Metro Council will consider two items that have attracted controversy and enthusiastic community input at Tuesday evening’s meeting: party buses and the Belle Meade Plaza redevelopment.
First, Metro is poised to take another step towards reducing the number of entertainment transportation vehicle permits.
Last June, Nashville began regulating entertainment vehicles. Metro set operating hours that prevented them from running overnight or during rush hour and awarded about 90 operating permits.
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The Metro Transportation Licensing Commission recently recommended capping that number somewhere between 35 and 70. They don’t currently have the power to implement that recommendation, but at Tuesday’s meeting, the council will vote on a change to the ordinance. If passed, that new version of the ordinance would give the commission the ability to reduce the number of permits it doles out under specific conditions, like new construction or changes in traffic.
More: What’s next for Belle Meade Plaza?
Metro will also also hold its final vote on a proposal to redevelop Belle Meade Plaza, which would replace the shopping center with condos, apartments, shops, a hotel and greenspace. Although many agree that the area could benefit from revitalization, some local residents have also voiced concerns about increased traffic and the cost of the new housing that will be built.
This evening’s Metro Council meeting begins at 6:30 pm.
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