Planning committee approves new RN and RL residential zones after technical amendments

The Planning & Zoning Committee voted to recommend approval of an ordinance that creates two new residential zoning districts intended to promote “middle housing” across Nashville.

Council member Owen Gamble, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the substitute ordinance aligns the text with the Planning Commission recommendation and includes housekeeping changes rather than substantive alterations. Planning staff told the committee the substitute brings the ordinance into conformity with the commission’s recommendation and explained that the Community Character Manual — the city’s policy guidance document — will need updating if the new districts are adopted.

Supporters, including affordable housing advocates who spoke during public comment, said the new districts are a tool to expand housing options and reduce displacement. Kate Bowers, an affordable housing developer and member of the Alliance for Affordable Nashville, told the committee the districts establish a framework to allow middle housing while protecting neighborhood character. Alicia Haddock, executive director of Neighbor 2 Neighbor, said the bills offer residents “a fighting chance to stay home.”

Council members pressed planning staff on how the new districts will be implemented. Planning staff said the context for applying the RN and RL districts will come through an update to the Community Character Manual combined with existing land-use policy maps; staff cautioned that producing a parcel-level map that labels individual properties for RN or RL could be interpreted as a zoning proposal. Several members pressed for more transparency and clarity on where the districts would be appropriate and how staff would present likely unit counts in planning analyses.

During committee deliberations members considered seven amendments. Notable actions included approval of a recital amendment stating the ordinance’s intent to add housing variety compatible with existing neighborhoods, and approval of an amendment asking planning to report back on outcomes and implementation. A proposed amendment to delay the ordinance’s effective date until April 2026 (to give planning more time to update the Community Character Manual) produced a split vote and did not change the bill in committee. The committee also approved a small wording change to add the term “design” to make the ordinance consistent with other affordable housing tools.

The committee approved the substitute as amended on a voice/hand vote recorded in the transcript as 12 in favor, 0 against, 0 not voting. With committee recommendation, the ordinance will proceed to the full council for further readings and a final vote.

The planning department said it will work on community-character text and guidance to show where the new districts are intended to be used and how staff will represent maximum-unit calculations in staff reports. The committee’s actions also included a request that Planning return with implementation metrics so council can review outcomes after the districts begin to be used.