Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

You w really were focused and frozen for a minute, Kelsey. I was like, "No. Welcome everyone. We're just going to wait a few minutes to let people filter into the meeting and then we'll get started. Thank you for joining us today.

All right. So, how we doing? Looks like most people are in or No, I think we could get started. I think it's given people enough time to get here.

Okay, wonderful. Uh, welcome everyone. I am Anita McKG with community plans in the planning department and we have quite a few members of our team here. We like always like to get started on time because we like to keep the meeting going and um not take up any more of your valuable time than we need. And so um tonight uh we're going to go over uh some background information uh why we're here. Um you know what? You know what? All I'm gonna pause for a minute because I think for some reason this opened up an older version of my presentation. I'm not seeing one of my edits. So, let's see. Let's see how best to deal with that. I'm going stop sharing for a second. How do I wonder how it's giving me the option for like so many PowerPoint presentations. I'm serious. It's like 10 that all have the same name. I don't know how it got so many. Okay. Um, is there any one that has a specific date like that shows when you last edited it? It doesn't show me where I'm trying to open it, but I mean it shows that in, you know, in um the details of things. Yeah. Okay, this is it. Thank you. Okay, thanks everyone. I I quickly saw that uh technical user issue here. Um, so for today's discussion, background, why we're here, a Nashville next overview, and then we're going to talk about some proposed community character manual changes, next steps, and I wanted to uh make a note during my presentation, please add your questions uh to the chat, and we've got people looking at that and monitoring that and everything.

And so um it's at the top of my screen the chat button. Okay. So let's jump to background. So as many of you know uh in 2025 Metro Council approved the new zoning districts residential neighborhood that is appropriate for providing lower levels of density at strategic locations in urban and suburban areas. And um it includes generally housing, town homes, plex houses, but you're looking for things like uh in transition zones near corridors, uh close to community amenities, in areas with good access to arterial streets, and preferences given to locations with uh more frequent transit service. and then residential limited zoning districts appropriate for providing moderate levels of intensity strategic locations close to transit corridors. Uh and it generally includes houses, town homes, plexous, and small apartments. So, a little bit more intensity with RL there. Okay. So, why we're here tonight, uh the new zoning districts go into effect on April 1st, 2026. And so currently in our community character manual, our policy dictionary, they're not associated with anything. So they're not currently options for policies. And so we need to include the new zoning districts as options in policies. And we're going to dive into that in a little more detail in a minute. And that's just in line with current guidance. In other words, we're dealing with a whole list of zoning districts that are already in each policy category. It's a menu that you can choose from, so to speak. Um, and so this is important to stress. The planning department is not currently accepting applications or holding any

pre-application meetings for RN and RL zoning until April 1st. So, I want to talk about as background, I want to talk a little bit about layers of policy guidance. So, you know, each step down this funnel is getting more nuanced. So, you know, at the top you got Nashville next, the broad vision, and then you've got the growth and preservation concept map. You've got the community character manual. You've got the transsect model. Then you've got community plans, uh, which are a deep dive into placemaking, and then you end up with policy for each property across the county. And so that's what we're going to go to go over here. Okay. So, Nashville Next, the city's comprehensive plan. It was created with the participation of thousands of Nashvilleians. I see some names on here. Some of you participated in that process. It was adopted in 2015, but it's updated as needed because it is dynamic. Here's the uh page that from the plan that actually shows the different elements, the parts, five parts. Uh the vision, trends, and strategy, the elements, communities, actions, and access Nashville. We're going to be in part three talking about communities. So, Nashville Next, um, okay, sorry, duplicating my slide there. So, Nashville Next already emphasizes the importance of housing options along with transportation options. Housing growth is anticipated, housing trends are incorporated. If you remember back, those of you who read it or participated in it, that we're discussing both current trends and future trends that we anticipated happening. So, Nashville Next discusses middle housing as generally understood to be a range of low to moderate density housing beginning with daddos and going up to um

