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2026-07-07 - Metropolitan Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (38 pages). No agenda page or video is on file for this meeting.

  • Regular session at 6:30 PM, presided over by Vice Mayor Henderson; invocation by Reverend Dr. Kim McLean of Music City West Church of the Nazarene. 37 members present; Evans-Segall, Hancock, Druffel and Lee absent.
  • Minutes of the June 16, 2026 meeting were approved as amended, after Capp moved (voice vote) to record his abstention on BL2026-1445, 1446 and 1447.
  • The Mayor's message urged passage of both data center bills and announced a late-filed condemnation bill for the property next to the Nashville Zoo. Both data center bills passed second reading by voice vote after public hearings with citizens in favor. See Data Center Zoning Rules, Data Center Moratorium and Metro Warehouse Parcel Acquisition.
  • The late-filed bill to acquire a parcel (BL2026-1489) passed first reading by voice vote, Styles voting no and Allen and Webb abstaining.
  • The Council adopted the transit police memorandum of understanding (RS2026-2097), 23 yes, 4 no, 3 abstain, after a motion to defer failed 14-17. See Transit Police Agreement.
  • The Vibes Bar beer permit distance exemption (RS2026-2070) was adopted 33-0-0 after a public hearing with no speakers. See Vibes Bar Beer Permit Exemption.
  • Public hearings on about 30 zoning and code bills: most passed second reading by voice vote with no one speaking; several were deferred to August 4 or September 1. The California Avenue plan drew speakers on both sides. See the sections below.
  • Consent agenda approved 31-0-0.
  • Appointments: three confirmed (one over two no votes), thirteen re-referred to committee, one deferred and one withdrawn; no nominations were made for the Auditorium Commission.
  • Forty bills (BL2026-1449 to 1488) passed first reading, including the opioid steering committee bill, an online extremism initiative, redevelopment plan amendments and a run of Planning Commission-reviewed rezonings; two late bills followed.

Mayor's message

  • Mayor O'Connell wrote that the zoning code does not distinguish a server room from a hundred-megawatt campus, urged passage of Horton's BL2026-1391 and Johnston's BL2026-1448 "as substituted," and said the zoning bill may not arrive in time for the property next to the zoo. Departments working under Executive Order 59 would identify further impacts.
  • He also announced a late-filed administration bill to let Metro acquire the property next to the zoo for public use, said a statement issued earlier that evening by DC BLOX was inaccurate, and said Metro "intends to acquire the land" because three parties were interested in it. These are the Mayor's statements as printed in the minutes.

Appointments and nominations

  • Confirmed: Alvin J. Haney, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (26-108, unanimous); Kristofer Carlson, Central Business Improvement District Board (26-101, voice vote with Porterfield and Sepulveda voting no); Darius McDonald, Tourism and Convention Commission (26-111, unanimous). Each on Cash's motion.
  • Re-referred to the Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee: Jamaal Boykin (26-112), Michael Iadevaia (26-114), Matthew P. Neal (26-115), Tyler Yarbro as Director of Law (26-116, see Director of Law Confirmation), Robert D. Boon II (26-117), G. Thomas Curtis (26-109), Jackson Zeitlin (26-118), the four Historical Commission nominees (26-119 to 26-123) and Whitney Weeks (26-125).
  • Deferred on Cash's motion (voice vote): Marcus T. Booth, Contract and Compliance Board (26-113). Withdrawn by Cash: Kevin Griffith, Short Term Rental Appeals Board (26-124).
  • Auditorium Commission (26-126): no nominations were submitted; nominations were set for July 21. See Auditorium Commission Election.
  • Public comment: registered speakers addressed the Council; the minutes record no names or topics.

Data center bills

  • Data Center Zoning Rules: BL2026-1391 (and BL2026-1392, building materials). Horton requested the public hearing; several citizens spoke in favor. Horton's substitute was adopted by voice vote, Benedict called the previous question, and the bill passed second reading as substituted by voice vote. BL2026-1392 passed second reading as amended by Horton's Amendment No. 1.
  • Data Center Moratorium: BL2026-1448 temporary moratorium on data center permits. Johnston requested the hearing; citizens spoke in favor. Johnston's substitute was adopted and the bill passed second reading as substituted, both by voice vote, after Benedict called the previous question.

