Participation in Metro Council Public Hearings

In these trying times of the coronavirus, the Metropolitan Government continues to work for you, our residents. As part of that effort, the Metropolitan Council has continued to deliberate issues and make decisions that affect you, your home, and your neighborhood. After two meetings held by teleconference that were broadcast and streamed live, the Council is now ready, following the lead of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, to resume its role of considering zoning legislation. Our first public hearing on zoning legislation since the March 5, 2020 meeting was held on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. The Metropolitan Council conducted virtual Council meetings over the past six months and is now ready to convene in person at the Music City Center located at 201 5 Avenue South. While the Council meets in person, all Metro Public Health orders will be observed including proper social distancing and mask wearing.

As a member of our community, you have the right to have a voice in these meetings. The Metropolitan Council provided the opportunity for the public to participate in Council public hearings remotely from the comfort of their homes while meeting virtually. This helped to balance public health and social distancing guidelines with the importance of the public's input as a resident. The Metropolitan Council is now ready to resume in person public hearings starting on Tuesday, October 6, 2020. As of December 1, 2020, the Council will again provide remote participation for public hearing items for members of the public that do not wish to attend and speak in person.

Members of the public wishing to participate and speak on public hearing items in person must follow Metro Public Health orders including proper social distancing and mask wearing in order to participate in person. Members of the public that wish to remotely participate on public hearing items may use this virtual meeting reference as a guide.

Once your time begins, state your name, address, and whether you are for or against the bill or resolution. You will have two minutes to speak.

Please remember, you are always welcome to email the Council or call us if you have concerns about a particular matter. Simply go to www.nashville.gov and click on Government and then the Metro Council. You can find a link to the Councilmembers and their contact information.

If you have any questions prior to the meeting about how to participate, please call us at 615-862-6780.

Here is how you can participate in the Public Hearing:

Find a Meeting

Find a Metro Council meeting agenda

Watch the Meeting as it Happens

• Watch on your computer via live streaming on Nashville.gov
• Watch on cable TV (Comcast channel 3, AT&T Uverse channel 99)
• Watch on the Roku Metro Nashville Network Channel

Provide Comments in Person

Starting October, 6, 2020, the Metro Council will hold regularly scheduled Council meetings in-person in the Davidson Ballroom at the Music City Center located at 201 5th Avenue South. Members of the public wishing to provide comments about legislation on public hearing will need to appear in-person and follow Metro Public Health orders.

Metro Council Committee and Council Meeting Schedule

Please note:

• Only one person will give comments at a time.
• Each person visiting the location will be required to do the following:
  • Practice social distancing (6 feet apart)
  • Wear a mask while inside the building, including when making comment
  • Complete a questionnaire regarding COVID-19 symptoms and provide contact information should the need arise for contact tracing

Provide Comments Remotely

If there are agenda items that have been advertised for public hearing, you can provide comment at the public hearing from the comfort of your home by calling into the meeting live from your phone. Remember that the availability of public comment will depend on the specific meeting, so refer to the meeting's agenda.

In order to call in to the Council public hearing, please follow these steps:

1. Tune into the meeting (instructions above)
2. Wait for the Vice Mayor to announce when your item is ready for live call in
3. Dial 629-255-1931 and wait for operator assistance
4. You will be asked if you are calling for the current bill or resolution on public hearing
5. Mute your TV or live stream when it is your turn to speak
6. Once your time begins, you state your name, address, and whether you are for or against the bill. You will have two minutes to speak.
7. During your public comments, you will receive a 30-second warning before your time is up

Terms and Conditions of Participation

Updated April 24, 2020

Accurately providing all the information requested is required as a condition of participating and offering public comment during this meeting. You will not be given the opportunity to participate in this meeting if you do not provide all the requested information, or if you provide information that is fake or fraudulent. Information provided in this context will only be used for the governmental purpose of facilitating this public meeting and will not be sold, but anything stated during a public meeting may be aired on television and/or made available for streaming via YouTube if recorded, and any information provided in written or recorded form will constitute a public record and may be required to be disclosed pursuant to the Tennessee Public Records Act, if a request for the information is made pursuant to that Act. If you are under 18 years of age, you must not provide this information without the consent and assistance or your parent or legal guardian. Moreover, the Metropolitan Government reserves the right to terminate your public comments during the meeting if they include statements that:

• are fraudulent, libelous, harassing, embarrassing, sexually explicit, profane, obscene, intimidating, defamatory or otherwise unlawful or inappropriate;
• promote or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, creed, gender identity, or sexual orientation;
• target any ethnic, racial, age or religious group, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity or disability status;
• contain confidential information (e.g. HIPAA protected information), unless the information is about yourself and you are consenting to its public disclosure;
• constitute advertising or solicitation;
• contain information that may compromise the safety or security of the public, Metro Government employees, or those in the care of the Metro Government;
• endorse illegal behavior or activity that violates any law or regulation;
• are deemed to be off-topic or to disrupt the purposes of the public meeting; or
• fail to comply in any way with the Rules and Procedures applicable to the Metro Council meeting in which you are participating.

Terms and Conditions of Virtual Participation (PDF)