by Rod Williams - This is an unusual meeting in that it is being conducted remotely via teleconferencing. Only the Vice Mayor, the President pro tem, the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and a few staffers are in the room. Everyone else is participating by computer. All confirmations to Boards and Commissions are deferred and all bills on public hearing are deferred and yet still the meeting is over three and half hours long. Conducting the meeting in this manner is simply a much slower process. The meeting is not gaveled to order until timestamp 11 in the video. Roll call is actually called for this meeting, instead of the usual practice of having the clerk determine who is present. As can be expected there are some technical glitches. The roll call is not completed until timestamp 24. Some Council rules have to be amended to make this method of conducting a council meeting not conflict with the rules.
To access the agenda, the agenda analysis and my commentary on the agenda follow this link. Below is the action on significant legislation.
Resolution RS2020-236 is a resolution approving an application for a Digital Curb Challenge grant from COORD. Nashville is one of only three cities to be selected for this trial program. Some of what curb management can do is manage curb loading zones rather than having permanent fixed loading zones, it can better manage ride sharing and ride hailing by sitting up zones and it can institute demand sensitive pricing for meters within a certain zone. The grant is free and the program is for a trial period. This passes on the consent agenda.
Resolution RS2020-202 is "A resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement by and between the State of Tennessee, Department of Transportation, and The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, acting by and through the Metropolitan Department of Public Works, for signal maintenance for I-440 Traffic Operational Deployment of Blue Toad Spectra Power over Ethernet (PoE) Data Collection Devices, State No. 99111-4604-04; PIN 125652.00 (Proposal No. 2020M-004AG-001)." This would normally pass without controversy, however there is an issue that I thought may make this controversial. Many neighbors of the expanded I-440 corridor have complained of lighting pollution. Some have said that prior to the expansion that they were not bothered by the I-440 lighting but now it shines in their house like a spotlight. Normally the Council would have little leverage to influence the State to address these concerns. If I were serving in the Council I would hold up passage of this resolution until the concerns of constituents were addressed. I don't know if that is what is holding this up or not but it has been pending for months. It is deferred again.
Resolution RS2020-209 is, "A resolution requesting the Davidson County Delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly to support a change in state law to include stormwater utilities among the utilities covered under the Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority Act." The bill was recommended for withdrawal by the Public Works Committee. Council Member Nash withdrew the bill.
Resolution RS2020-236 is a resolution approving an application for a Digital Curb Challenge grant from COORD. Nashville is one of only three cities to be selected for this trial program. Some of what curb management can do is manage curb loading zones rather than having permanent fixed loading zones, it can better manage ride sharing and ride hailing by sitting up zones and it can institute demand sensitive pricing for meters within a certain zone. From what little I know about it this sounds like a good thing. Anyway, the grant is free and the program is for a trial period. This passed on the consent agenda.
Resolution RS2020-251. "A resolution recognizing the retirement of Kay Bowers and her years of service as Executive Director of New Level Community Development Corporation." This is not of general interest but I want to give a shout-out to Kay Bowers. I know her through the affordable housing community. Our work was related. She is a good person and has a heart for helping people. This passed on consent.
Resolution RS2020-257 expresses the Metropolitan Council’s support for SB2908/HB2013, currently pending before the Tennessee General Assembly, which would allow metropolitan governments to enact an impact fee or privilege tax on development. The resolution was recommended for withdrawal by the Budget and Finance Committee. Council Member Sledge moved to defer the resolution indefinitely, which motion was seconded and approved by a voice vote of the Council.
Bills on Second Reading
Bill BL2019-109 makes changes in the city policy toward scooters or what is termed "shared
urban mobility devices." This was on the agenda some months ago and deferred an excessive number of times and taken off of the agenda "by rule." It is back. This one has some provisions I like such as requiring more speedy response by fleet owners to complaints of overturned scooters and things and new rules establishing 'no sidewalk use' zones and slow zones. I like that it eliminates the restriction on number of scooter companies that can operate in Nashville, but I do not like that it cuts in half the overall number of scooters. I think market demand should dictate that. The hatred of scooters seems to have abated somewhat or people have just leaned to live with them, but I still fear that if this does not pass something more restrictive, such as a ban, may pass. I would support this and vote for it if I had a vote. It passed with four members voting "no."
Bills on Third Reading
Bill BL2019-78 – This ordinance requires a minimum distance for any new Short Term Rental Property that are Not Owner-Occupied, from churches, schools, daycares, and parks. No new STRP permit could be located less than 100 feet from a religious institution, a school or its playground, a park, or a licensed day care center or its playground, unless, after a public hearing, a resolution receiving 21 affirmative votes is adopted by the Council. This is deferred to the May 5, 2020 meeting.
Bill BL2020-117 would remove the requirement for a minimum number of parking spaces for various uses for properties on multimodal corridors as designated in the major and collector street plan. There is not now a parking requirement for properties in the central business district and properties in urban overlay districts. It is deterred to the May 5, 2020 meeting.
BILL NO. BL2020-149 would require landlords to provide at least 90 days’ written notice to tenants before increasing the tenant’s rent. It is deferred.
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