Scribbling in the Margins

Council puts its signature on the East Bend 

From Megan Podsiedlik

Last night, the council approved legislation to rezone the East Bend. The decision will allow an investment group to move forward with its plan to transform PSC Metals’ 47-acre scrapyard into a mixed-use neighborhood near the East Bank.

The meeting was largely dedicated to sifting through the 17 amendments added to the bill. Downtown’s Councilmember Jabob Kupin and East Nashville’s Councilmember Clay Capp both played a significant role in shaping the legislation that drags downtown’s zoning code across the river. Amendments preserving the neighborhood feel of East Nashville were favored by the council. Here’s what made the cut:

Land use restrictions Amendments prohibiting beer and cigarette market use, limiting the construction of hotels, and barring East Bend from becoming a designated parking lot for stadium/arena convention center events were added to the legislation. Councilmember Emily Benedict also added an amendment encouraging the developers to add an urban fire station.

Building design and height The council included a provision that requires the body’s approval for the construction of any building with 6,000+ seats and digital lighting. Members also voted to place restrictions on the only building in East Bend eligible to apply bonus height standards to its design.

Parking Capp spearheaded the initiative to hide surface parking in the area. The body approved his amendment to restrict event surface parking in the area and require permits for such use until the allowance is phased out in 2030. They also passed restrictions on underground parking due to the floodplain and an amendment requiring developers to camouflage ground-level parking lots with things like storefronts and office spaces.

Streets & mobility Councilmembers Rollin Horton and Sean Parker added amendments to ensure Metro and community oversight of street design to monitor walkability and pedestrian access as aligned with Vision Zero and other related initiatives. The council also got behind a proposal requiring periodic multimodal transportation analysis conducted by NDOT to ensure the area stays pedestrian-friendly. In addition, they approved Kupin’s amendment addressing traffic congestion, attainable housing, green space, and riverfront access.

Councilmember Terry Vo also tacked on an environmental study, and Kupin dubbed the area Wasioto Subdistrict to honor the indigenous history of East Bend. The Planning Department will also have to present both the draft and final East Bend design and street plans to Metro Council by the set deadlines of July 31 and December 31, 2026.

BLURBS

🚛 Nashville Owns Four of the Nation's Worst Truck Bottlenecks Tennessee ties California for 3rd-most truck bottlenecks in the country with eight in ATRI's 2026 Top 100, behind only Texas and Georgia. Nashville accounts for half of them, including the state's worst, I-24/I-40 at I-440 East, which ranks 7th nationally with peak-hour truck speeds averaging 26.8 mph.

Nashville’s four with average speed at rush hour peak:

• #7 – I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East) (26.8 mph peak)
• #19 – I-40 at I-65 (East) (31.3 mph)
• #49 – I-65 at I-24 (38.1 mph)
• #67 – I-65 at SR 386 (37.7 mph) Jumped 38 spots year-over-year, the sharpest deterioration of any Tennessee location

Chattanooga contributes two (#30, #34), Knoxville two (#37, #61).

☠️ Election Bill Dies The state’s legislation that would have shifted all local elections to align with state and federal election cycles died in the Tennessee Senate yesterday.

Bill sponsor Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) moved to place it in the General Subcommittee (a place where bills go to die) during Tuesday’s Senate Finance Committee meeting. According to sources, the legislation simply didn’t have enough votes to pass.

Earlier in the day, the house approved the bill on its final consideration. Had the legislation been successful in the senate, the change would have significantly reshaped local elections in Davidson County, where council and mayoral races are currently held during off-cycle, odd-numbered years. 

✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH

New Council Watch Features We've added additional features to Council Watch. In addition to who's funding your council member, you can now see how they vote and who they vote with most frequently. (Take a Look)

HEADLINES

• 🦮 Nashville Humane Association takes in dozens of dogs after nearly 200 rescued from puppy mill. The nonprofit said on Monday that it has taken in 27 of the 191 dogs that were recently rescued from the puppy mill. The dogs will soon be available for adoption. (WSMV)
• 🚨 Remains of three children found in a vacant field in Memphis. According to Memphis Police Chief C.J Davis, the remains were confirmed to be between the ages of three years old and seven years old. (NewsChannel 5)

DEVELOPMENT

• Franklin restaurateur buys Gray’s on Main, plans for preservation (NBJ)
• East Nashville building housing cafe listed for $1.2M (Post)

THINGS TO DO

View our calendar for the week here.

📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.

🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.

👨🏻‍🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.

TONIGHT

🎸 Gov't Mule & Larkin Poe @ The Pinnacle , 7p, $59+, Info

🎸 AJ Lee & Blue Summit @ The Basement East, 8p, $27.27, Info

🪕 Oh Me Oh My @ Station Inn, 8p, Info

💀 Tennessee Dead @ Tennessee Brew Works, 6p, Info

🪕 Bluegrass Night @ The American Legion Post 82, 7p, Free, Info

🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info

📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.