HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The City of Hendersonville is closer to temporarily banning new apartments.

Tuesday night, the City of Hendersonville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 11-1 on an ordinance's first reading to impose a nine-month moratorium on the acceptance, review and approval of applications and permits for high-density residential developments within the city.

The board made one amendment to the wording of the ordinance.

Hendersonville Ward 6 Alderman Mark Evans was the only board member to vote in opposition to the ordinance on Tuesday night.

"It's this kind of legislation, this kind of thing, these kinds of ordinances that we're putting through that does send a signal to people that we're difficult to work with, and I'm concerned about that," Ward 6 Alderman Mark Evans said. "I think businesses will go elsewhere. I have concerns — many others do — about the potential negative impacts on this, and I think they will be longstanding impacts to this."

It was confirmed at the meeting that any project that has already gone through the process of being accepted, reviewed and approved will remain unaffected.

Those who voted in favor of the ordinance believe it represents what Hendersonville residents want.

"This is definitely for the community, the citizens," Ward 2 Alderman Michael Martin said. "This is for public safety and the welfare of them, and this is not something that they've been asking for the last six months or a year. This is something that they've been asking since, I personally have experienced it since we started looking at the Westlake plan (2022)."

The city will hold further hearings and votes on this matter.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/hendersonville-votes-in-favor-of-temporary-apartment-ban-in-first-reading/