Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Really good to see everybody on this beautiful day. Uh we'll go ahead and get started. And so first uh was the call to order, which we already did. And next is B, the adoption of the agenda, which was sent out earlier. Is there a motion to adopt? There's a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppos? No. Eyes have it. And the agenda is adopted. Next, vice chair, good to see you. Next is the item C. Approval of the March 2026, 2026. I get that every time. Gets me. Approval of the March 26, 2026 meeting minutes. Is there Is there a motion to adopt? There's a motion. Second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppos? Eyes have it. And the March 26 minutes are adopted. Next is item D, which is the the the newer public comment period. And per our rules, Lisa, if you'll just guide us through this real quick to remind the audience about our new rule.

Sure. So, this is a public comment period that's set up to comply with state law. This is only for items where a required public hearing has already been held and closed or where there is not a required public hearing. Um, I don't believe we had anybody sign up tonight. I got the sheet right here. Nobody signed up. And so we'll move on to the next order which is items E recognition of the council members and I didn't see any council members. So if any of them come in, we'll we'll we'll recognize them. Next is so seeing no council members, we'll move on to item F, which is the items for deferral withdrawal. And go ahead and lead us through that, Leslie.

Yeah. So, starting on page number four, um item number three, 2025 SP046001, Kersy Property SP. Um staff's recommendation is to defer to the April 23rd planning commission meeting. Um item number four, 2025 SP048001 New Hope Gardens SP. Staff's recommendation is to defer to the April 23rd planning commission meeting. Item number 5A, 2026, SP00004001, Innovation Neighborhood SP. Staff's recommendation is to defer to the April 23rd, 2026 planning commission meeting. Item number 5B, uh, 2005P 035001, J. Alexander's pud cancellation. Staff's recommendation is to defer to the April 23rd planning commission meeting. Uh moving on to page number five, item number eight, 2026 S037001 Cali subdivision phase 2 staff's recommendation is to defer to the April 23rd planning commission meeting. And that concludes the items for deferral withdrawal.

Thank you. And so, commissioners, the these are the following items for deferral withdrawal. And make sure these are correct. Items number three, four, 5A, 5B, and item eight. Is that correct? All right, commissioners, you've heard the items for deferral withdrawal. Is there a motion? There's a question. Commissioner Dundon, I just need to recuse from the vote on 5 A and 5B. Okay. Well, that's proper. So, we'll recuse your you from 5A and 5B. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppos? No. Eyes have it. And those items are deferred or withdrawn. Next is item G, the consent agenda, and you'll take us through that. Um, for items noted below and read aloud on the tenative consent agenda. We will ask if anyone is in opposition to the item. If there is opposition, please raise your hand and that item will be heard by the planning commission in the order in which they are listed on the on the agenda. If no opposition is present, the item will be placed on the consent agenda. Please note that items on the consent agenda will be voted at on at once at a single time and no additional public hearing will be held nor will the commission debate these items unless a member of the audience or the commission requests that the item be removed from the consent agenda. And starting on page three, item number one, 2025 CP0120001, Canidge Antioch Small Area Study. Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the consent agenda. On page number four, um, item number two, 2022, SP075002, Lincoln Tech SP amendment. Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the agenda to be heard. Move on to page number five. Item number six, 2026 SP 008001 Dragon Ball and Boba. Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the consent agenda. Item number 7, 2026 034001 poleium subdivision.

Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the consent agenda. Item number 9, 2026 Z012 PR00001. Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the consent agenda. And on page six, item number 11, 2026 Z024 PR001. Is anyone here in opposition to this item? This item will be on the consent agenda. Now, we'll go ahead and read through the um items on through the consent agenda with their full captions. Um, as information for our audience, if you're not satisfied with the decision made by the planning commission today, you may appeal the decision by petitioning for a rid of cert with the Davidson County Chancery or Circuit Court. Your appeal must be filed within 60 days um of the date of the entry of the planning commission's decision. To ensure that your appeal is filed in a timely manner and that all procedural requirements have been met, please be advised that you should contact independent legal counsel. So on page 3, 2025, CP012 001 Can Antioch Small Area Study. A request to amend the Southeast and Antioch pre-lake community plans by adopting the Cane Antioch Small Area Study and Can Supplemental Policy for located along and south of Old Hickory Boulevard, Bell Road, and Mount View Road. Staff's recommendation is to approve.

On page five, item number 6, 2026, SP008001, Dragon Ball and Boba. A request to reszone from R6 to SP zoning for property located at 103828th Avenue North. Staff's recommendation is to approve with conditions and disapprove without all conditions. Item number 7, 2026 S 2026S 034001 Pium subdivision, a request for final plat approval to create one lot on a portion of property located at Highway 100. Staff's recommendation is to approve with conditions including variances to section 4-2, the Metro subdivision regulations. Item number nine, 2026 Z012 PR 001, a request to reszone from RS7.5 to R8- A zoning district for property located at 470 RER Street. Staff recommendation to approve. And item number 11, 2026 Z024 PR 001, a request to reszone from RM9 to RM15 ANS, zoning for property located at 705A Skyline Ridge Drive. Staff's recommendation is to approve. And uh under item I, other business, item number 15, accept the director's report and approve administrative items. Thank you. And llo, did you read item 10 and 11? Is that make sure we got

10 10 is a text amendment. So, we're planning to present that. Thank you. Perfect. Thank you. So, commissioners, and make sure we get these correct. So, the items to pass together on the consent agenda are the following. Items 1, 6, 7, 9, and 11. Is that correct? 15. And 15. Sorry.

