[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6393441,"mediaKeyId","2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817","parentId",2107241,"title","Gallatin swears in three council members; Craig Hayes elected vice mayor 6–1; multiple ordinances and resolutions move forward","audioSeconds",752,"startMs",999000,"endMs",1751000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817&start=999&end=1751","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817/thumbnail_999000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6393441/Gallatin-City/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Gallatin-swears-in-three-council-members-Craig-Hayes-elected-vice-mayor-61-multiple-ordinances-and-resolutions-move-forward","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393441-deba24f07412b7ae00d05acb10be9b2a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770988554&Signature=VrbnFaX8Prfvww5DjflyoW7o4M9kFe9IVW3uckVPWHVwWVVgdEVe8mu7jRqd-CJC1CTdoB2aj6iEcx4crmtPyUu52q3qlqrXrWxFE4DBD7EwZ7eOwRFIYsHw5zvzkr4Xg9fbhVQjqwdpcKUVWXNu~wGEC6FlK08w596VxgRN~Qhc6eVFg36uELJQYKikTfiQIpGSvGaRdTK16Bnef3ygsr5UgqZHK6yZfswI6YXBWrki-it1pnWPELRhMVZuZFB0Fm5WTO1lw1-ZTSlcbTKY8yO42myPbUaCcIOb~4FfGMSXQUazZuXdBOmaAeOzcpLL2ZZgTKInYRAJsZDyFjwqJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","CityofGallatin","date","2025-01-08T00:00:00Z","article","Gallatin’s Jan. 7 council meeting opened with ceremonial swearing-ins and concluded with a package of routine legislative items and appointments.

General Sessions Judge Ron Blanton administered the oaths of office to Councilmembers Sean Fennell, Paul Jones (District 1) and Todd Alexander. Each took the standard oath to support the federal and state constitutions and the city charter.

Following the swearing-in, the council elected Craig Hayes as vice mayor. After nominations and a short discussion, the council voted; the motion to elect Hayes passed 6–1. Mayor Paige Brown announced the result and welcomed Vice Mayor Hayes to the role.

The meeting also covered several ordinances and resolutions, most of which passed on first reading or were approved as routine business:

- An amended ordinance to allow the city to levy impact fees (second reading) passed unanimously.
- A first-reading appropriation of $425,000 for the Hunt Club Boulevard traffic mast-arm project passed on first reading.
- Several appropriations and capital projects received first-reading approval, including funding for water-coverage work and the Longoria Park Corridor improvement project.
- The council accepted public improvements for new subdivisions (Cumberland Point Phase 2; Newman’s Crossing phases) and authorized participation in a public-entity grant program.
- The council adopted a neighborhood traffic management policy and approved a waiver of permitting fees for Sumner County’s recovery court facilities.

Votes at a glance (selected actions):
- Approval of Dec. 3, 2024 minutes — approved (voice vote).
- Election of vice mayor (Craig Hayes) — approved 6 yes, 1 no.
- Ordinance: charter amendment to allow impact fees (02411-71) — approved (second reading, unanimous).
- Various first-reading ordinances (mast-arm appropriation, rezoning and development plan amendments, water and park appropriations) — approved on first reading.
- Resolutions accepting public improvements (multiple phases) — approved.

Why it matters: The swearing-in completes council membership following recent elections and appointments; the vice mayor election sets council leadership for the term. The impact-fee charter amendment signals the city’s intent to seek new funding tools to manage growth, while the approved appropriations and accepted improvements advance planned capital work around the city.

