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Why Nashville’s zoning plan fails schools, infrastructure, neighborhood character, teachers, and middle incomes

Article by Christopher Remke, AIA (ret)  • 3.5 minute read

URGENT: The Vote is Tonight. Tonight, the Nashville Metro Council is set to vote on zoning bills driven by political expedience rather than actual data. They are rushing to solve a "housing crisis" using a manufactured forecast (100,000 extra people) and a solution that economic studies admit will not help teachers or the middle class. This is not a strategy; it is a developer stimulus package disguised as community aid.

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This update is the best we can deliver given the time between the Council Committee and the full Council Meeting, even if you receive this message “too late.” It is not too late to influence next decisions and who will represent you in the future.

The Metro Council Planning and Zoning Committee meeting met less than 24 hours ago. My hope for a deferral for constituent communications was an unrealistic expectation, at least for the Planning and Zoning Committee. The Metro Council leaving less than 24 hours between the only legitimate amendment hearing yesterday and a final vote today is proof positive that community voice is not valued and the "fix is in."

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The opportunity for Council Members to offer meaningful input failed on November 4, and yesterday’s meeting continued that pattern—acknowledging concerns only to dismiss them quickly. The proceedings reflected a narrow effort to reinforce a "housing emergency" narrative, even though the Housing and Infrastructure Study admits this plan targets the top 20% of earners. This explicitly leaves the remaining 80% of Nashville residents behind (see H&I Study, p. 57 regarding 100% to 200% AMI). With both Council Member recommendations and citizen requests to address policy shortcomings left unsatisfied, the trend continues: zoning is being pursued as a political agenda rather than for the community's reasonable or prudent planning.

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The following is a brief review to support your understanding, because the political agenda now operating in this process places a heavy burden on the scales of balanced decision-making. In contrast, the continuation of political rhetoric fails all validations of reality-based economics.

The Affordability Lie: By endorsing these new policies, Council Members define success as developers building new homes that require an annual household income of $135,000 to $181,000 to purchase.

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  • The median household income in Nashville is approximately $90,500.

  • A starting teacher makes $50,047.

  • A mid-career firefighter makes $72,579.

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The Missing Middle plan offers solutions for households earning twice the average resident's income. This is not a housing solution; it is a fast track to displacement for our workforce and long-term residents.

The four big reasons this plan must be defered:

1. The "Commercial Cliff" (Renters Pay More)

Proponents claim density lowers costs in a cost-plus, market-rate scenario. Real estate is a value-driven outcome, and expenses set the floor, not the sales price. In Tennessee and Nashville, the claim that density lowers costs is mathematically false; upzoning inflates property values and, on value alone, increases resident tax burdens. Multifamily also pays a commercial tax rate, often offsetting construction cost savings. State law taxes rental triplexes and larger as a commercial business, at an assessment rate 60% higher than a single-family home. This massive tax hike is passed directly to the renter or buyer. The land value and the annual tax increase exceed the construction cost savings. Under this system, density cannot lower costs; it guarantees higher bills. Note also that in Tennessee, investors owning single-family homes experience a tax-shelter effect that further disadvantages family buyers.

2. The "Highest and Best Use" Tax Trap (Homeowners Pay More)

This plan has the capacity to upzone “spots” and “swaths” of the county, artificially inflating land values overnight. Under tax law, property is assessed based on its "Highest and Best Use."

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  • What this means for you: Even if you plan to keep your single-family home exactly as it is, the Tax Assessor will be forced to value your land as a potential multi-unit development site.

 

  • The Result: You will be taxed on potential developer profits, not your actual home. This "phantom density" causes property tax bills to skyrocket, forcing out seniors on fixed incomes and long-term working families who can no longer afford the taxes on the homes they already own.

3. The Infrastructure Crisis

The city is voting on dramatic density enablers NOW, but they will not study whether our roads, sewers, and schools can handle the growth until 2026. They are putting the cart before the horse. We will pay the price with overcrowded schools, gridlocked traffic, and failing infrastructure before we even know the scope of the problem.

4. Silencing Your Voice

The plan's new tools include "by-right" approvals, and planning staff will follow the legislated criteria. Developers will build based on a profit algorithm—bypassing community input and Council oversight entirely. This alone is proof that a yes vote does not value neighborhood voices.

What We Demand:

This plan is built on flawed math, an incomplete infrastructure study, and a population forecast that inflates Nashville's population by 100,000 new residents over Tennessee’s official projection.

The Council must vote NO or DEFER this legislation until:\

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  1. The infrastructure study is complete and proves we have capacity.

  2. Protections are put in place against the 60% commercial tax premium and "Highest and Best Use" assessment spikes.

  3. The plan includes binding affordability requirements that match Nashville’s workforce incomes ($50k–$90k), not the top 20%.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Contact your Metro Council Member before the vote. Tell them to reject a plan built for the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.

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