www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-03 16:28:00
The Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled that the Metro Nashville Council must reduce its size from 40 to 20 members, upholding a 2023 state law limiting metropolitan councils. Metro Nashville had challenged the law, citing the Home Rule Amendment, which they say allows local voters to decide council size. A lower court previously sided with Nashville, deeming the law unconstitutional. The Appeals Court majority disagreed, stating the Legislature retains authority over counties despite home rule status. Vice Mayor Angie Henderson affirmed the council will consider legal options, emphasizing the current 40-member council’s effectiveness. The law would take effect in 2027 if upheld.
(The Center Square) – A ruling by the Tennessee Court of Appeals could force the Metro Nashville Council to reduce its size from 40 to 20 members.
Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 that limited metropolitan councils to 20 members. The Metro Nashville Council challenged the law, saying the Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution gives Nashville voters the decision on its size.
A chancery court sided with Metro Nashville in 2024 and ruled the law was unconstitutional. The state appealed the ruling and the decision was handed down Tuesday.
“To the contrary, there is ample authority for the proposition that when the Legislature acts through general legislation, the Legislature retains power over a county, despite the county’s home rule status, and this is true even with respect to functions that are governmental or political in nature,” Judges J. Steven Stafford wrote in the majority opinion shared by Judge Carma Dennis McGee.
Judge Kenny Armstrong dissented.
Vice Mayor Angie Henderson said the Metro Council will discuss its next steps with the Department of Law.
“The Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution, in part, stands for the proposition that the size of the Metro Council is a decision for the voters of Metro Nashville,” Henderson said in a statement. “The General Assembly’s 2023 Small Government Efficiency Act was advanced purportedly to address the ‘efficiency & effectiveness;’ of Nashville’s legislative branch. For the last 60 years, this 40-member Council has capably and effectively served the interests of our constituents, who today number some 715,000.”
If the ruling stands, the law would take effect in 2027.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The article primarily reports on a legal and political dispute regarding the size of the Metro Nashville Council without promoting a particular ideological viewpoint. It presents the facts of the court rulings, the positions of the involved parties, and quotes from key figures on both sides, such as the court majority opinion, the dissenting judge, and the Vice Mayor. The language remains neutral and descriptive, avoiding emotive or loaded terms that might suggest bias. This objective presentation adheres to factual reporting by focusing on the details of the case and the responses from relevant officials without endorsing or criticizing any political ideology inherent to the issue at hand.
SUMMARY: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill banning smokable hemp flower, including products with more than 0.3% THCA, which converts to THC when burned. Retailers like Ben Whitelaw, owner of The Flower Shop in Chattanooga, say the bill will force them out of business or out of state, as most of their products will be banned. Lawmakers argue the legislation regulates the “Wild West” hemp industry for consumer protection and transfers oversight to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Whitelaw believes the bill aims to benefit the alcohol industry. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, with potential legal challenges anticipated.
SUMMARY: A Spring Hill family lost everything after their two-story home caught fire Tuesday afternoon amid hot, gusty conditions. A 21-year-old neighbor noticed smoke and urgently alerted the couple, helping them escape safely with only the clothes they wore. Fire crews arrived quickly but battled challenges like a collapsed roof, interior stairwell damage, and extreme heat. Assistance came from neighboring counties as firefighters worked through dangerous conditions, with some sustaining injuries and heat exhaustion. Despite their efforts, the house was a total loss. Fire investigators are still determining the exact cause of the blaze.
A Spring Hill family lost everything when their home caught fire Tuesday afternoon.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-04 13:40:00
The Beacon Center and Nashville settled a class action lawsuit over stormwater capacity fees after Peyton Pratt was charged over $6,000 for expanding his home. Nashville implemented the fees in February 2024 to fund stormwater system improvements, charging residents based on total impervious area, including existing surfaces like roofs and sidewalks. Pratt was wrongly charged for more than triple the added impervious area. Nashville agreed to reimburse $1.4 million to affected residents, repay Pratt, and pay $5,000 in attorney fees to the Beacon Center, pending federal judge approval. The settlement aims to support affordable housing development by easing fee burdens.
(The Center Square) – The Beacon Center and the city of Nashville have settled a class action lawsuit over stormwater capacity fees.
Peyton Pratt sued the city after he was charged more than $6,000 in fees when he expanded his residence, according to a release from the Beacon Center, which represented Pratt.
Nashville enacted the new fee structure for residents obtaining building permits in February 2024. The money from the fees was allocated to fund capital improvements in the city’s stormwater system.
“Perhaps worse, Metro’s stormwater capacity fee charges individuals on a per square-foot fee not just for impervious area that they’re adding, but also for impervious area that has existed all along,” the lawsuit said. “Thus, even though Mr. Pratt sought to add less than 2,500 square feet in impervious area, Metro charged him a stormwater capacity fee for over 8,000 square feet.”
Impervious areas include roofs, streets, sidewalks and parking areas that are covered.
Nashville agreed to settle and pay back $1.4 million to residents who were charged the fees in order to obtain a permit. Pratt will also recoup his money and the Beacon Center will receive $5,000 in attorneys fees, according to the settlement.
A federal judge has to sign off on the agreement before it is final.
“This is a landmark agreement, not just for our client, but for all Tennesseans,” said Wen Fa, Beacon’s vice president of legal affairs. “Tennesseans have long identified the lack of housing as a significant issue, so we’re pleased that this proposed settlement clears the path for builders to make housing affordable by building more homes for Tennesseans.”
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
This article primarily reports on a legal dispute involving the Beacon Center, a conservative/libertarian-leaning think tank, and the city of Nashville over stormwater capacity fees. The tone is factual and focused on the settlement details, including the fee structure, lawsuit claims, and financial outcomes. However, the selection of sources and framing subtly reflects a free-market, anti-regulation perspective typical of Center-Right viewpoints, emphasizing the burden of government fees on residents and the positive impact on housing affordability. The absence of commentary from city officials and the highlighting of the Beacon Center’s stance reinforce this ideological leaning without overt editorializing.