courtyard flats or low-rise stacked flats. And we actually discussed middle housing throughout Nashville. Next, the community character manual. and it helps us keep pace with increasing and diverse demand for housing that meets the needs for all Nashvilleians regardless of income or stage of life. So the community character manual then we're we're going down a step you know the community character manual is part of Nashville next volume three also includes the growth and preservation concept map and community plans for each of the areas. So here's the growth and preservation concept map which is a broad view of the county. It's how Nashville should grow in the future, where the city can best support growth, and what area should be preserved as the city grows. And it's a longer time horizon. In 2015, we were talking about 2040, the time horizon. So, it has different components. It has six broad categories. The green network, I think everyone can see my cursor. the green network recognizing uh natural features and rural areas, parks, neighborhoods in the the more pale yellow. Now, in this context though, neighborhoods include small neighborhood centers, churches, schools. I mean, they're including different uses than just all residential, right? They're including the broader concept of a neighborhood. And red and orange are centers, corridors. Most of them are along the arterials that are also marked with high-capacity transit corridors. So along uh the centers and corridors, you've got transition areas and then you've got special impact areas like the airport or the quarry.

So Nashville next uses the transct as a model of organizing community character. The transet consists of seven categories and they range from all the way from natural, rural, suburban, urban, center, and downtown. Right? In addition to the ones you can see um on the graphic here is also the district that's special uses that don't really fit into other areas like the airport or quarry. And then you go down a level and you get to uh the dictionary of policies, right? community character policies. Once you have the transct here, you break it down into here are rural policies, here are suburban policies, here are urban. So I took an example from urban. So urban neighborhood maintenance just as an example. And um this is just the page one. You know, it lists like different building types that might be a part of it. But here is the list of zoning districts that might be a part, right? So zooming in uh you can see that a little more detail and this is something we've always uh used you know and gone by that these districts may be appropriate in the associated policy area though not all listed districts are appropriate in all context and all situations right and this example happens pretty much on a daily basis you know someone calls us and asks for the most intense district they jump to the most intense thing in here. In most cases, that will not be appropriate. And so for the public, you know, the public doesn't see all the people that we say, you know, that's a no. And they either find another property or say, okay, you know, I'll check back later or something. They just go away. I mean, the public really sees the ones that have made it through several levels of review to get to a planning commission meeting or a council meeting.

So going another step, we've got the community plans. Then the 14 community plans that cover the county, right? Uh the transit categories are further refined in policies and policies are applied to individual properties through the community plan. The community plans have a shorter time horizon uh because they're more dynamic, right? Responding to uh changing conditions and things. So just a reminder because we've gone down you know this layer of policy guidance you know going from Nashville next the concept map the community character manual the transct community plans policy for each property right I know that's a lot for an overview so that's why we wanted to create diagrams and kind of explain it because what happens then when you get to the level of policy for each property is something like this right so these are actually the mapped uh community character land these policies for an area in Antioch Priest Lake. You know, you see um the center here with Murphy'sboro Pike and Bell Road. Uh and you see, oh, I'm sorry, that's up here. That's right here. And then you see uh you know, Global Mall is over here. And you see like the residential corridor and you see uh single family residential in the neighborhoods and you see neighborhood evolving where some additional housing can occur. You see the green network around uh Percy Priest Lake and then you see some civic uses with the schools and metro owned properties and banks. So that's what it looks like in example on the ground. Okay. So just to re reinforce those layers of policy guidance, right, that that we've gone over quickly, those are adopted and in place today providing guidance, right? So we use that we use those different layers on a daily basis answering the public's questions, evaluating, studying zone changes and plan amendments and different requests that we have. So now we're going to pivot and talk about what

