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An ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws, the Zoning Ordinance of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, relative to the creation of two new zoning districts called “Residential Neighborhood” (RN) and “Residential Limited” (RL), all of which is more particularly described herein (Proposal No. 2025Z-009TX-001).
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WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County is committed to expanding housing opportunities that serve a full spectrum of residents at all stages of life and income levels; and
WHEREAS, the development of new zoning districts provides a mechanism for aligning land use regulations with the NashvilleNext goals of promoting a more inclusive, diverse, and economically resilient city; and
WHEREAS, current zoning regulations may not sufficiently allow for the range of housing types needed to accommodate anticipated growth and changing household demographics; and
WHEREAS, the creation of new zoning districts can increase predictability and clarity for property owners, residents, and developers by clearly identifying areas where a variety of housing types may be appropriate and compatible with the surrounding context; and
WHEREAS, housing provision must be accompanied by appropriate design standards and compatibility considerations to ensure that new development matches neighborhood context while still meeting broader citywide goals for affordability, sustainability, and infrastructure efficiency; and
WHEREAS, public feedback and interdepartmental coordination have informed the development of new zoning districts that provide context-sensitive designs for producing more attainable housing; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of these new zoning districts represents a critical step toward implementing a comprehensive housing strategy that reflects Nashville’s values of livability, inclusivity, and transparency;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. Amend the Metro Zoning Code as shown in Exhibits A, B, C, D, and E.
Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to publish a notice announcing such change in a newspaper of general circulation within five days following final passage.
Section 3. This Ordinance shall take effect upon publication of above said notice announcing such change in a newspaper of general circulation, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.
Agenda Analysis
Analysis
This ordinance amends Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code to create two new zoning district groups, Residential Neighborhood (RN) and Residential Limited (RL) and five new zoning districts in total. Within the RN group, the ordinance proposes creating the RN.1 and RN.2 zoning districts. Within the RL group, the ordinance proposes creating the RL.1, RL.2, and RL.3 zoning districts. The purpose of these new zoning district groups is to allow additional forms of residential development with standards and regulations to ensure that they are not detrimental to adjacent or nearby parcels zoned single family (RS) or two-family (R). The ordinance also makes additional changes to Title 17 to facilitate the new zoning districts, including defining “Story, half” and adding new residential uses to the land use table.
The ordinance defines “Story, half” as a conditioned space that rests primarily underneath the slope of the roof, usually having dormer windows. The half story is identified by the ".5" in the description of maximum height (Example: 2.5). This space shall be considered a full story when its top wall plates, on at least two opposite exterior walls, are greater than four feet above the floor of such story.
The ordinance proposes adding the following residential uses to the land use table, including townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, manor house, multiplex, courtyard flats, and low-rise flats.
• “Townhouse” is defined as a small-to-large-sized, typically attached, building with a rear yard that consists of at least three Townhouses placed side-by-side. Each Townhouse consists of one unit.
• “House court” is defined as a group of small, detached buildings arranged to define a shared court that is typically perpendicular to the street.
• “Townhouse court” is defined as a group of attached buildings arranged to define a shared court that is typically perpendicular to the street.
• “Plex house” is defined as a medium-sized detached building that consists of three to six side-by-side and/or stacked units, typically with one shared entry at the front and/or individual entries along the front or side.
• “Manor house” is defined as a medium-sized detached building that consists of six to ten side-by-side and/or stacked units, typically with one shared entry and sometimes secondary individual entries at the front or side.
• “Multiplex” is defined as a large-sized detached building that consists of 10 to 20 side-by-side and/or stacked units, typically with one shared entry and sometimes secondary individual entries at the front or side.
• “Courtyard flats” is defined as a building that consists of 10 to 20 side-by-side and/ or stacked units, accessed from one or more shared courtyards.
• “Low-rise flats” is defined as a large-scale building that may be attached or detached from adjacent buildings.
These new residential uses are only permitted in the RN and RL zoning districts. Currently, all these proposed residential uses fall under the multi-family use, which is defined as three or more dwelling units on a single lot or parcel of land. The ordinance does not propose to remove or alter the multi-family use.
The RN districts proposed by the ordinance allow for the single-family, two-family, townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, and manor house uses along with additional uses similar to what is allowed in the RM2-RM20-A-NS zoning districts. The RN.1 district has a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet, a maximum height of 2.5 stories, and bulk regulations that generally align with a suburban setting. The RN.2 district has a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet, a maximum height of three stories, and bulk regulations that generally align with an urban setting.
The RL districts proposed by the ordinance allow for single-family, two-family, townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, manor house, multiplex, courtyard flats, and low-rise flats uses along with additional uses similar to what is allowed in the RM2-RM20-A-NS zoning districts. The RL.1 district has a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet, a maximum height of 2.5 stories, and bulk regulations that generally align with a suburban setting. The RL.2 district has a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet, a maximum height of three stories, and bulk regulations that generally align with a moderate density urban setting. The RL.3 district has a minimum lot size of 5,000 square feet, a maximum height of four stories, and bulk regulations that generally align with a high density urban setting. Additionally, the RL zoning districts allow for eligibility for the Voluntary Attainable Housing Incentive proposed by BL2025-1008 for the townhouse, townhouse court, plex house, manor house, multiplex, courtyard flats, and low-rise flats (in R.3 only) uses. Note that Council deferred the second reading of BL2025-1008 to November 4, 2025.
This ordinance does not apply the RN or RL zoning districts to any parcels; it only establishes the districts within the code that can then be utilized. The application of the zoning districts to any parcel would require the standard rezoning process be completed, including an application submitted to the Planning Department, a Planning Commission hearing, and three readings at the Metropolitan Council including a public hearing on second reading.
This item was approved with a substitute ordinance by the Planning Commission (8-0-1) at their September 25, 2025, meeting.