1 6 7 9 11 and 15. Yes, that's correct. Okay. Commissioners, you've heard the items to pass on the consent agenda. Is there a motion? It's a motion and second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppose. No. Eyes have it. And those items are adopted. And so that leads us to we are only going to hear items two and 10 and 10 being a text amendment. All right. So now we are ready for the items to be considered. And just to remind everybody if um some have been down here many times, some may may be new. And so how uh the public hearing goes is we'll do the the staff will do the presentation. We'll open the item up for public hearing. The applicant has eight minutes and can save two of the uh eight minutes for rebuttal. Then anyone wishing to speak, we'll line you up. Everybody can line up in front of the podium. Everybody gets two minutes. We have a timer over here. Um and we appreciate everybody coming down for that. and then the applicant will have a rebuttal after everyone wishing to speak speaks and then the council member and then we'll close the public hearing and then we'll deliberate it uh as the commission and so if everybody would make sure you silent your phones and we really appreciate everybody coming down. All right, first item item number two. Go ahead.

All right, this is item number two on the agenda. The request is to amend a specific plan for various properties generally located west of Gallatin Pike. Staff's recommendation is to approve with conditions and disapprove without all conditions. The request is to amend the existing Lincoln Tech SP which was approved by council in 2023 to add the additional parcels along the southern portion of the site zoned O20 shown in green, RS5 shown in red, and CS shown in pink. Uh the amended site area consists of 30 parcels totaling approximately 19 acres located west of Gallatin Pike north of Douglas Avenue uh south of Mccclurken and east of EMTT Avenue. There are mix of uses presently on the site including including residential office or medical industrial and vacant lots. A large portion of the site was previously developed with the Lincoln College of Technology and many of the structures associated with this use were demolished in 2025. Surrounding uses include one and two family residential, industrial, commercial, and commercial uses. And surrounding zoning districts include various residential zoning districts, CS and SP. There are several policies on the site. T4 urban community center which is shown in that darker purple color is intended to maintain, enhance and create urban community centers that contain commercial, mixed use and institutional land uses with residential uses and mixed buildings or serving as a transition to adjoining community character policies. Um there's also T4 urban neighborhood evolving which is shown in pink. Um which is intended to create and enhance urban residential neighborhoods that provide more housing choices, improve pedestrian bicycle and vehicular connectivity and mo and moderate to high density development patterns with shallow setbacks and minimal spacing between buildings. There's transition policy which is shown in that hatched pattern um which is intended to enhance and create areas that can serve as transitions between higher intensity uses or major major thoroughares and lower density

residential neighborhoods while providing opportunities for small-cale offices or residential development. Housing and transition areas can include a mix of types and is especially appropriate for missing middle housing types with small to mediumsiz footprints. There's also a little bit of conservation which is shown in green. Um and that's intended to preserve environmentally sensitive land features through protection remediation. Uh this is um this particular part of conservation policy here is kind of noting the um a wet weather conveyance on that southern southern southwestern edge. This is the plan that was approved by the planning commission and council in 2023. It permitted 950 multif family units and 300,000 square feet of non-residential uses um and a hotel use with no limitation on the number of hotel keys. As you can see, the proposed amended SP is similar to the previously approved plan. Gallatin Pike is on the right with McCclarken to the north. Um, the amended SP would permit 950 multif family residential units, 350,000 square feet of non-residential uses, and a 99 key hotel, which is limited to block three at the southeast quarter. Across the site, there's about 3 and a half acres of open space with about two and a half being publicly accessible. The plan is split into two districts, the residential district on the left and the mixeduse district on the right. Uh the residential district is limited to limited in height to three stories and 45 ft. Uh north of Strauss are attached and detached town homes and south of Strauss the smaller parcels include cottagec court residential uses. Sidewalks and about 1.2 acres of a public open space are provided in the residential portion of the site. The density of the residential portion is about 50 units an acre. Across the mixeduse district, there are several structures ranging from three to seven stories tall. The next slide will