What’s next: Newly sworn councilmembers assumed their seats immediately. The council scheduled follow-up work sessions and will consider the deferred Twin Ponds rezoning at a later meeting. The mayor and staff said they will coordinate appointments (including a Department of Electricity appointment and a planning-commission confirmation) at the next work session or council meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Gallatin 2025-01-07","oneSentenceSummary","The council swore in Sean Fennell, Paul Jones and Todd Alexander, elected Craig Hayes as vice mayor, and approved a slate of first-reading ordinances and routine resolutions including park and infrastructure appropriations and acceptance of public improvements.","taxTitle","Gallatin City , Sumner County, Tennessee","taxId",52803,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393445,"Council backs charter amendment to allow impact fees, urges wider legislative push",1636,3393000,5029000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817&start=3393&end=5029","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817/thumbnail_3393000.jpg","/articles/6393445/Gallatin-City/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Council-backs-charter-amendment-to-allow-impact-fees-urges-wider-legislative-push","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393445-d282f52e42d2686f5c82cec17cb35daf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770988554&Signature=XF5Pk20IiK7cttBEJ~zOb3sLV3mN7OflOHb7h-kR~5V~5~l2iVk8Yzd7OONgJeaMpiMERCSW4jMlHa9lJ58sr3jeS91DViNilaMpAY6XSr8V65B0alBGlSWAZ81MX6~rSkUD-xUpbgTLWsHhzipEJ~DjeSuQNPVAAa43GLRq~ShUhDCF7mkym4RvOTnngxSK8B08aW3aKak~ybSLGpcqGrRgDytGCB3qTisY~UZQVKXifxgAA8vW0-oUt2KoNybKjS~rN0FwEVWqviPviSn6C5NJJzVbAm5qT5cIdosTxigBgmPervzxgJAMmI-Qon3bVGfdfHBmd4HhraTtpJVI~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Gallatin City Council on Jan. 7 approved a second-reading ordinance amending the city charter to add the power for the city to levy impact fees on new development.

The ordinance — described by proponents as the first step to give Gallatin a tool to offset the costs of growth — passed on second reading with no recorded opposition. Council members and staff, however, acknowledged that state law and prior legislative history make securing practical impact-fee authority complicated and urged a coordinated approach with other cities and the Municipal League.

Mayor Paige Brown framed the item as a fairness issue. “Even the city of Nashville cannot have impact fees, but Franklin can because they got a special exception,” Brown said, arguing the city should push for a change that would let all cities use impact fees equitably. Council members raised two practical points: first, the city must pay for a technical study to calculate appropriate fees and allowable uses; second, previous attempts at legislation have stalled in the state Local Government Committee.

Councilmember Schuetz (spelling in transcript) said he could share a completed impact-fee study from another city to show how the technical work is structured, and urged members to coordinate with the city’s state legislators and the Tennessee Municipal League. Representative and senator contacts (Senator Hale and Representative Slater were mentioned by speakers) were discussed as potential legislative allies, and the mayor said that the most persuasive path may be a broad, multi-city request so the legislature treats the issue uniformly for municipalities.

Why it matters: Impact fees, if permitted and carefully structured, allow municipalities to charge new development for its share of infrastructure costs (roads, parks, drainage, schools in some states) rather than placing all costs on existing taxpayers. The council approved placing Gallatin’s request into the charter as a local policy signal; additional technical steps and state-level action would be required before the city could implement fees.

What next: City staff and council discussed commissioning the technical impact-fee study (an added cost), contacting state legislators to secure committee sponsorship, and coordinating with other cities through the Municipal League. The ordinance passed unanimously on second reading and will move forward as the city’s formal request for authority to create an impact-fee program.","Gallatin’s council unanimously approved a second-reading ordinance asking to add impact-fee authority to the city charter and council members discussed pursuing a broader, statewide solution for municipal impact fees.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6393448,"Council defers Twin Ponds rezoning after hours of resident opposition and new staff conditions",2763,1788000,4551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817&start=1788&end=4551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2107241-138707e4b87ae23d51435da835c59817/thumbnail_1788000.jpg","/articles/6393448/Gallatin-City/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Council-defers-Twin-Ponds-rezoning-after-hours-of-resident-opposition-and-new-staff-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6393448-19413b88a4f57416e79ff4b28a6e5e7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770988554&Signature=YOe9npi301-ay9ttfPgHZDUUQCMZ8GITPY-aCkKrFQ-Vu~uCpGzGOixwdUq6gpNQvUyw7fb9dKPdCB-JVifQP9C8sAcmsRT~gflIIRHB0TooepPnHfK2GkKlmmEtzynpvefIuA6NFnfC8mr3uyXkkV0Yf5AVZFFyRcxPEZnYhZY1rM-gY5YjXPZf0Nh7RHAsFR7cVjhCEMG2Cgbynitsy96op~d~t781EMT-zWVrx5L95a8sMFUwIJkn472ouiTVyby-3e5Mv4cZDlfmZAiQysjP6Qq-j2m9ygTKgl5UQpCt472Lxs2GDUzfYQQkei55TyIU~E27LGhxI~tsqvb2oQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Gallatin City Council on Jan. 7 deferred a vote on a proposed rezoning for the 131.64-acre “Twin Ponds” subdivision along Long Hollow Pike after extensive public comment and late amendments from city staff.