changes do we need to make to that guidance uh for the new RN and RL zoning districts. Okay. So changes are really minimal and they really focus on the community character manual as I mentioned before. Um there's no way like right now there's nothing that associates or mentions RN and an RL zoning districts. So multiple policies within the suburban and urban transct zones already support a broad variety of housing types depending on their context. Of course, multif family residential uses and zoning currently exists throughout the suburban and urban transct zones across the city, right? It doesn't necessarily mean that your your single family neighborhood in a suburban zone includes everything, but it's just looking at larger areas and along the corridors and everything, right, for the bigger picture of what each includes. So if that's the case and we and we recommend then focusing on suburban and urban policies in the transct in the community character manual that of course includes neighborhood maintenance and neighborhood evolving policies in both suburban and urban and categories. And remember the the these districts meaning RN and RL and all the zoning recommendations may be appropriate in the associated policy area though not all listed districts are appropriate everywhere. Appropriate in all contexts or situations and that's a reminder we're going to say several times because it's important. So going back to my example uh from urban neighborhood maintenance policy. Remember how we saw uh briefly the zoning table, right? So it would be the main edit would be adding RN and RL to the list of possible zoning districts

there may be appropriate in certain context and that does include neighborhood maintenance and neighborhood evolving policies too, but it also includes neighborhood center and residential corridor and mixeduse corridor. So it includes uh more policies as suburban and urban. Okay. And so zooming in, it would be once again these would be added to the menu of options. You see there's a long list already. And we would also add wording explicitly talking about districts may be appropriate uh though not all are appropriate everywhere. Right? We're going to actually say that several times in the community character manual to make it more uh viewing and explicit guidance, right? That it's there, people see it. So, adding clarification and a reminder uh that as with any reasonzoning, many factors will be taken into account and determine the appropriateness of zoning to any policy. Right? So recommended text, you see it right here, the exact text that would be in several places throughout CCM, I think, including uh each policy category that this affects, but it talks about those factors uh that are included uh in the context that we're looking for. you know, location, proximity to transit corridors, neighborhood and community context, existing development patterns, infrastructure availability, capacity, environmental features, design components, you know, so that is some of the some of the factors going into the analysis uh when we're looking at any zone change. So, once again, adding that text to several places throughout the CCM document, right? And it's always good to remind everyone that our world with Nashville next, the community character manual, the 14 community

plans, that is all policy guidance, right? So zoning is law, policy is guidance. So updating the community character manual will not reszone any property. It is uh you know simply adding things to the menu of options, right? Reszoning a property to any zoning district requires submittal of an application. Metro staff level review uh that's based on the community character manual planning commission public hearing review and recommendation. Metro Council public hearing and a decision. And the reasoning process includes multiple rounds of notifications to neighbors and yard signs and council members sharing information and various ways for folks to find out. So once again looking a little bit deeper at the different factors when planning reviews the reasonzoning application. Once again we're looking at these various factors uh that are listed here and uh planning staff will review resoning applications for RN and RL zoning districts in a similar manner to all other zoning requests we have. Uh so we make a recommendation the staff makes a recommendation to planning commission who then in turn makes a recommendation to metro council regarding resonings and metro counsel has the final say in the decision on resoning matters. So, some additional changes, a couple of things here. Uh, CCM currently has descriptions and images for housing types, right? This is already included. And so, it would be um adding three uh housing types that that weren't already there that aren't already there. uh a duplex, a multiplex, and a townhouse court would be and so an image,

pictures, text to would be added then to this list of um building types, housing types. And so the next steps for the updates, of course, the Metro Planning Commission public hearing um next or no, I'm sorry, two weeks, right? Two weeks, uh March 26th and the new new zoning districts. Maybe it's not two weeks. I I'm sorry folks. It's like I can't believe it's March already. Uh the new zoning districts become effective April 1st. So quickly approaching because we're in March already. So I think um I think our if the case remains on uh March 26th, I think the staff report is uh released tomorrow, right? Looking for some of my folks here. So I think so. And now we've got time. Hopefully, we'll have time to get to everyone's questions and discussions. So, Kelsey, Katie, has anyone put something in the chat? Um, well, I'll just take a minute to say if you do have questions about what Anita just presented, please put it in the chat and we'll keep an eye out for it. So, um, think through those questions and add them. We do have one question that came through while you were talking and it's from Ann. It says, "When will the infrastructure study be done?" And she's asking because she wants to know specifically um the detail on how it will affect individual properties and specific neighborhoods. And I can speak to that. Um right now, Metro Planning is currently working with other departments in order to finalize their assessments and of the different systems and anticipated growth. And we're expecting that report to be done uh late spring or early summer. We're taking a little bit extra time because it's extremely technical, as I'm sure you can imagine. And so, we just want to make sure we're double-checking and making sure everything's accurate, but

