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2026-07-21 - Metropolitan Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes (28 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 Pastor Tommy Clark of West Nashville Cumberland Presbyterian. 38 members present; Webb, Gregg and Weiner absent. Minutes of the July 7, 2026 meeting were approved.
  • The Council passed the data center zoning bill on third reading as amended, 36-0-0, after nine amendments, and the data center permit moratorium 35-0-0. See Data Center Zoning Rules and Data Center Moratorium.
  • A resolution urging renewed Vision Zero commitments was adopted 36-0-0 despite a committee recommendation to defer. See Vision Zero Commitment Resolution.
  • The parcel acquisition bill (BL2026-1489) passed second reading with a re-referral to Budget and Finance, 27 yes, 3 no, 5 abstain, after a failed motion for the previous question. See Metro Warehouse Parcel Acquisition.
  • The Entertainment Commission bill (BL2026-1431) passed second reading 27-7-3 after a motion to defer failed 10-25-1. See Nashville Entertainment Commission Changes.
  • Tyler Yarbro was confirmed as Director of Law, and twelve other appointments were confirmed unanimously. See Director of Law Confirmation.
  • A 5,000,000 dollar HUD grant (RS2026-2149) was adopted 33-0-0 as a late resolution. See Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing Grant.
  • Third reading of the East Bank Design Review Committee bill passed 34-0-0, and the California Avenue plan passed 31-3-1. See East Bank Design Review Committee and California Avenue Mixed-Use Rezoning.
  • Consent agenda approved 34-0-0 (resolutions, second reading and third reading bills).
  • The algorithmic pricing disclosure bill was withdrawn. See Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Rules.
  • Six bills passed first reading, including the diaper changing facilities bill and the tourist accommodation tax bill.

Mayor's message

  • Mayor O'Connell transmitted the state reporting forms for the 2026 interfund tax anticipation notes, a cumulative amount of 208,000,000 dollars, authorized by Resolution RS2026-1962 on May 19, 2026. He described them as temporary, short-term financing from other Metro funds with available cash, repaid with interest from current-year revenues.

Appointments and nominations

  • Confirmed unanimously on Cash's motions: Jamaal Boykin, Community Corrections Advisory Board (26-112, term to October 1, 2026); Michael Iadevaia and Matthew P. Neal, Contract and Compliance Board (26-114, 26-115); Tyler Yarbro, Director of Law (26-116); Robert D. Boon II, Electric Power Board (26-117, to July 1, 2031); G. Thomas Curtis, Employee Benefit Board (26-109); Jackson Zeitlin, Farmers Market Board (26-118); Historical Commission members Dr. Clay Bailey III, Jay Brothers, Kaitlyn Jones, Dr. Marisa Richmond and Linda T. Wynn (26-119 to 26-123); Whitney Weeks, Transit Authority (26-125, to June 1, 2031).
  • Re-referred to the Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee: Wallace Dietz, Airport Authority (26-127); Henry Walker, Arts Commission (26-128); Eileen Beehan and Dewey Branstetter, Charter Revision Commission (26-129, 26-130); Dr. Raymond (Buz) Martin and Dr. Courtney J. Pitts, Hospital Authority (26-131, 26-132); S. Will Acuff, Social Services Commission (26-133). Marcus T. Booth (26-113) was deferred again on Cash's motion.
  • Auditorium Commission (26-126): Huffman nominated Ron Deal, Suara nominated Iman Khoshnaw and Sepulveda nominated Rick Rodriguez for the two vacancies; the election was set for August 18. 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 was approved with amendments by the Planning and Zoning Committee. Horton moved third reading. Amendments A through I (offered by Horton, Toombs, Porterfield, Johnston, Huffman (late filed), Gamble and Capp three times) were each adopted by voice vote. After Benedict called the previous question, the bill passed 36-0-0. BL2026-1392 (building materials) passed 35-0-0.
  • Data Center Moratorium: BL2026-1448 was approved with an amendment by Government Operations and Regulations and Planning and Zoning. Johnston offered Amendment No. 1 (voice vote), and the bill passed third reading as amended, 35-0-0.

Resolutions

  • Vision Zero Commitment Resolution: RS2026-2064. The committee recommended deferral to September 15. Kupin moved to defer, then, after discussion, moved adoption instead; Johnston called the previous question (voice vote) and it was adopted 36-0-0.
  • Contracts and honors: RS2026-2134 (contract with Nixon Power Services, LLC for Water Services parts and service) passed 36-0-1, Allen abstaining. RS2026-2139 (relocation of a fire hydrant assembly at Vanderbilt Place) passed 36-0-1, Capp abstaining. RS2026-2146 honoring Vonda McDaniel passed 36-0-0 and RS2026-2148 recognizing South Asian Heritage Month (July 18 to August 17) passed 35-0-0.
  • Deferred: RS2026-2132 (street sweeping cooperative purchasing agreement) was deferred to August 18 on Toombs's motion (voice vote). RS2026-2135 was deferred under Rule 8.1; see Music City Center Refinancing Agreement. RS2026-2078 to 2083 were deferred under Rule 8.1; see Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Plans.
  • Late resolution: RS2026-2149, the HUD grant of 5,000,000 dollars for Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing, adopted 33-0-0 after Toombs moved to suspend the rules.
  • Approved 34 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain. Resolutions included the Consolidated Plan annual update for HUD (RS2026-2077), a criminal records digitization agreement with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, a housing grant contract amendment (see Housing Trust Fund Grant Contracts), a National Endowment for the Humanities application for a library documentary, settlements of injury claims paid from the Self-Insured Liability Fund (285,000 dollars, 89,258 dollars, 50,000 dollars, 55,000 dollars and 28,000 dollars), opioid-related grants of 638,789 dollars and 106,000 dollars (see Opioid Settlement Funds Oversight), emergency management and police cooperative purchasing agreements, aerial encroachments, flood-prone property purchases, water and sewer acceptances, a request that Nashville Electric Service report on its tree trimming program, and a resolution honoring Rosetta Miller-Perry.
  • Bills on consent included entertainment transportation vehicle permits (BL2026-1449), greenway conservation easements, alley and street abandonments, stormwater easements, BASF water system settlement funds (BL2026-1466), pedicabs (BL2026-1490), the code corrections bill (BL2026-1314), underground utilities (BL2026-1360), the Tax Abatement Annual Review (BL2026-1362), the Richmond Bend Specific Plan Rezoning and a long run of rezonings on third reading, plus a bill removing unmetered water connections (BL2026-1435).

Second reading

Third reading

  • East Bank Design Review Committee (BL2026-1361): amended by Kupin and passed 34-0-0 on Benedict's motion.
  • California Avenue Mixed-Use Rezoning (BL2026-1423 and 1424): Horton's Amendment No. 1 adopted; both passed 31-3-1 (no: Druffel, Ellis and Styles; Kimbrough abstaining).
  • BL2026-1414 and 1415 (6114 North New Hope Road, 44 multi-family units) were deferred under Rule 8.1 on the Planning and Zoning Committee's recommendation.
  • BL2026-1436 (lease with the PENCIL Foundation) passed 34-0-0 on Toombs's motion.

Bills on first reading

  • BL2026-1491 (Parthenon short-term loans of artwork), BL2026-1492 (Diaper Changing Facility Requirements), BL2026-1493 (Tourist Accommodation Tax Allocation), BL2026-1494 (property identification maps), BL2026-1495 (Memorandum of Understanding with Public Safety Cadets and the police department) and BL2026-1496 (readoption of the Metro Code through December 17, 2025) all passed first reading.

Sources