have a height model. A programmable open public open space is at the northeast corner of Strauss and TCA with open space connecting TCA Avenue to Gallatin Pike. Active floor active ground floor uses or areas of open space are present on all four corners of the intersection of Strauss and Tbeca. North McCluren um a single family lot will become five live work units that are oriented to the south. Um also the Ren Raw House will be moved which is consistent with the approved preliminary to the corner of McCluren and Tbeca Avenue subject to conditions from the Metro Historic Historical Zoning Commission staff. The plan also proposes the realignment of Strauss Avenue uh through the site to line up with Straightway Avenue which is labeled in green on there. Um the development or and this intersection will be signalized as well. Uh the development will implement the major and collector street plan requirements for rightaway dedication improvements along Gallatin Pike um which has been designated an all access corridor within the choose how you move plan. And then as proposed there's one right in right out vehicular access point shown on Gallatin Pike which is circled in blue. Across the mixeduse district, there are several structures ranging from three to seven stories. The taller six or sevenstory buildings are central to the site or closer to the Gallatin Pike frontage. Structured parking will be integrated into some of these or into some of the mixeduse buildings with most garage parking being aligned with uses. There's also language for architectural design enhancements to integrate exposed garage facades. Here's a massing model looking to the north um with the intersection of Strauss and TCA at the center. The programmable open space is visible in the center here. The proposed plan meets many of the shared goals of the three major policies on the site. Uh the residential district of the site is in the T4NE policy while

the majority of the mixeduse district is in the TR transition and T4CC policies. Uh the mixeduse buildings along with the central open space provide an intense urban mixeduse environment and create highly connected pedestrian focused street networks. Development also proposes the creation of an approximately 3/4 acre open space um to serve as a gathering area for the neighborhood um framed by active uses and highdensity multif family units. The realignment of Strauss uh Strauss Avenue with Straightaway Avenue contributes to pedestrian and vehicular safety with the addition of the signalized in intersection improvements per the MMTA. Um and then in the conditions of approval, staff is recommending that the access point um not be permitted at this time on Gallatin Pike due to the ongoing development of conceptual designs for the Gallatin all access corridor. The development is located along the busiest we go route and Gallatton Pike is an all access corridor in the Chime plan. The condition includes language for the applicant to coordinate with NDOT um and the Chime team and we go uh to review the to review and analyze the future final site plan in order to make a final determination on the entrance. You'll also see in the memo that was provided under the revised condition number two that if the access is not approved district that fall within the T4NE and TR policies will be developed with appropriately dense residential districts or sorry residential uses at a smaller scale providing an app appropriate transition to the surrounding one and two family neighborhood. In addition to contextually sensitive development patterns created through the use of town homes adjacent to the single family existing single family residential fabric. The combination of active uses in residential town home types contribute to pedestrian friendly streetscapes and open spaces throughout the development. Consistent with the guidance included in the T4CC and T4NE policies.

The proposed SP amendment would permit a mixeduse development that achieves the intent of the urban policy areas within which it is located. In instances where the policy calls for more contextsensitive u design based on the surrounding context, the SP amendment includes design standards that integrate new structures and density into the existing urban fabric. The proposal will include or sorry will enhance this prominent location along a multimodal corridor while also providing more opportunities to meet the needs of the surrounding community. So staff's recommendation is to approve with conditions and disapprove without all conditions. Thank you.

Thank you. Great work. Uh, we'll go ahead and open this item for public hearing. And is the applicant in the room? Come on up. Welcome. You have eight minutes and you can save two of the eight minutes for rebuttal. Please state your name and who you're with. Oh, hold on. Let's get your microphone on. Ben Krenshaw with Southern Land Company. Here, hold it up to There we go.

I can yell at y'all if you want me to. Uh, head of design for Southern Land Company. Y'all hear me? um have Michael McN with me here as well as our consultant team to be able to answer any questions that that you might have. Uh just want to um ask your um um recommendation of approval. We accept all conditions. Um we feel like this has been a real improvement to the plan. I do want to thank uh staff for their involvement and this the uh staff report is very comprehensive. We're not going to go rehash over all of uh the points that she made, but we feel like this is a significant improvement to the SP that was approved back in January of 2023. We did have uh input from Councilman Parker, from staff, from WeGo, from the neighborhood. We had two uh significant community meetings over the last couple of months where we did receive a lot of input. And I hope Councilman Parker was he's not able to be here today, but I hope he was able to relay uh his opinion of of this proposal. Um we are adding three acres of property. To boil this down, we're adding three acres of property plus or minus. And uh from an entitlements perspective, we're asking for another 50,000 square feet of commercial. That from an entitlements and um uh SP perspective, those are the only two differences. So, and that the three acres is a 17% increase in the land total and the 50,000 square feet of commercial is a 17% increase in the entitlements for commercial that we have. So, it's just a a proportional increase of of commercial entitlements is really all that we're asking for. We're not asking to increase the amount of residential um entitlements. Well, we're still at the 950. So, we we want to keep that um consistent. So to boil it down for you, we've made a lot of plan changes that the staff report was did a a really good job of of u summarizing. We feel like they're very

much improvements uh to the plan. Some of the things that we got um uh that some of the plan improvements that we made based on comments that we received from really everybody from the community, from the council member um that we were able to add um into the plan. We increased the density of the forale residential. We added more town homes. That was a a concern and a and a um a request from the community and from Councilman Parker. Um we've been working with planning and INDOT. We go. Great summary of of the improvements that we've made and realignment of Strauss. We think at a at a significant cost to us helps to organize the plan organize Gallatin Pike and again increase that pedestrian safety for making that crossing. One of the one of the significant uh topics of discussion with the community has been the hotel. The hotel is an is an is a an allowed use on the base zoning and allowed use in the current SP and we've we heard a lot of of uh um concerns about the use of the hotel. We have restricted non notowner occupied STRs within our project from the very start. So we want to make that clear. We think a hotel uh is a great complimentary use to a very mixeduse environment like that. We hope will be a good complement to the Renro neighborhood. We have voluntarily limited the number of keys to 99 and in an effort to keep the hotel traffic out of that was one of the main concerns that there would be traffic generated by the hotel. We've kept it at the very uh outside of the community so that we would not drive traffic into the community. So with that, we think this is a very we think this is a very improved plan from what was approved in January of 23. Um, happy to ask answer any questions from you. As far as the open space goes, the open space is is in our DNA as a company. I'm a designer.

