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Council advances natural landscaping ordinance after rejecting Webb setback amendment
Summary
The Council approved an ordinance to rebrand and broaden the city’s natural-landscaping program and add NDOT review of sight-lines. A late-filed amendment from Councilmember Webb to impose a 15-foot front setback and remove side setbacks failed; a separate NDOT-friendly amendment passed. The ordinance passed on final vote 5–1.
The Metropolitan Council voted to advance an ordinance updating the City’s long-standing "properties in a natural state" program — renaming it "natural landscaping," allowing multi-family participation where rules are met, and changing setback rules — after debate and two separate amendment votes.
A late-filed amendment from Councilmember Webb that would have set a 15-foot front setback and removed side and rear setbacks failed on a recorded vote of 1 in favor and 5 opposed. Metro Water Services staff told the Council the department was neutral on Webb’s late-filed amendment but said the overall ordinance accomplishes three goals: allowing apartments to participate if they meet requirements, updating the program name to "natural landscaping," and adjusting setbacks to increase participation.
Mr. Jamieson of Metro Water Services said the department’s concern is practical: the existing 15-foot front setback combined with side setbacks leaves little usable planting area for many yards. "By the time you apply the setbacks, 15 feet, 10 feet on both sides, you're left with a very small portion of property to work with," he said, adding that only about a dozen residents currently participate in the program. Jamieson also noted the potential water-conservation and reduced fertilizer runoff benefits of natural landscaping.
Council discussion included neighborhood-aesthetics concerns. "With only 12 people using it, I don't think the 12 people are gonna affect the water," Councilmember Stacy said, adding that nonparticipating neighbors often see these yards as a nuisance and that such a change might not be practical in dense neighborhoods. Councilmember Park said side setbacks matter to immediate neighbors and argued that removing side setbacks could create impacts along property lines.
A separate amendment that adds review by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (NDOT) for sight-line issues and brings NDOT into the approval process was adopted unanimously (6–0). Metro Water Services said it will review proposals for potential impacts on intersection visibility under existing code (the department cited a 25-foot intersection visibility standard) and would provide recommendations to the Beautification Commission.
After votes on the amendments, the Council approved the ordinance as amended on a final tally of 5 in favor, 1 opposed, 0 not voting. The ordinance updates program language, clarifies eligibility (including apartments that meet program rules), and adjusts setbacks as adopted in the amendments; NDOT review for sight lines was added before final passage.
The Council's action preserves the existing administrative program while modifying rules to broaden participation and add safety review; departments will implement changes in line with the amended ordinance language and existing visibility code sections.
