Nashville Councilmember Rollin Horton at center of housing debate
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Photo: courtesy of Councilmember Horton
Fresh off the passage of an ambitious rezoning of the Nations neighborhood, Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton has his sights set on chairing the council's planning and zoning committee.
Why it matters: The planning chair is typically an unheralded position, but there's heightened attention on the role this year because of the belief that zoning reform is on the horizon.
The big picture: In short, Horton's policies aim to make it easier for builders to construct housing. They also seek to boost density by clearing the way for multi-unit projects.
- Horton's early track record has made him a darling of the city's Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) movement, which favors significant zoning changes.
Catch up quick: Council passed Horton's bill last year for the city to create a "pattern book," which provides builders with multi-family housing plans already approved by Metro departments.
- Council also approved a Horton-backed policy change, which allows more housing in commercial, office and shopping districts.
- More recently, council approved a codes policy change greenlighting multi-family developments up to six stories to utilize a single staircase instead of two.
Driving the news: The Nations rezoning plan passed council last week after substantial debate, including some community pushback.
- The plan allows for more affordable and middle-class housing in sections of The Nations, while also opening the door for redevelopment of old industrial areas.
What he's saying: "I think it shows the value of starting community engagement on this very early," Horton tells Axios. "This is something we spoke about for two years as a neighborhood with community groups, with churches, with the neighborhood association, with local businesses. Having a plan that has continually evolved over that two year period helped make it the best version possible."
- Horton says some aspects of the rezoning came out of points raised by opponents, such as a provision to increase the tree density.
Friction point: Horton, 35, backed policies pitched earlier in the council term to increase density in many Nashville neighborhoods. That proposal triggered tremendous pushback from some neighborhood groups and ultimately stalled.
- Housing stakeholders are watching closely to see what zoning reforms are proposed by city leaders.
- "I think we have to be careful and intentional about how we approach it to make sure we're cognizant of how big and diverse Davidson County is," Horton says.
What we're watching: Council will vote to select the next planning committee chair at its meeting next week. The person selected also serves on the Planning Commission.
- Since zoning reform could be proposed soon, the council member chosen for the role will likely be in the thick of the debate.
- Metro Councilmember John Rutherford has also been nominated for the post. Rutherford, a second-term council member representing southeast Davidson County, touted his experience on zoning issues in an interview with the Nashville Banner.