Um, we manage our HOAs across the country. We're from Nashville. We love music. We put on productions of music, concert series, um, pop-up markets, farmers markets, and it's been a it's just part of what we do. And so from the there has been a change in open space. We we've relocated, we've rearranged it a little bit, but it's still very central to uh the basic concept of what we're trying to do that we're building the neighborhood. We're building the open space for not only this neighborhood, but for the surrounding neighbors uh and even the wider community to have a place together. So with that, I'll answer any questions. I will reserve the two minutes for for rebuttal. Um and again, Ben, Michael, the rest of our consultant team, happy to answer any questions you might have.

Thank you. And we'll reserve two minutes for rebuttal. Appreciate it. And the question part is at the end if we have any questions. Thank you. All right. Anyone wishing to speak, come on up and if you'll line up behind the microphone and that way we can please state your name and uh everyone has two minutes. Welcome.

Hi, my name is Brie Merrill and um I am a neighbor in the Renro community. Um, our our main focus here, we really care about green space. And I'm not talking about retail destination to keep our businesses open, which we also appreciate that. We love that. And we're not also talking about the little pockets of green space that are like right on people's front lawns. Um we are we desire to have a singularly located um half to three4 of an acre of green space that's not attached to any of those things. Um we have no green space or a park without having to walk across Gallatin where people get hit and die on a monthly basis. um that our side of the street has no has no parks, no open green space for us to use. Um you guys have the influence and the responsibility to forever impact the future residents all over Nashville, not just ones that currently live here, but people who will continue to move in. Um once you build urban density, you really can't undo it. and we are for it, but we also understand how detrimental to like our mental health and our emotional well-being it is to get outside to be able to go to a park with your kid, to be able to just walk your neighborhood uh in a safe environment. Um, Alex Ables, which is another neighbor, sent you all and Southerntherland a giant packet of research that he conducted based on the um, pros and cons of having green space and how it reduces depression and anxiety as well as boosts not only their property values, but their retention in their apartments. So,

they save millions of dollars. We did all the research on pros and cons and so we hope that you have looked at that. Thank you. Come on up. Welcome. Hi.

My do I someone say go? Okay. I'm Sarah Wigle. I'm a tenure faculty member at Belmont University and I'm a very committed Renro resident. I love where I live. These are some of my closest friends as well as my neighbors. And I think it would be a big mistake to assume that everything Southernland has presented today is actually the beliefs of the community. Um, one of the slides or something the staff read said meet the they want this development to meet the needs of the surrounding community. That's us. We're here, some of us, and we'd like to share with you what we really think, which is that number one, we want a park. The very first image that you were shown of the plan showed what to us looked like actually two parks and then now it's these little slivers of green space. One of them connected to commercial activity. Um Bri has spoken really well about the advantages of having a green space or what I would call as a lay person a park. Um I'd also like to point out some of the traffic concerns which have not at all been um spoken to by anyone today or in the past. There has not been a traffic study. When you mention that you live at the corner of Gallatin and Douglas, people go, "Oo, because they know, first of all, how dangerous it is and also how frequent it is and the traffic has only gotten worse since a recent light was installed." So, I don't know who wants the straightaway alignment. I do not. None of my neighbors seem to want that. Um, that seems like it's going to cause a lot more traffic. And putting a 99 room hotel on that exact same corner is also going to cause traffic along with the 950 additional residences that are being added. And some of those are going to be two, four, five people living in those residences. So then you can multiply that and see what traffic is about to become on that exact corner. So I do not think we can move forward today unless we get a lot more answers first. And again, I'm prodevelopment as a whole and I like Southern Land and what they do in

Franklin, but what they're proposing here is not good enough. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Come on up. Anyone else wishing to speak and make sure we get everybody? All right, seeing none, uh, two-minute rebuttal. We appreciate them, uh, being here today and those are consistent with that is their comments are consistent with the discussions that we've had over the past uh several months. Really don't have anything else to add. Um so if y'all have any questions, I'm happy to answer. Thank you.

So I'd like to clarify that a traffic study was done and it was done through KCI our consultant who's here today. Any questions answered, but that was done as part of this amendment. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am. Please. Anyone else? All right. So, the council member is not here. So, seeing no one else wish to speak, I declare the public hearing closed. Vice Chair, you want to start us off?

Um, sure. So, can you um pull up the map that the um commenter referred to about the previous plan and where there was open space and what this current plan looks like. So this is the previous one and then this is the proposed. Okay.

