NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Nashville needs significantly more housing in the next decade, and the Metro Planning Department has proposed new bills moving through the Metro Council for approval.
Officials say the new zoning rules will create simpler housing regulations and incentives for affordable housing, but community members argue they do more harm than good.
Wayne Uphill has called West Meade home for more than 40 years. Now, he fears that peace is slipping away.
"We love our trees and we want to keep them, and we want to we don't want the density," Uphill said.
Signs of change dot the neighborhood.
"Here we have single-family zoning, and we're protected. But we're being threatened by the new zoning rules greatly," Uphill said.
That fear packed neighbors inside Brook Hollow Baptist Church, where Councilmember Thom Druffel hosted a meeting about Nashville's housing future.
"There's not a housing crisis," said resident Antoinette Oleson. "There's an affordable housing crisis."
Metro planners are pushing new bills through the Council, introducing two new zoning districts:
- Residential Neighborhood: lower-density homes near schools, parks, and roads
- Residential Limited: similar, but allows small apartments near transit
But it's another proposal drawing opposition in West Meade.
"And they keep calling us NIMBYs," Oleson said. "Well, you know what? We're proud NIMBYs. Nashville is my backyard. All of Nashville."
The second proposal would make it easier to allow two-family homes in existing zoning districts and adjust height limits for single- and two-family residential areas.
"We're not forcing you to change your zoning, but if I have my single-family zoning and somebody next to me is allowed to put a four-story apartment building next to me, and so are they, you can't have single-family zoning on an island," Oleson said.
Neighbors fear it means fewer trees, more traffic, and higher costs, which is why they're voicing their concerns early.
"There needs to be a plan, a plan for blocks of land to provide affordable housing, and because no matter affordable housing is not going to exist in this neighborhood by increasing density it will absolutely will not," Uphill said.
Councilman Thom Druffel says this proposal is potentially dangerous for his district. He says the focus is too much on housing and not enough on infrastructure.
This story was reported on-air and written by reporter Kelsey Gibbs, and with help, has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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