planning_commission 2026-05-14 · Thursday, May 14, 2026 · 2h 4m

The one where neighbors swore they never got notice, and the commission approved MI Homes' cemetery-site project anyway

Name: The one where neighbors swore they never got notice, and the commission approved MI Homes' cemetery-site project anyway
Start: 2026-05-14
Location: Nashville City Hall

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Neighbors packed a Metro Planning Commission hearing to fight two residential projects, and their complaint rhymed: the community meetings never reached them. A doctor speaking for her mother, a King Ridge resident, and others asked for deferral so they could actually talk to the developers. MI Homes countered that it had met five times since August and had already surveyed an on-site cemetery with the Historical Commission, GPS coordinates and all. The commission approved it, Commissioner Marshall noting it met 'not only one policy, but three.' One neighbor broke ranks to beg the panel to mov

From the room

“successful developments that happened due to reasonable, honest, face to face community engagement”
— Tasha Ellis

“number nine, deferred, an 82 acre development is on the horizon with 23 acres going into a land trust”
— Tasha Ellis

“multifamily housing, like, we're likely to see here caters largely to studio one and two bedrooms”
— Council Member (unnamed)

“a single parcel about five acres in size located at the Northeast corner of Old Hickory Boulevard”
— Dustin Shane

Also in the record

Records not linked to a specific agenda item

Opposition & support

Concerns: off-site traffic · preservation of natural areas · buffering · stormwater management

Conditions

Approve with conditions (Cali Subdivision Phase 2 final plat)
Approve with conditions (Martin's Glen Phase 1 final plat)
Approve with conditions including an exception to section 3.5.2.d.2 for lot size.
Staff recommends approval with conditions; disapproval without all conditions.
A 10-foot landscape buffer along Old Hickory Boulevard, consistent with that street's scenic arterial designation.
A landscape buffer along the eastern property line, provided with adjacent residential areas.

+28 more conditions

Questions & answers

Commissioner Smith: Several areas in the observation area have historical overlays — will those be studied / accounted for in recommendations?

Vice Chair (Planning Commission): Do we know anything about the district council person's support for this item?

Commissioner Dundon (Vice Chair): When was this parcel designated T3 suburban community center policy — was it recent (which would influence the deferral view)?

Commissioner Dundon (Vice Chair): How long has this application been pending / when was it submitted?

Commissioner Dundon (Vice Chair): Why can't we approve the project but add one more public/community meeting as a condition?

+15 more exchanges

Citations & precedent

writ of certiorari - 60-day appeal window · Selena

Procedure

Chair inadvertently skipped item e (council member communications) and returned to it to invite Councilmember Benedict to speak — Chair (Planning Commission)
Commission moves to item h, an informational Design and Development Strategy (DNDS) presentation by planning staff — Chair (Planning Commission)
Chair announces three items set for public hearing tonight: item numbers 2, 4, and 17. — Chair (Planning Commission)
Public-hearing procedure: staff presentation first, then the applicant gets eight minutes and may save two of the eight minutes for rebuttal. — Chair (Planning Commission)

+4 more procedural steps

The people

Public testimony: 3 in favor · 7 opposed

Practitioners & applicants

Richard Herring · Emily Burgess · Priscilla Burgess · Kevin Veterans · Pam Owens · Lisa Milligan · Tasha Ellis

The intelligence

Every parcel, owner, and applicant in this meeting, cross-referenced against Zonable’s NYC ownership, enforcement & legislative graph — the record behind the record.

Sign in for the full graph

Owner portfolios, open OATH/ECB violations, 311 & DOB permits across every parcel discussed, developer track records, and an “ask this meeting” chat.

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