NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — As Nashville continues to grow with record numbers of people moving to Middle Tennessee, city leaders are tightening rules on where certain types of new businesses can open.
Metro Council approved new zoning regulations this week, aimed at keeping establishments like bars, cigarette shops, and check-cashing services further away from quiet, residential neighborhoods. Longtime residents have been vocal in recent years about preserving the peace and character of their communities, with the influx of newcomers and thje accompanying demand for services and entertainment.
“From personal experience, I’ve sat in a living room and listened to the walls thump and music play until two or three o’clock in the morning,” said Metro Council member Brandon Taylor who sponsored the proposal, at a Metro Planning Commission meeting back in August.
The proposal adds stricter regulations for businesses such as bars, clubs, beer and tobacco stores, check-cashing services and other alternative financial institutions, and auto shops, which could be linked to increased traffic and activity, particularly at night.
“There is that fear and resentment and avoidance… of the impact and encroachment of commercial activity in our residential communities,” said Edward Henley, a member of the Metro Planning Commission. “I think it’s really important that something like this (the proposal) occurs.”
The new zoning rules apply only to new businesses. They require at least a half-mile buffer between storefronts and nearby homes, cap business properties at 50 acres, and include noise restrictions. Beer and cigarette shops would be banned entirely on stretches close enough to residential areas.
“It gives residents across all districts some comfort that there is some type of policy and procedure that is current and relevant to their complaints of today,” Henley said.
The original proposal included even tougher restrictions, but the Metro Planning Commission reached a compromise to avoid completely discouraging new business.
The new zoning framework, known as a Commercial Overlay District, does not yet apply to any specific neighborhoods. However, with the policy now approved, Metro Council members can propose implementing the overlay in their own districts moving forward.
