Proposal to allow duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes in most Nashville neighborhoods supported by local developer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Nashville builder said a proposed zoning change that would allow duplexes in all Davidson County neighborhoods, and triplexes and quadplexes in neighborhoods in the Urban Services District, would help bring more affordable housing to Nashville, despite some neighbors’ fears it would do the opposite.
The bill, sponsored by two freshmen Metro Council members, has been hotly contested. Roberto Gutierrez, managing partner at Jackson Builders, is coming to its defense.
“I think people have to understand that, like, the stuff that they like about their neighborhood isn’t there without progress,” Gutierrez said.
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Jackson Builders is a Nashville-based developer that has built around 500 homes in the city since 2016. Its employees have watched Nashville grow and change over the past few decades, because they were born and raised in Music City.
Gutierrez told News 2 increased home density is needed in Nashville in order to make housing more affordable, which is the goal of the proposed zoning change.
“Where interest rates are currently, coupled with the cost of land, as well as the cost of construction and city regulations…it’s extremely hard to build a house and make any reasonable margin selling it for less than $500,000, and a big part of that is because we’re so limited on density,” Gutierrez said.
According to Gutierrez, if this bill passes, it would increase home density, allowing developers to to sell conjoined, smaller, multi-family homes on the same sized lot as a single-family home for less money.
“There’s only so much you can sell the house for,” Gutierrez said. “If the house is smaller, then you have to sell it for less, and it’s feasible for us to sell it for less.”
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Despite that, some neighbors argue the multi-family homes would not be affordable. They worry allowing duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes in certain neighborhoods could change the character of the area, and the infrastructure wouldn’t be able to support it.
Nearly 800 residents planned to voice their concerns during a virtual community meeting hosted by Neighbor 2 Neighbor Thursday evening. However, the meeting was canceled minutes after it started due to a state law that requires meetings involving Metro Council members to be at least partially in-person.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor said Metro Legal told the group the all-virtual meeting violated state law.
Residents expressed their frustration on the Zoom meeting before it ended.
“I don’t understand how this group of professionals did not know what the rules were for the two weeks since I registered for this meeting,” one resident said after learning the meeting was canceled. “[I] don’t believe for a moment there was ever a meeting ever planned, but later on they’ll say there was community input for this major zoning change, but it’s just a charade; this meeting is a charade.”
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Residents acknowledge Nashville needs more affordable housing, but they argue the proposed zoning change won’t accomplish that.
However, Gutierrez hopes they’ll have an open mind.
“I think that when you get more people in the neighborhoods, then more amenities will come, and the areas become more desirable,” Gutierrez said.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor told residents the group is working to organize a hybrid virtual/in-person meeting that abides by state law, so the community has the chance to discuss the proposed zoning change.
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