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CARTER VINTAGE GUITARS
AUGUST 29, 2024 | VOLUME 36 | NUMBER 34
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The nuts and bolts of ‘Choose How You Move’
Mayor’s $3.1 billion transit plan focuses on buses, sidewalks, transit centers and traffic signals ELI MOTYCKA
Nashville’s East Bank
PHOTO: AERIAL INNOVATIONS SOUTHEAST
Council gives final approval to major development zoning changes
Metro moves forward on rezoning parts of East Bank, Global Mall areas for redevelopment NICOLLE S. PRAINO Metro Council approved the final reading of ordinances for the East Bank and Global Mall redevelopment plans at its Tuesday meeting. An ordinance approving a private act by the state that establishes the East Bank Development Authority passed unanimously. The board will consist of nine members who can enter into contracts, manage property, issue bonds and exercise powers of authorities such as industrial development, housing, parking and port. The board is charged with administering the master developer agreement that Metro has already passed regarding the East Bank property with the Fallon Company.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell will appoint five members of the authority and the Metro Council will appoint two. The state also has a say in who will sit on the board with the speaker of the House and Senate or their designees serving as ex officio voting members. The mayor will also appoint the first CEO of the authority, who will serve the board of directors. Future CEOs will be decided by the authority board. Also regarding the East Bank, council approved an ordinance on third reading to change the Metro Zoning Ordinance by adding the East Bank Subdistrict to the Downtown Code. For now, that subdistrict covers only land in Metro’s
initial development area on the East Bank. Council also approved on third reading a separate ordinance that officially rezones the initial development area of the East Bank from mixed-use intensive (MUI) to the new downtown code (DTC). In a similar vein of zoning for redevelopment, Metro approved on third reading several bills that will move the Global Mall plans forward. The zoning will change from shopping center regional (SCR) to specific plan (SP) and follow the Global Mall Master Plan, which was officially approved by the planning commission in July.
Dry language describing Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s proposed transit upgrades may take less than 30 seconds to read when Nashvillians see it in a voting booth on Nov. 5. The official description, stamped last month by the Davidson County Election Commission, legally outlines a complex transaction proposed by O’Connell to his constituents. He needs voters to approve the plan, officially branded “Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety.” Per state law, O’Connell’s proposed 0.5 percent sales tax increase requires a referendum — direct democracy for direct taxation — to add to the state’s 7 percent flat tax and 2.25 percent in existing county sales taxes. A 9.75 percent total sales tax rate will bring the city in line with conservative neighbors Wilson, Williamson and Rutherford counties. Critics point out the raw financial burden of adding an extra 50 cents to every $100 grocery bill. Unlike taxes on income or capital gains, sales taxes ask the same dollar amount at the register from the teacher, the bartender and the banker — a burden that hits lower earners harder than higher earners. The plan also requires city bonds, state assistance, federal funding and fare revenue. Metro Council approved the plan, officially dubbed a “transit improvement program,” in July. Once tapped, sales tax money flows to every transit mode operating in Davidson County and, crucially, to none >> PAGE 2
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