Public hearings on second reading

  • California Avenue Mixed-Use Rezoning: BL2026-1423 and 1424 (8.12 acres, mixed use). Citizens spoke for and against; passed second reading by voice vote with Styles voting no.
  • McClurkan Avenue Mixed-Use Rezoning: BL2026-1403 and 1404 (19.09 acres). Citizens spoke for and against; Parker moved to defer, approved by voice vote.
  • Richmond Bend Specific Plan Rezoning: BL2026-1396 and 1397. No one spoke; Parker's substitute (2.38 acres, 19 units, up to 3,250 square feet non-residential) was adopted and both bills passed second reading by voice vote.
  • East Bank Design Review Committee: see East Bank Design Review Committee (BL2026-1361, substitute by Benedict, passed second reading).
  • Code corrections and underground utilities: BL2026-1314 (typographical and reference corrections to Chapters 2.104, 6.26, 13.32, 15.64, 17.20, 17.24, 17.28 and 17.36) and BL2026-1360 (underground utility regulations, Chapter 17.28) each had no speakers and passed second reading as substituted by voice vote, on motions by Horton and Styles.
  • Deferred to August 4: Cane Ridge Road Multi-Family Rezoning and Cane Ridge Road Subdivision Rezoning (Hill), Old Hickory Boulevard Mixed-Use Rezoning (Hill), Contextual Overlay Districts Near Gallatin Pike (Webb), BL2026-1395 (470 Radnor Street, to the August 4 hearing, Welsch), BL2026-1402 (412 Veritas Street, Welsch), BL2026-1422 (863 Argle Avenue, Benedict) and BL2026-1425 and 1426 (3233 Hamilton Church Road, 24 units, Harrell). BL2026-1386 (Ridgeview, assisted-care living) was deferred to September 1 on Styles's motion; Styles withdrew BL2026-1388 (Mt. View Road).
  • Passed second reading by voice vote with no speakers: BL2026-1387 (RS10 to R10), 1389 (532 and 538 Bell Road, with third reading deferred to August 4), 1398 and 1399 (1038 28th Avenue North mixed use), 1405, 1408, 1409, 1410, 1413, 1414 and 1415 (6114 North New Hope Road, 44 multi-family units), 1417, 1418, 1419, 1421, 1427 and 1428, plus BL2026-1429 (cancelling part of a Planned Unit Development at Poplar Creek Road, with citizens speaking in favor).
  • Approved 31 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain. It included grant and contract resolutions (juvenile court, recovery court and community corrections grants, an Arts Build Communities mural grant, a Publix opioid claims settlement), park donations, aerial encroachments, a personal injury settlement of 40,000 dollars, a 170,000 dollar one-time payment to WeGo Public Transit for the transfer of a parcel to Waste Services, flood-prone property purchases, water and sewer acceptances and honoring the 400th ONEBox naloxone installation.
  • Housing grant amendments RS2026-2085 and 2086 were on consent; see Housing Trust Fund Grant Contracts.

Resolutions voted individually

  • RS2026-2077 (Consolidated Plan annual update for HUD) was deferred under Rule 8.1 after Budget and Finance recommended deferral.
  • RS2026-2078 to 2083 (tax increment financing activities in six redevelopment plans) were deferred under Rule 8.1; see Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Plans.
  • RS2026-2087 (housing grant amendment, five nonprofits) passed 29-0-2, Allen and Parker abstaining. RS2026-2089 (233,900 dollars to Street Works dba Today's Hope for a youth harm-reduction education program) passed 30-0-1, Nash abstaining; see Opioid Settlement Funds Oversight. RS2026-2091 (Elmington Park Playground grant) passed 31-0-1 and RS2026-2094 (Trinity Hills Park construction grant) passed 31-0-1. RS2026-2112 honoring Bill Cody passed 31-0-0.
  • RS2026-2097 (transit police MOU) passed 23-4-3; see Transit Police Agreement.
  • RS2026-2070 (Vibes Bar) passed 33-0-0; see Vibes Bar Beer Permit Exemption.

Bills on first reading and late bills

Second reading

Sources