Um and the and the previously approved plan was was that considered public open space? Um running I guess what you're calling district two uh on the mcleren emit avenue side. Was that public open space or was this all public open space? I don't recall if it was all public open space, but I think that the you can't see my cursor that the majority of that that interior space was the the like trapezoidal one. Okay. Okay. Um it was not open space like parkland, but it it would be publicly accessible,

right? Um I mean I I I see the concern um with reduction in open space here um and just increased it does feel like this is a more um a more dense development. And I know we don't aren't based all on density, but um it does feel like there is less open space here. And given this does a butt to a primarily single family neighborhood, I I you know, and looking at this sort of from the macro perspective, um from from Douglas up to I guess maybe Trinity, there's very little green space uh for residents in this entire area. Now, is that all the responsibility of this development? No. But I certainly think that continuing to think about ways to provide more open space that would be available to the neighbors is really important. Um obviously this is not the final final stage. Hopefully there's still some room for thinking about that. Um my other question was was about Strauss um and uh connect and realigning that. Um, I do see the benefit of aligning with Straightaway. Um, but I'm a little worried about the signal because you've got a signal there and you're going to have a signal on Douglas and those are right next to each other. Um, in the past history, two signals right close to each other tends to create worse traffic. So, I'm kind of curious. I was just trying to scan the conditions again um to see what was said about that, but I'm wondering if there was any discussion about the fact that that's going to be two signals back to back. I could see that really leading to more congestion, especially if the hotel is on the far side and that could potentially back up as well.

Yeah, I do want to point out I end review this plan and typically when they have signals that are close together like that, they'll work out the timing of them. I know there's been some in the past where they were mistimed that in the recent past they've they've worked to get those the the timing in alignment so that it's not a problem. Um I want to go back real quick to the open space question. This the the current plan does provide a higher percentage overall of open space than the previous plan. There's more. It's not apples to apples because there's different land area, but the percentage percentage-wise it's uh it goes it increases from what it's the percentage.

So, let me let me clarify. So, um the previous plan had 3.09 acres of open space and this one has 3.48 acres of open space, but that like if you do percentage because they have more now, it went from 18.9% to 18.2%. It's a little bit less. Okay. Um, they do have more public open space with this plan. It was at 2.2 acres before. Now it's at 2.5. And there's a little bit more private as well. It went from8 acres to.9 acres. Okay. And the public open space is down um off of Strauss maybe or where or the corner behind the hotel.

It's throughout the plan. Um I don't know if I have Let me see if I can find that slide. I don't have that slide um with with the open space, but um there is there's public open space throughout the plan and then there's also a little bit of private space that's sprinkled throughout too.

Okay. Okay. Um Okay. Uh, I still want to think about the I I would still want to encourage looking really closely at the lights on Gallatin because as soon as you go past Strauss, you also have two other backto-back lights. I don't remember the street names exactly. Um, but by the CVS, I think it's Cahill. Um, there's two other lights and they back up a lot. So I would really ask that NDOT look closely at the timing of the lights from Douglas to to Trinity and think about whether you know how some timing can be done or if as part of this whole study for Gallatin, you know, um I used to drive this all the time. Now I drive West End by Belme by Whitebridge all the time and I see the challenges of not having lights that time are timed correctly. Um, and I just worry that we're creating uh more congestion in this area, which has already gotten so much more congested than it used to be. Um, I do think that while ideally it would be great to see more open space on this in this project, the one benefit of aligning Strauss with straightaway is that you do have a an easier pedestrian crossing of Gallatin and you can get to some of the parks on the other side of Gallatin. Not ideal, but hopefully that makes it a little bit more pedestrian friendly to get across the street. Um, so I mean, I think that's kind of my comments on it. I mean, I think it's it's great to get more housing into this area. It um it's a lot, but this is an area where we do have access to transit, and in theory, these should be um slightly more affordable homes hopefully. Uh and this is an area where you know it's it's certainly needed high

demand. Um but again just this is a lot in an area where infrastructure is is not used to it. So we just need to always keep that in mind. Yeah. Director

Commissioner, one thing I wanted to note, um, you heard the team mention that this is an all access corridor. And so now that we're implementing choose how you move, we're looking programmatically with DOT, the uh, we go team and the Chime team about how the corridors overall are going to function. And I think it's going to require um, more from sort of private developments that are on those corridors to work within those constraints. And so we're still very early in that phase, but I would just say stay tuned and we'll come brief you. Signal alignment is a is a big piece of how we're trying to look at functionality. And so I think while I know we're looking at just this site, rest assured that's a big functional aspect of the referendum implementation that I'm really looking forward to.

Good. This is an area that needs it. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you, director. Very helpful. Commissioner Dundon.

