Preservation Forward
A Response to the Metro Historic Restructuring
On March 18, the Metro Nashville Council voted 24-11 in favor of bill BL2025-742 aiming to restructure Nashville's historic preservation staff in an effort to streamline decision-making, enhance coordination, and align historic preservation efforts with broader urban planning strategies. The passage of the bill also halted larger sweeping state legislation threatening to hinder historical oversight.
This bill also sparked crucial, overdue dialogue, bringing these issues to the forefront of civic discourse. PSN spearheaded bridge-building conversations with numerous key stakeholders around this issue—the Mayor’s office, Planning Department, Metro Historical Commission, Metro Historic Zoning Commission, Metro Council Members, other historic preservation and neighborhood leaders, and property and business owners. All of these conversations have a common thread—everyone cares deeply about historic preservation and wants to see it thrive in our city.
PSN views this as a critical opportunity to forge a comprehensive approach to historic preservation in Nashville. As we move forward, its within our mission to advocate for implementing preservation-based solutions. This includes allocating resources for expediting changes, supporting staff through these organizational shifts, providing tools for preservation efforts, and championing responsible development.
Through our conversations with community stakeholders the Preservation Society has developed a straightforward community unifying key priorities that include:
About the Priorities
Develop a Comprehensive Preservation Plan
-
Nashville's historic preservation plan hasn't been updated since 1998. Although NashvilleNext’s Growth & Preservation Concept Map is an important tool, Nashville needs a new, comprehensive historic preservation plan.
-
The new plan should explore additional protections, tools and incentives such as lengthening the demolition holds on applicable historic properties, increasing the demolition fees, revising the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program, and more.
-
The new plan should align with the city's overall development strategy, establish clear guidelines for evaluating historical and cultural significance, and outline strategies to balance preservation with economic development and community needs.
Establish Integrated Processes and Protect Critical Historic Zoning Functions
-
Create a Historic Development Task Force with representatives from key stakeholders—Historic Zoning Commission, Historical Commission, planning department, local developers, local historic preservationists, community and economic development leaders—to develop shared goals, discuss active projects, shape the integrated and inclusive process to develop the preservation plan, and advise formal regulatory bodies.
-
Continue to maintain and support all existing Historic Preservation Overlays, Neighborhood Conservation Overlays, etc.
Maintain the Autonomy and Resources of the Metro Historical Commission and
its Staff
The regulatory role of the Metro Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC) and its corresponding staff is distinct from the educational role of the Metro Historical Commission's (MHC). Moving MHZC staff under the planning department may support streamlined processes among these planning- and zoning-based functions, while keeping the MHC and its staff separate preserves their unique programs and objectives. In addition, maintaining the funding and resources of both the MHZC and MHC regardless of their internal departmental structures is paramount.
About the Local Bill
On Tuesday, March 18, Metro Council passed bill BL2025-742 aiming to restructure Nashville's historic preservation staff in an effort to streamline decision-making, enhance coordination, and align historic preservation efforts with broader urban planning strategies.
On Tuesday, March 4, the Government Operations and Regulations Committee met and adopted a substitute bill from CM Benedict, an amendment from CM Cash, and an amendment from CM Gadd. In addition, he substitute bill and two of the proposed amendments passed second reading at Metro Council.
What's included in the Bill:
-
Maintains the Metro Historical Commission's director position and formalizing MHC staff.
-
Formally creates the position of Historic Zoning Administrator within the Planning Department, who will report to the Planning Department's executive director.
-
Requires all current Historic Zoning Commission staff become Planning Department employees but retain their civil service status and benefits.
-
Modifies the demolition permit process for historically significant structures not in historic overlay districts. The Historic Zoning Administrator must approve such permits within 90 days, unless a longer period is agreed upon.
-
Stipulates that the district councilmember must be notified within two (2) business days of a demolition permit application for a historic structure.
-
Denotes that these changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
A public hearing and final vote was held at the third reading on March 18, 2025.
Understanding Local Bodies
The Metro Historical Commission (MHC) was created in 1966 as a stand-alone agency and operates as a non-regulatory body focused on education and preservation. Its mission is to locate, collect, and preserve historical materials relevant to Davidson County's history. The MHC is responsible for promoting the preservation of historical artifacts, producing educational programs, and publishing historical content. The commission consists of 15 citizen members appointed by the mayor for four-year terms and is directly supported by eight (8) staff members.
In contrast, the Metro Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC) is a regulatory body established after the MHC and is protected by Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 13, Chapter 7, Part 4. It reviews applications for historic overlay districts and makes recommendations to the Metropolitan Council. The MHZC adopts and applies design guidelines specific to each historic overlay district and considers preservation permit applications for the construction, alteration, addition, repair, relocation, and demolition of structures within these districts. The commission is composed of nine (9) members who serve five-year terms and is directly supported by seven (7) staff members.
About the State Bills
The legislative efforts in Tennessee sought to reshape historic preservation practices in designated tourism development zones. Senate Bills 339 and 340, introduced on February 12, 2025, aimed to exempt privately owned properties built after 1899 from certain historic zoning commission oversights within these zones. This state-level initiative was undoubtedly connected to the ongoing discussions surrounding Nashville's local bill. These bills were taken off notice after the passage of local bill BL2025-742.
Metro Historic Restructuring
How Did We Get Here?
Nashville's exponential growth over the last decade has brought both opportunities and challenges. The city's population has increased by over 15% since 2010, with historic districts accounting for 20% of this growth between 2010 and 2016. This rapid expansion has led to a complex urban landscape where historic structures and new developments coexist, oftentimes unharmoniously.
The booming economy and surging property values have put immense pressure on historic property owners. Rising costs, increased property taxes, and the allure of selling to developers have created a perfect storm of challenges for preservation efforts. While this growth has brought economic prosperity, it has also intensified the tension between historic preservation and modern development needs. These pressures have led to conflicts between historic property owners and the Metro Historic Zoning Commission and staff. The occasional contradictions between historic preservation best practices and modern building codes as well as cases where the property owners simply don’t comply with established historic design guidelines and rulings by the commission have further complicated matters.
Compounding these issues is the fact that Nashville's last comprehensive historic preservation plan was created in 1998, leaving the city without an up-to-date roadmap for balancing growth and preservation. Studies by PlaceEconomics, released in 2019 and 2020, provided recommendations for leveraging historic preservation as an economic driver. However, many of these suggestions have yet to be implemented
These factors—explosive growth, economic pressures, outdated preservation plans, and unaddressed recommendations—have converged, bringing Nashville to a critical juncture. This is the very reason why the Preservation Society of Nashville (PSN) was formed—to foster an environment where preservation and development can coexist harmoniously. The opportunity now is paving the path forward, ensuring that Nashville's unique character is preserved while meeting the demands of a modern, thriving city.