War Zone III: Shut Up and Talk
Good afternoon, everyone. Metro's Planning Department seems scared of everyone as another community meeting goes poorly... Will Freddie the Fickle finally cut a deal with TPAC... And CM Kimbrough escapes her ethics hearing unscathed.
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How many different newsletter titles can we invent to describe the ongoing conversations around zoning?
From Megan Podsiedlik
There was another community presentation on proposed zoning changes last night. About 200 people showed up to the James Lawson High School auditorium to hear from the Metro Planning Department on the four pieces of zoning legislation up for second reading at the next council meeting.
“The overwhelming response to last night's meeting has been negative,” said Councilmember Courtney Johnston. “On par with the others, people don't feel listened to or heard. Questions aren't answered and people leave feeling incredibly frustrated. This just exacerbates the already low level of trust that people have in both the Planning Department and their council members.”
Former GOP Nashville Chairman and local resident Lonnie Spivak was in attendance and echoed Johnston’s concern that people don’t feel heard. “The council is supposed to vote on this November 4th, but they don't have any information,” Spivak told us. “They don't know anything about infrastructure….They just want to start voting on rezoning all these areas.”
Spivak was also disappointed in the structure of the meeting and how constituents were asked to submit their questions on a cue card — a change from the last meeting where locals were allowed to step up to the mic and ask questions.
When they got to Spivak’s question on whether the Planning Department believes that property tax increases have contributed to rental increases over the last decade, city planner Greg Claxton said that he “would expect so.” Attendees cheered when Claxton went on to admit that “it’s not something that we have looked at.”
During discussions about the proposed expansion of detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) applications, Spivak said that Claxton explained how the new legislation would “expand DADUs as an option to 60,000 more Nashville properties, with zero limits on ownership by private equity firms, potentially fueling speculative development.”
There are three more community presentations on this legislation this week. On November 4, community members are encouraged to voice their opinions on the proposed legislation at the Metro Council meeting during public hearing.
✹ THE SOUTHERN REVIVAL SALOON
Join us for a classed-up, cowboy-formal type thing with an open bar, music, and the opportunity to meet some of the most talented and influential people in Nashville. Use the discount code PAMPHLETEER to get 25% off your ticket. (Buy Tickets)
🎭 Will Freddie Make A Deal? Mayor Freddie O’Connell is said to be finalizing a deal with TPAC to build a new facility on the East Bank. According to Axios, the agreement, which requires Metro Council approval, must be reached by the end of December or the land will revert to the developer, the Fallon Company.
"I think we’re just inches away from getting to site certainty with TPAC," O'Connell told the Nashville Business Journal back in September.
Failed negotiations between Metro and TPAC have been a pet peeve of House Speaker Cameron Sexton. During an interview with NewsChannel 5's Inside Politics in July, Sexton criticized Metro’s misleading messaging regarding its relationship with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. At the time, Sexton said it seemed like Metro was trying to push TPAC out.
According to sources, the current deal in the works focuses on dividing infrastructure costs. Earlier proposals caused TPAC to look elsewhere for a new location. In the original memorandum of understanding with the city, the Center was asked to cover the cost of a pedestrian bridge and other infrastructure needs.
“We have done all we can to be responsive to Metro, and at this point, due to the delays and resulting costs of more than $14 million, we are compelled to consider alternate sites,” a spokesperson for TPAC told NewsChannel5 in January.
⚖️ Kimbrough Off The Hook Yesterday, Metro’s Board of Ethical Conduct unanimously cleared Councilmember Joy Kimbrough of an ethics complaint filed by Nashville businessman Ryan Moses. In August, Moses alleged Kimbrough demanded he cough up half a million dollars to gain her support for a project proposal in Bordeaux.
After an 8-hour hearing, the four voting board members dismissed the complaint due to a lack of evidence. The case rested on a three-minute phone call between Moses and Kimbrough wherein the number $500,000 supposedly emerged as an adequate amount to secure her support for the deal. Because the phone call was not recorded and evidence was not present to sort out whether this ask was made as a bribe or made at all, the board voted to dismiss the claims.
The only solid evidence regarding the $500,000 figure emerged from a text message sent by Moses to Kimbrough, where it was presented as a “community contribution.” Given Kimbrough’s lack of recollection regarding the alleged phone call, Chair Diane Diianni categorized the exchanges between Kimbrough and Moses as part of a “kind of three-way discussion between the developer, who's trying to get support from the community, and the council member facilitating that discussion.”
Diianni also dismissed Moses’ claim that Kimbrough rejected his project due to either extortion or bias against his family. “There are many reasons given by community members and through the documents why the community didn't want this,” said the chair.
If the board had not dismissed the complaint, it may have had a large impact on future conversations between developers and council members. Moses’ efforts to secure community buy-in were a large part of hearing discussions; something often facilitated through local representatives via a Community Benefits Agreement. Moses says he will consider an appeal of the ruling.
HEADLINES
- 🍔 Sen. Marsha Blackburn has co-sponsored the Keep SNAP Funded Act, a bill that would ensure uninterrupted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the current government shutdown.
- 🗳️ Donald Trump has endorsed Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) for reelection, calling him a “conservative warrior” who will “not let you down.” The endorsement comes as Ogles faces a Republican primary challenge from Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner, who entered the race this year.
DEVELOPMENT
- TSSAA Board of Control authorizes $8M loan to begin construction of new building (Tennessean)
- Airport-area office building fetches $15M, more than double last sale (NBJ)
- Ernest Tubb Record Shop sets reopening date of November 13th (NBJ)
- Atlanta developer buys Wedgewood-Houston property (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
🎻 The Composer is Not Dead! @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, Choose What You Pay, Info
🎷 Jazz Night w/ Adam Wakefield @ Dee's Lounge, 9p, $5, Info
🎸 White Reaper @ The Blue Room, 6:30p, $32.51, Info
🎸 Honky Tonk Tuesday @ Eastside Bowl, 8p, $10, Info
+ two-step lessons @ 7p, The Cowpokes @ 8p
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik and Camelia Brennan.