Clarksville council approves two commercial rezones; three fail; multiple ordinances and resolutions advance

The Clarksville City Council on June 9 approved two zoning changes and several city ordinances and resolutions, and rejected three other rezoning requests after public hearings and council debate.

The council voted to approve Ordinance 86 (first reading) and Ordinance 89 (first reading), both rezoning requests to commercial districts; Ordinances 68, 78 and 87 failed after council discussion and public comment. The council also approved a change to the special-events beer permit window and adopted two resolutions including tax-exempt bond approval for Vanderbilt University Medical Center and appointment of an interim finance director.

Why it matters: the council’s decisions will directly affect land use along Tiny Town Road, Rossview Road and Industrial Drive and could shape near-term commercial development, traffic patterns and future land-use policy. Several council members emphasized the need to preserve neighborhood character while others said changing commercial demand justifies rezoning in specific corridors.

Ordinances and votes at a glance

- Ordinance 86 (first reading): Rezoning of a parcel fronting the south side of Tiny Town Road from A (airport) to C-5 (highway and arterial commercial). Regional Planning Commission and staff recommended approval. Vote: 8 yes, 5 no. Outcome: passed first reading.

- Ordinance 89 (first reading): Rezoning on Industrial Drive from M-1 (light industrial) to C-5 (highway and arterial commercial) (application of Milan/Meehan Holdings). Regional Planning Commission recommended approval; staff packet noted concerns but the council approved. Vote: 10 yes, 3 no. Outcome: passed first reading.

- Ordinance 68 (first reading): Zone change south of Sladen Circle from R-1 to R-2 (application of Hunter Wynn). Regional Planning Commission and staff recommended disapproval. Vote: 0 yes, 13 no. Outcome: failed.

- Ordinance 78 (first reading): Rezone at the northeast corner of Tiny Town Road and Tobacco Road from R-1/R-4/C-1 to C-5 (application of David Merrill). Recommended for disapproval by staff and the RPC. Vote: 1 yes, 12 no. Outcome: failed.

- Ordinance 87 (first reading): Rezone on Rossview Road from R-1 to C-2 (application of Tanya Bosley). RPC and staff recommended approval; council rejected it. Vote: 6 yes, 7 no. Outcome: failed.

Other formal actions

- Ordinance 85 (first reading): Amendment to city code changing a special-events beer permit window from 5 days to 14 days to accommodate postponed events. Vote: 13 yes, 0 no. Outcome: passed first reading.

- Ordinance 83 (first reading, as amended): Updates to property maintenance code and penalties; amendment clarified the heading and removed an apparent parking-rewrite implication. Vote on amendment: 12 yes, 1 no. Final ordinance vote: 12 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain. Outcome: adopted (first reading).

- Ordinance 82 (first reading): Rescheduled the July 2025 regular council meeting from July 3 to July 1, 6 p.m. Vote: 12 yes, 0 no. Outcome: passed first reading.

- Consent agenda (multiple items including ordinances on sidewalks, easement purchases, and other second readings; resolutions for boards and a certificate of compliance for wine sales): adopted by unanimous vote. Vote: 13 yes, 0 no.

- Resolution 59 (finance committee): Authorized issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds by a government entity for the benefit of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Vote: 13 yes, 0 no. Outcome: adopted.

- Resolution 60: Appointment of an interim director of finance for the city of Clarksville. Vote: 13 yes, 0 no. Outcome: adopted.

Public comment and council concerns

During the public hearing on Ordinance 86 a nearby resident, Bill Healy, urged the council to keep the parcel residential, saying, "I'd like to keep it residential, not commercial," and noting the close proximity of his home to the site. Attorney Stanley Ross, representing the applicant, told the council the rezoning request aligns with the city’s comprehensive land-use plan and future land-use map.

On Ordinance 87 (Rossview Road), applicant representative Stanley Ross described plans for a retail frontage and a daycare behind it and said C-2 was identified as the appropriate zone after meetings with planning staff. Several council members voiced concern that C-2 allows apartments and that apartments would be undesirable on Rossview Road until roadway capacity changes. Councilman Shekinah explicitly urged a no vote because of that apartment risk, and the ordinance failed.

For Ordinance 89 (Industrial Drive), applicant Heather Fleming (Meehan Holdings) said the firm seeks C-5 for two vacant buildings on Industrial Boulevard to allow fitness or similar uses. Fleming said a traffic study was performed and accepted by the street department and that the buildings are unlikely to be redeveloped as retail. Council members raised traffic concerns near West Dunbar Cave Road and Wilmer Rudolph Boulevard; supporters noted expected nearby transportation improvements and a new driver-license testing center slated to open in July.

Council statements and policy notes

Several council members repeatedly cautioned against voting based on informal promises by applicants rather than the explicit allowances of a zoning classification. Council members asked the Regional Planning Commission to consider zoning-code revisions during its current rewrite to limit unintended residential development in commercial zones (cited specifically for C-2/C-5 language and apartment allowances).

What’s next

Passed rezoning requests will return for subsequent readings as required by ordinance. Council members asked staff and the Regional Planning Commission to expedite zoning-code rewrite work addressing mixed-use and apartment allowances in certain commercial zones. The finance and consent-agenda items take immediate effect as provided by city code; implementation dates for rezones will follow required public-notice and second-reading procedures.

Ending note: the meeting record shows a mix of neighborhood preservation concerns and corridor-driven commercial rezoning, with the council splitting on individual cases based on location, traffic, and development risk.