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Committee defers stormwater-management commission membership changes one meeting for additional review
Summary
An ordinance to amend Title 15 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to change membership and credential requirements of the Stormwater Management Commission was deferred one meeting so Metro Water and administration can provide additional details on membership, attorney language and examples from peer cities.
The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee recommended a one‑meeting deferral for BL 2025-5771, an ordinance that would amend Title 15 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to change membership and credential requirements for the Stormwater Management Commission.
Councilmember Sandra Sepulveda, the lead sponsor, said the ordinance resulted from a working group and aims to rebalance the commission’s composition by removing a seat reserved for the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors and by requiring at least one of the four registered professional engineers be a civil or environmental engineer (preferably from the nonprofit or academic sector). The ordinance would also require one representative from a local environmental organization, nominated by Metro Water Services.
Committee members asked whether the ordinance’s language requiring a "licensed attorney who specializes in water or environmental law" could run afoul of ethical rules that limit how attorneys describe specialization; Councilmember Evan Siegel and others suggested a one‑meeting deferral to allow Metro Water and the mayor’s office to confirm and, if necessary, refine the phrasing. Metro Water representatives and Dave Rosenberg from the mayor’s office said they were amenable to a deferral and offered to provide examples from peer cities (Chattanooga, Memphis, La Verne) and a list of commission members whose terms may be up for reappointment.
The committee voted 10-0 to recommend a one-meeting deferral.
Why it matters: The ordinance would change how the Stormwater Management Commission is constituted and influence the technical and community representation on a body that advises on stormwater policy and project review. Committee members sought clarity on attorney-language, the role previously filled by a real-estate representative and whether the city is aligning with peer practices.
Ending: Metro Water and mayor’s office staff committed to providing additional information during the deferral period — including peer-city comparators and details on which commission seats are up for reappointment — before the item returns to committee.
