguard (BL2026-1376).
  • Bills on third reading: Specific Plan and zoning bills, including 280 multi-family units on Skyline Ridge Drive (BL2026-1339, 1340), 164 single-family lots on Melvin Road and North New Hope Road (BL2026-1342, 1343), 365 multi-family units on 8th Avenue South and Bass Street (BL2026-1347, 1348), 77 units in a Planned Unit Development off Old Lebanon Dirt Road (BL2026-1337, 1338) and 18 units on Weber Road (BL2026-1350, 1351); text amendments on specific plan notice to district Council members (BL2026-1296), day care uses (BL2026-1317) and home occupations (BL2026-1318); the Department of Law chapter (BL2026-1357); the CMA Fest Special Event Zone, 6 a.m. June 3 to midnight June 8 (BL2026-1363); and an alley abandonment and water and sewer acceptances (BL2026-1365 to 1367).

Resolutions

  • RS2026-1926 cooperative purchasing agreement for courtroom audio and visual equipment: withdrawn by Toombs on committee recommendation.
  • RS2026-1954 no confidence in the Electric Power Board: deferred under Rule 8.1. Electric Power Board No Confidence Resolution.
  • RS2026-1961 grocery sales tax reduction: Toombs moved to defer to June 16; voice vote, approved. Grocery Sales Tax Reduction.
  • RS2026-1963 CBID budget: deferred under Rule 8.1. Central Business Improvement District Budgets.
  • RS2026-1994 denouncing the General Assembly's redistricting plan for Memphis and Shelby County: Suara moved adoption; 32 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain (Webb). Memphis Congressional Redistricting Resolution.
  • RS2026-1995 urging a moratorium on NES vegetation management changes: Allen moved adoption; 31 yes, 0 no, 2 abstain (Webb, Benton). Vegetation Management Moratorium Request.
  • Honorary resolutions adopted on roll call: RS2026-1996 honoring Frankie Mae Keeling-Henry, civil rights activist, Freedom Rider and educator, 34-0-0 (all voting yes listed as cosponsors); RS2026-1997 recognizing the Frist Art Museum's 25th anniversary, 34-0-0; RS2026-1998 recognizing May 2026 as Older Americans Month and FiftyForward's 70th anniversary, 33-0-0.

Bills on first reading

  • BL2026-1377 operating budget and BL2026-1378 tax levy: first reading, set for the June 2 public hearing, referred to Budget and Finance. Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget.
  • BL2026-1379 creating 17 new job classifications: first reading; referred to Budget and Finance and Government Operations and Regulations.
  • BL2026-1380 capital improvements budget: Planning Commission approved; first reading, set for the June 2 hearing. Capital Improvements Budget.
  • BL2026-1381 Gulch CBID budget: first reading. Central Business Improvement District Budgets.
  • BL2026-1382 eviction right to counsel program: first reading, referred to Planning and Zoning. Eviction Right to Counsel Program.
  • BL2026-1383 and BL2026-1384 renaming Alley #659 "Eliza Alley" and Alley #581 "Birdsong Alley", and BL2026-1385 Oracle force main relocation: first reading after Planning Commission approval.
  • BL2026-1386 (assisted-care living in the Ridgeview UDO), BL2026-1388 (Mt. View Road) and BL2026-1389 (Bell Road): first reading, set for the July 7 public hearing and referred to the Planning Commission. BL2026-1387 (Ashton Avenue): Kimbrough moved first reading with re-referral to the Planning Commission; voice vote.
  • Late bill BL2026-1390, the July 4 Special Event Zone from 6 p.m. July 2 to 11:59 p.m. July 5: Kupin moved to suspend the rules (no objection) and moved first reading; voice vote.

Bills on second reading

Bills on third reading

  • BL2026-1326 Downtown Code rail corridors: Kupin offered Amendment No. 1 (voice vote) and passage as amended, 32-0-0. Downtown Code Rail Corridor Rules.
  • BL2026-1364 lease with Hessel Properties, GP for 74,374 square feet of office space on Murfreesboro Pike: Bradford moved passage; Yes (30), No (1) Kimbrough, Abstain (1) Porterfield. Murfreesboro Pike Office Lease.

Adjournment

  • The meeting adjourned on motion duly seconded.

Sources