Planning Department directory
Executive office
Land Development
Land Development planners review subdivisions, rezonings, and other applications related to the zoning code, guide applicants through the development process, and write staff reports advising the Planning Commission. The Development Finance Officer processes performance bonds and letters of credit. The front counter accepts applications and answers zoning and subdivision questions.
Community Plans and Design Studio
Community Plans and Design Studio planners work with residents, property owners, developers and other stakeholders to create appropriate development based on each community's needs and goals.
GIS and Mapping Services
Our MetroGIS division generates, organizes, and analyzes spatial data, creates maps, and provides information about our county’s physical structure for other Metro departments and the general public. GIS (an abbreviation of "Geographic Information Systems") is a system of hardware and software used for storage, retrieval, mapping, and analysis of geographic data; here, GIS provides a better understanding of our county's physical attributes and supports more informed decisions about land use and development.
Budgeting and finance
Metropolitan Planning Organization/transportation planning
The Nashville Area MPO is the federally-designated transportation planning agency for over 2800 square miles and more than 1.5 million people throughout Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson and parts of Maury and Robertson counties. MPO website
AICP Certification
Twelve of our planners, as noted in their individual listings, have earned what the American Planning Association calls "a high mark of distinction" in the planning profession - membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners.
AICP certification is awarded to planners who pass a rigorous examination covering the history and theory of planning, urban design, law, ethics, and quantitative methods. Executive Director Rick Bernhardt is a charter member and a charter Fellow of AICP.