also accessible and clear for the public. Um, trying to break down some of the more technical aspects of the work into something that is is very clear for people to understand. Um, so that gives you a sense of the timing and I do want to emphasize that that's focused at the systems level. Um, and I think when it comes to individual properties and specific neighborhoods, that type of infrastructure assessment will come, as Anita said, if there is a reasonzoning request. It's one of the things that's considered as part of that process. Um, so I hope that that that gives you a little bit of clarity into into what to expect with the infrastructure report. Okay. All righty. We give a few more minutes for people to put uh questions in the chat. If you are putting questions in the chat and we're not seeing them, please raise your hand so we can rec we can understand that there's a technological issue. Um

I know this is a very quiet group of questions, right? Notes from your wonderful presentation. Well, here we go. Okay. How did I know that Jeff Hines would ask a question? Okay, great. Anita, can you see the question yourself? No, it just popped up and went away.

I can read it for you. Are the design overlay standards that were implemented in the nations under council member Horton's guidance, a similar example of development styles that would be appropriate under RN zoning district, i.e. incap lots being granted additional height and density. I might I might Did I see Bob on this call? Did I see him earlier? I know that that council member Horton, you know, was was a conceptwide, right? I mean, a large neighborhood, right? Um, and so I'm not for sure of all the details that went into the UDO. Um, I think I think RN and RL, and correct me, uh, Katie if I misspeak at all, but I think I mean they've already got like the bulk standards built into them, right?

Right. That's right. So I think it would take something else uh than to do something uh you know like what the nations did because that was urban design overlay. Okay. So anything to add Brett Bob? Anything?

I don't think that I don't think that they can can because they're not presenters. So I think what what we can do is Okay. Yeah. Um I think you've given given an answer and if we'll check with them later and if we can always send back um more information to Jeff if there's something additional to add. Sure. Yeah, that sounds good. That sounds good. Yes, I realize that they couldn't unmute.

Um Andy, we have another question from Andy. Are there any portions of T3 or T4 transexs that planning will say the RN and RL zoning are inappropriate for? um sure I mean that they would be inappropriate if they don't meet those kinds of factors that that I talked about that we look for in our analysis right you know there might be some place where uh it's you know the property is mostly encumbered by flood plane perhaps or or it's a interior to a neighborhood on the end of a deadend street I mean just thinking of some examples like that you know that the lack of access, you know, those different factors I went over like close to amenities, close to arterials, corridors, uh lack of access to infrastructure, things like that that we'd be looking for. But we don't have some people have asked us, you know, do we have that already figured out or already mapped? And no, we don't. Okay. Okay. Oh, I love the thumbs up. Thank you so much. Um Okay, we'll just wait a couple more minutes and um um for people to add things to the chat. Right.

Yeah. Okay. Hey, we can hear you, Donald.

Okay. I'll I'll work with Anita in community plans. I know a couple of the things that we have gotten um have to do with like individual properties and not being certain whether to support or oppose this because we're not certain how it's going to affect our individual property. And I just sort of want to reemphasize what Anita said earlier, which is really that what we're just trying to do here is create a policy framework, create some guidance. Um, your individual property and how how an individual neighborhood or properties would be affected. That would have to be looked at during an actual zoning process. So that would be when when an applicant comes forward to actually request a property to be reszoned to RN or RL. That's the time at which there would be like a full evaluation of all of those factors that Anita listed earlier. But the purpose of this particular um project or this particular uh planning commission item is just to create the policy framework.