Um so in in hearing the commenters and reading some of the comments um online that were submitted, it even if we're expanding or even not contracting very much the overall open space, it does seem like it has um it has moved to smaller patches which may be great for like pollinators and the environment but it it doesn't have the same impact on community use. Um and I hear the you know and I think that um vice chair mentioned this as well just the need for parks and you know maybe developers are not responsible for parks and a great city has great parks in walking distance. Um some of the commenters notice noted that there's not there's not a public park in walking distance um or a reasonable walking distance of this community. Um, so that that's a concern and I I think another commenter noted that some of the open space has was planned to be grassy but then turned into paved open space and I just wondered if the staff could um talk to speak to that a little bit and if there is room for any kind of adjustments in in just making some of the open space more green as opposed to just open but but concrete and maybe I'm misunderstood that those comments but um so yeah anyway that's one of my questions.

I mean, the open space, there are pathways and there are sort of some shared driveways and walkways that they may have been referring to, but I mean, the green areas on this plan are um primarily the the usable open space areas, but some of the the in the back portion, some of the driveways also serve as walkways. I don't know if that's what was being referred to or not, but they're kind of a shared space. Is the blue I mean, I don't know if it's a swimming pool or if that's the if but the blue area where it looks like next to it may be green space or maybe concrete space. I just can't tell.

And commissioner, we may have to get the developer to ask answer that question because they they are much more familiar with the plan. So, what restate your question for the developer? Yeah, I guess the question is is was there is there open space that was uh planned to be green and then is now a paved open space and is there any room to expand some of that green space back to being green if that's correct?

This is a this is a this very difficult question to answer just in a in a simple yes no answer. Um we had to relook at holistically how the whole project worked. We had the original open space in the middle of this very long block between uh EMTT and TCA. We had significant concerns once we really started getting into it about the inaccessibility of it while it was larger and a little more contiguous. We had concerns about the visibility, the security of it. And so and also we had a 400 foot long building sitting in the middle of that block. So, we as we started re-evaluating, we we came to this plan where we're allowing more circulation through the block. And as as was mentioned, we see these as shared streets that move through. So, not all of it is is green grass like it was shown before. Um, however, as as an overall percentage, we're about we're pretty close to where we were. Plan is much more organized, much more executable from our perspective, and the buildings got smaller. So, we're trying we were one of our main goals was trying to break up this long block to allow a lot more pedestrian activity. I want to make it very clear that all of this all of this open space is private, but we welcome our neighbors to use it. So, it is while it's not a public park, we are not gating them. We are not, you know, dissuading people from using these spaces and we work really hard to try to make the pedestrian connectivity move through especially the large block on the on the the west side. We are still evaluating. We're not at the final SP. The this plan is a bit confusing and there there's a um 3D render is sort of a a massing that you might be able to go back to where we're showing several levels when you look at the this one is probably the best one to look at. That open space that green on this corner of TCA and Strauss wraps up and through the

building. One of the one of the previous comments from planning as we were going through in the first iteration of the SP was we really wish we could make a connection to Gallatin to the open space whereas before it wasn't. We're we're making this we have a couple of bridges that go across it and we have high hopes for very interesting urban type of open space here on this corner. We're still studying the configuration of it. We're still at preliminary SP. are not there finally, but we've heard a lot of comments about can we make that space a little bit little bit larger, a little bit greener, and we're studying that now. So, I hope that it's a long answer. It's not I hope that answers your question. It does.

Um I appreciate that and and I and I do appreciate it is this is it is private property, but we also want to encourage green space and um you know that it that it meets the needs of the community. Um, I think it's it's important and sometimes rare that we get such a a large number of parcels to be coordinated like this. And that's to me one thing that I think is done well here that there is some planning across all these parcels. Um, and so for that reason also I I think this is a a good plan overall. Um, and I would be inclined to support the a the amendment. Thank you, Commissioner. Any other discuss? Commissioner Henley.

Thank thank you chair and and Seline I'm just a heads up might ask you to drive between these the two slides but I want to say I'm glad to follow um Commissioner Dun because a lot of the points that I that I think I was going to ask about she made and I appreciate the response that was given by the the developer especially about thinking about the context of of the of the community and and the scale of the buildings. If you would go back to the previous SP. So, so one thing that stood out to me, if I'm looking at it as as a as a neighbor and a resident, I think the the green space, especially with a lot of the opposition emails that we got, there was a lot of comments about the I would say the perception of the green space being reduced. And you know, the the way I interpret what I'm seeing on the screen now is much more of an onus towards creating kind of a pocket near Strauss Avenue and then kind of that more linear park feel um that really honors Renwall House. And we we heard it today a lot of people in the community, they they they name their community by the Renwall House. And if you go to the new um it doesn't really honor the the house and the connectivity and the story to the house. And so my thought, which I know we're not supposed to design from back here, but I do think there's a special opportunity to look at maybe what's up in the right hand corner near the Renro House of maybe creating more green space there. The way I the way I see the policy, it looks like that's already community center area. So the threetory kind of limit that's on that maybe can be looked at and we could look at maybe an more expanded green space there. I think it makes a lot of sense especially with it being next to the historic house. My thought is that area has some opportunity to be reimagined especially when you when you face the community on that edge. You have the historic house there. Maybe it's not a long linear park but it's something that really creates

that as a place. the other changes and the more green space align with the other buildings, especially on the southern side of Strauss Avenue. I I think that's actually better on that side of the street. I mean, it creates more of a natural um feel to to create a little bit of separation and context for what I would say what's to come in the future. But that was that's kind of my only comment. I think the perception of seeing less green and maybe more of a PA ornamentated um view of a street grid probably didn't wow as much as the first green image did. And I know there's some looks like even different software is used to render it. So I know some of those things come across differently, but but my specific focus would just be, you know, an opportunity to to highlight the house and look at that upper right hand corner, maybe reimagine that piece. But as as far as the input from, you know, INDOT and being able to think about this as a more connected area of town and neighborhood, I I absolutely agree with those are those are my comments.

Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Vice Chair and then Commissioner Leslie.

I have one more thought just kind of related to what Commissioner Henley was saying and again not that we can move into the design phase but it feels like building one is maximizing all of the you know maximizing its presence on that block. Um and and the building as it stood before didn't quite feel so imposing and that also to me sort of makes it feel a little bit more connected. um to the historic house. So, I don't know if there's anything that could be done in just sort of getting a little bit more space around building one to you know as an option maybe to do some of the connectivity across to the um historic home. But I you know I do think that there is I think that's a really good suggestion to think about open space opportunities in that corner. Sorry, Commissioner Leslie. Commissioner Wesley,

you know, thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, I'm from Nashville and it's uh CAL uh not Cahal. You know, I passed by this. This is nostalgia for me. I remember when this was the Diesel College and what it was before that. And I remember the Rimoir house and uh and and then I see everything that's torn down and is sitting there. And I always think and it has nothing to do with anything. is just my thought about the design. Uh I thought that's the that's one of that campus is beautiful. Uh the green there is just outstanding in the middle of the city and I thought I said you know I thought I would wonder how everything could be built around the house uh the green land and all that other rather than moving it to uh another area. But that's just my thought. I I was thinking that when I see I say, "Oh, they're going to build around it and make that the focal point." And I know as developers and so forth, it might not work that way, but um but that's just my thought. I I I mean, it's a beautiful campus, always has been a beautiful campus, and I like the house where it is, and but it conforms to policy, and uh you're putting a lot of units in a small space. I think 950, but policy will allow you to do that. But just my thought is that I just wish you could keep the house right there in the middle as a focal point because it's beautiful. That area is beautiful. That's all I have to say, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Commissioner. Any other discussion? All right, we'll need a motion. Somebody make a motion. And I think we we potentially have a few conditions that we could Commissioner Hanley, you want to or vice chair, want to try to vice chair or Commissioner Henley. Commissioner Hanley. All right. All right.

My straw always seems to be a little shorter than everybody else's, but I'm I'm glad to I'm glad to make the attempt. Um, so I think my I want to make sure I communicate this correctly because my my sentiment is positive on on what was presented to us. So, I think I'm making a motion to approve staff's recommendation um with conditions and disapprove without all conditions inclusive of the um memo that we received um here before us with I'll say at least with my additional comment to specifically look at the maybe north uh northeast uh corner near the uh Renoir house potentially for a greater um accent and open space opportunity.

That's a proper motion. And vice chair, do you want to I think that's that could capture some of your thoughts on building one. Yes, I will second. Um but I have a question. Oh, yeah. We're still in discussion. So, yes, ma'am. What about um is there it sounds like I my request that we're looking at the signalization all the way up uh the block but that you're saying is already underway so maybe that isn't something

I think it's appropriate Lisa if you want to weigh in to um sort of ensure that NOT is um evaluating the sequence and efficacy of of the conditions. I wanted you to know programmatically it's it's much larger than just this site and ensuring that that will allow safe, you know, safer access across Gallatin. Lisa, how do you would you want to make a recommendation? Lisa, it's Douglas to the Y that I would like the lights to make sure they're timed right because otherwise I think you're going to have a lot of backup. just require NOTC certify that.

Yeah, I mean I would just say and then I would just say with a uh with installation of the new signal that uh IND do uh review and adjust t signal timing as necessary. Okay. What Lisa said would be my additional condition. All right. That's a proper motion. So, we have a suggestion from Commissioner Henley and a suggestion on signalization green space near the house and signalization from the vice chair. I think that's proper motion and I know that's complicated, but I know y'all will work with us and work with the staff and I think that

um the comments made get the intent of what we're talking about and that's why we're here to make the plan better. And so, um that's a proper motion. Is there a second? There's a second. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppos? No. Eyes have it. And it's adopted. And we want to thank everybody for coming down. All right, we are on item number 10. Good evening. My name is Seth Harrison. I'll pres I'll be presenting item number 10 uh related towards the housekeeping amendments to the zoning code. This text amendment was brought on by coordination with water services and council member Horton to make general housekeeping amendments throughout the code. The sections being amended are places that water services generally references or interacts within the code itself. One thing to note is that this text amendment includes changes to other titles within the metropolitan code of laws. These items are not included in this discussion as the planning commission is authorized to review changes to title 17. While there are numerous changes proposed, these amendments are housekeeping in nature and do not propose any changes to how the code is interpreted. As noted in this slide, there are changes to multiple sections of title 17 related towards correcting spellings, ensuring correct references to other sections of the code, duplications of text, and updating department names. The planning commission rules and procedures regarding text amendments require a minimum of two planning commission hearings prior to a vote. In this case, staff would recommend that the planning commission make an exception to this rule given the proposal is housekeeping in nature and does not modify how the code is to be interpreted. So the staff recommends approval including exception to section 7D of the planning commission rules and procedures due to the housekeeping nature of this request.

