Specific Plan District Ordinance
Metro Council
Bill BL2005-762
(This item updated on 10.17.05 to include an updated fact sheet for applicants
seeking to use the SP District.)
This ordinance was enacted on September 21, 2005.
- Read the Specific Plan District ordinance as adopted by Council.
- Read the FACT SHEET describing the Specific Plan District and how it works.
History
In recent years, development professionals in Nashville/Davidson County have
called for additional flexibility to create developments
that meet market demands, address neighborhood concerns and are suitable
to the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Metro Council and its constituents have called for greater certainty that the residential, office, commercial, and industrial developments that are built actually match the plans promised to the community.
The Specific Plan (SP) District creates a new zoning district that gives developers additional flexibility up front and gives Councilmembers and their constituents greater certainty as to the resulting project.
For the developer, the SP District has the highest level of flexibility for
the design of the development.
- The SP District is not subject to the traditional zoning districts’ design standards.
- Instead, urban design elements are determined for the specific development and are written into the zone change ordinance, which becomes law. Some elements that can be written into the zone change include: height and size of buildings, setbacks, buffers, signage, and materials.
For the Councilmember and their constituents, since the urban design elements are spelled out in the zone change ordinance and become law, there is a greater degree of certainty as to the final product.
- The Councilmember can negotiate with the developer to add conditions, requirements or limitations.
- The Councilmember can place a timeline on the completion of the entire development and/or phases of the development.
The developer will propose the details of the development plan and then work with the Planning Department, fellow Metro Departments, the Councilmember(s) and their constituents to reach a workable compromise on the design of the development and the timeline for construction.
Questions or Comments? Email draft.ordinance.comment@nashville.gov