Residents who live near the site told the council the project — proposed to change the property from agricultural to R-10 Planned Residential Development to allow nearly 300 units — would increase traffic, strain schools and utilities, and harm the corridor’s rural character. Several speakers also raised water-quality and flood concerns tied to Rankin Branch and Town Creek, which they said are impaired waterways that feed the Old Hickory watershed.

The proposal drew repeated pleas from neighbors to reject or rework the plan to better match the surrounding low-density uses. “Changing the zoning from agricultural to R-10 PRD to accommodate nearly 300 tightly packed units… undermines the bridal essence that drew so many of us here,” said resident Eric Schaeffer, who lives in Saint Blaise Retreat. Resident Erin Bookout told council members she believes the streams that cross the site are impaired and warned of effects on Gallatin’s surface-water drinking source. “With every rainfall that washes road oil, debris, and toxic substances such as fertilizer… you are poisoning Gallatin’s drinking water,” Bookout said.

City planning staff presented an amended, second-reading ordinance and two substantive new conditions they were asking the council to adopt before any final action. Planning Department head Brian Rose outlined corrections to the legal description of the property and an expanded construction requirement for a Bison Trail extension through the development, plus a requirement that a fire-access road connecting to Saint Blaise Road be gated at both ends with Knox locks and certified by an engineer to support and turn the city’s largest fire apparatus. Rose said the southern connection must be built before issuance of building permits for “phase 4” as currently shown in the preliminary master plan and that timing must conform to section D107.2 of the International Fire Code concerning multiple fire apparatus access roads.

Several council members said the new language was introduced too late for adequate review. “These are a lot of changes brought to us the day of a vote,” Councilmember Molly Schmitz said, and moved to defer the second reading to the next council meeting to allow time for staff, the fire chief and council members to review the additional conditions. The motion to defer carried on a roll-call vote (see “Votes at a glance” below): Councilman Alexander — yes; Councilman Carter — yes; Councilman Fan — no; Councilman Fennell — no; Councilman Jones — yes; Vice Mayor Hayes — no; Councilman Duvantes — yes. The council therefore did not adopt the ordinance and the item will return for further consideration.

Why it matters: The Twin Ponds parcel is along Long Hollow Pike, a corridor multiple residents described as a treasured rural gateway into Gallatin. Many speakers cited Plan Gallatin text they said designates the area for “minimal change,” and asked the council either to deny the R-10 request or require lower density, larger lots, expanded buffers and a corridor overlay to preserve rural character.

What remains outstanding: Residents asked for clearer hydrology and drainage modeling, a definitive list of projected school assignments and capacity impacts, and a written engineering certification for the proposed gated fire-access road. Staff added the Knox-lock and engineer-certification requirement to address emergency access concerns, but council members asked for time to consult with the fire chief about the operational impacts of two gated accesses.

The council’s deferral pauses the formal approval clock on the developer’s plan and gives staff and council time to review the new conditions and the community’s written comments. The item will be scheduled for a future council meeting; no new hearing date was set during the Jan. 7 meeting.","The Gallatin City Council deferred a second-reading vote on rezoning 131.64 acres for the Twin Ponds subdivision after nearly two hours of public comment and late staff amendments that prompted concern from council members about timing and fire access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Gallatin swears in three council members; Craig Hayes elected vice mayor 6–1; multiple ordinances and resolutions move forward

Council backs charter amendment to allow impact fees, urges wider legislative push

Council defers Twin Ponds rezoning after hours of resident opposition and new staff conditions