Thank you. And we'll open this item for public hearing. And we're the applicant. And so when the councilman is we are uh anyone here wishing to speak? Sing. Sing. No one else wishing to speak. I declare the public hearing closed. Commissioner Lesley. Uh so the motion would be to suspend the rules and to allow us uh the motion would be to suspend the rules to allow us not to defer but to approve. So Mr. Chair, make a motion to suspend the rules. And what was the other part? And to make a motion to adopt and a motion to defer instead of defer. That's a proper motion. Is there a second? Is there a second? Any other discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.

Oppos? No. Eyes have it. Good job, Commissioner Lesley. Thank you. Lisa would like Oh, Lisa, I just want to say that it will likely be a very rare instance where we ask you all to suspend those rules because we do think that it is important for for text amendments to be reviewed twice. This is a very sort of specific request because of the nature of this amendment. Just to assure you all that it's not something that you should see often. Thank you, Lisa. And we appreciate that. Since it's mostly spelling and technical code, we'll do it this one time. Lisa. Okay. All right. Other business. Historic Commissioner Smith. No. Day chair. All right. Commissioner Henley Parks.

Um I am pleased to share with my fellow commissioners that at the last parks board meeting, I was nominated and confirmed as the vice chair of the parks board. So, um excited for the the work ahead. very deserving, Mr. Henley and I, we do appreciate your extra time. It is a lot more. I've served on both before and so I want to do say thank you. Um, and it is a lot more time and so thank we we're lucky to have you on the board, somebody that is so compassionate about it. We have really good commissioners willing to serve more. So, I appreciate that, Commissioner Smith. Thank you. All right, executive committee. We don't have anything. Um just I will say uh summer's coming so you know try to I'm not saying plan your vacation around the planning commission but you know um if you can uh always work with the staff and uh us right commissioner right vice chair um so I have to do that too and I try so I appreciate everybody doing that um because I know people are starting to plan vacations. Um anything else vice chair? Nope. Nothing else. Director,

two things. Um, when spring comes, so do commission elections. So, in May, um, we will be nominating, uh, chair, vice chair, executive committee, parks rep, uh, historic rep, and I just want to acknowledge your service to the commission. And then, you know, some of you serve us on additional boards. Um, I guess Ed, if you're uh or commissioner, if you're vice chair, we better dang well nominate Ed. Anyway, we we can talk about that chairman. But all that's to say, please give some thought and if you're interested in serving or you're interested in not serving, let us know. Um and um or give me a call and we'll have that on an upcoming agenda in May. And then the other thing I'm I'm excited about is um I'll be working with the chairman to um schedule another work session at some point in the next couple of months. Like to brief you on two projects. Um one of them is the design and development work. We've told you uh init uh a few months ago that we were going to initiate that and we've started the public engagement on that but we're just at the beginning of the inquiry. We want to make sure you're aware. And then the second is um uh what we're calling the ECS. It's an environmental uh conservation plan. Um and I'm really looking forward to that. It's a meaty set of policy partnership and probably regulatory questions and we want to get some feedback from you early about the the work. And so, chairman, if we can do a um work session over the next couple of months to talk about those two projects, I sort of see them holistically together, way of deepening our inquiry into Nashville Next and also I think expressing it differently as we've learned um since its inception and I think can really um improve how we're thinking about growth but also

conservation. So, with that, chairman, that's my report and I'll be in touch. Thank you, director. And I know the director and I have talked about this. Uh you know we used to have weekend board ret like commission retreats. Uh we kind of moved away from that because you know weekends are are cherished by families and we don't want to take you away from your children and

uh it's free but we we have it in a metro building uh and we we with pizza and water like we normally do. So yes it is free. It might cost you more in gas that you drive to it, but especially now. But um we we've had um and the director and I have talked about this and vice chair, we've had a kind of I don't want to say it's an open house for commissioners, but like a just visiting uh the team uh in the office and seeing and looking at some of the tools that they use. And we usually invite the mayor. mayor comes, we walk around, we take a little tour. But that might be something that that you all are interested in. Um, we might work on that in the next six months. Probably not during summer, but um that I know the director is thinking about that and maybe next fall or something. But it's it's really a neat thing to to get to um work with the staff and see what they actually do on a day-to-day basis and and see the facilities. It's really kind of a neat thing. I think commissioners it's important for us to support the team as much as possible and that's just kind of a fun way to do that and that's free as well commissioner. Um so and and sometimes we get coffee or tea or but it's it's

if yeah or a donut maybe or something like that. Um so keep that in mind and director work I know you're working on that. So, no legislative update. Seeing no other business, is there a motion to adjurnn? We're journ. This has been a service of the Metro Nashville Network. If you would like to see this presentation again or for more information on this and other programs, visit nashville.gov.