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BL2025-837 - Bar and Nightclub Parking Removal

This discussion topic was requested by Council Member Jordan Huffman regarding BL2025-837, regarding Bar and Nightclub Parking Removal.

From CM Huffman:


Colleagues, 

 

At our meeting tonight, BL2025-837 will come before us on third and final reading. This legislation eliminates the outdated minimum parking requirement for bars and nightclubs, and I want to share why I believe this is an important step for our city and address a few common concerns you may hear. 

 

Why This Matters 

 

• Reflects reality: Most patrons of bars and nightclubs arrive by rideshare, walking, or transit, not by driving themselves. Our code should reflect actual behavior. 

• Supports small businesses: Mandated parking raises startup costs and forces land use that many operators do not need. Removing this barrier makes opening and operating these businesses more feasible. 

• Improves land use: Eliminating unnecessary surface lots allows for better urban design, walkability, and more productive land use. 

• National best practice: Cities across the country, including Minneapolis, Portland, Buffalo, and San Francisco, have already removed similar minimums with positive outcomes. 

• This bill does not remove parking. It removes the mandate. Businesses will still be free to provide as much parking as they choose, based on their customers and location. 

 

Addressing Concerns 

 

• Neighborhood spillover: Experience from other cities shows removing mandates doesn’t automatically cause more street parking pressure. Developers still have strong incentives to provide parking where their customers expect it. 

• Countywide application: While this is a countywide change, the impact will be most felt in urban areas, where nightlife is dense and rideshare use is highest. 

• Public safety: By reducing the incentive to drive, this policy aligns with efforts to lower DUI risk and encourage safer mobility options. 

• Accessibility: ADA requirements are unchanged and will continue to apply regardless of this legislation. 

• Fairness to other uses: Bars and nightclubs are unique in their customer behavior patterns such as late hours, group arrivals, and high rideshare usage. 

 

 

This targeted bill is a practical first step toward broader modernization. This is about giving businesses flexibility, not forcing a one-size-fits-all model. It reduces costs, encourages more efficient land use, and aligns with our broader goals in NashvilleNext to build a more walkable, connected city. 

 

To reiterate, this bill does not take away parking. It takes away the mandate. It gives businesses the flexibility to provide the parking they actually need, instead of being forced to waste space and money on empty lots. 

 

Jordan Huffman

Council Member, District 14