Thank you, Donald. It's always good to have another voice chime in, hit the high points. You know, I was in a meeting uh earlier this week where folks were just wearing out the chat, right? I mean, you couldn't it was question after question popping up and you couldn't even see the slides. And so, I just think what a what a contrast with with this group. Okay. See here. So I did see please confirm

I know it uh can when the new CCM map will be released will it be released on April 1st as well?

Um there will not be a new community character manual map. So that is what uh we were talking about that this um the oh the CCM like as a document though will be uh like if this is adopted at planning commission CCM would be in effect with with what the guidance it was saying with RN and RL but there won't be an associated map with it because we don't know where those categories are where you know the new districts are because no one has applied to reszone yet. So does that make sense? You can see um the staff report when it's released uh tomorrow. We'll we'll also go through like all the changes to the community character manual uh in detail and then if the commission adopts those it would go into effect after the commission meeting and then we would start taking applications and hold preapps and that type of stuff beginning on April 1st. But once again, there's no there's no map associated with that yet. That the map would happen as as resonings are approved. Ah, adding questions to the Q&A. I think I think y'all are looking at the Q&A too, right? Or no. Oh, yes we are. I'm sorry. I'm writing back Dan right now. So, I just wanted to let We do see them. We're just writing you back. Okay. Let's see. Let's see. Got it. I did go to this um this slide here just to remind people of the next steps and that if you think of a question after the presentation or you have something that's a little more nuanced and you don't uh want to share here, uh feel

free to email me. My email is there, easy to find at the planning department. Um, so happy to answer additional questions. Uh, I know I covered a lot of information. There's a lot of information here, but we always like to remind people the background. We didn't want to start with just here are the CCM updates and have people then trying to remember, well, what is the community character manual? What does it do? And so that's why we always like to take time to run through Nashville Next and all its components. Okay. Okay. Right. So, we have So, give maybe a couple more minutes for questions, maybe another minute. And um and I just want to uh emphasize that that point about Anita made that if you do have questions that come after um we are here to talk to you. So please reach out. We're happy to talk through this. We know um the different you know the all everything that Anita covered basically today is confusing. Policy is generally kind of a confusing um concept. And so we're really happy to speak with anyone to talk further and talk it out and and really try to explain it in different ways that maybe make um are more clear. So please give us please reach out to Anita so we can take the time to do that. Right. All right. I'm not seeing any additional questions.

Okay. Well, thank thank you so much for joining. Yes. Oh, well, one more. Yes, the recording will be made available online. Um, I I believe we'll be putting on our social media so people can access it there. Okay. And if you can't find it, reach out to Yeah, reach out to Anita. Yeah, you bet. Um, and Kelsey, can we just uh can you just delete the part where I open the wrong presentation? Can you just clip that and make it like make it smooth? Right. Yes, of course. Right. Yeah. Uh so question about social media. Yeah. Um planning departments right?

Yeah. Um I Facebook um Blue Sky and Instagram I believe are our um social plat our social media platforms. And I think that's it.

Yeah. Once again, if you if you can't find that information, just just email me. We'll we'll we'll link you up with it. Yeah, and Ann, I wanted to say I I did answer your question. Um I think Donald answered your question or and again, if you have additional questions um that we or if we're not being clear, please reach out. We'd love to have additional conversations with you. This is our um public engagement opportunity. Um and then there's another opportunity to share your thoughts at the public hearing at Metro Planning Commission, which Anita has on the screen. Um, so please reach out to us. We'd love to to continue the conversation for those who do have additional questions or ones that pop up later.

Yes. I know some people might want to go back through the slides and let things sink in a little bit more. Yeah. Okay. I'm so sorry, Ann uh to hear that you're disappointed, but definitely um I think we uh as answered your questions um and we can con I'm happy to jump on a call with you and talk through um what what parts are missing or what wasn't um what didn't answer your question. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you everyone.