NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — An ordinance to eliminate parking requirements for bars and nightclubs will have to wait another two weeks before being voted on by Metro Council.

The councilman sponsoring this bill said it doesn't discourage parking but checks a lot of boxes for residents and businesses.

District 14 Councilman Jordan Huffman is leading the charge for this new ordinance.

Huffman said the idea here is to eliminate a needed mandate that doesn't apply much these days, since most people are using rideshare, biking and walking. He said eliminating the parking mandate supports small businesses.

Huffman said the unneeded surface space also adds room for density inside the urban core. But more importantly, it discourages people from drinking and driving.

The ordinance doesn’t remove parking as a whole but removes the mandate. Businesses will still be able to provide as much parking as they choose based on their customers and location.

"The cost to get a Uber (is) maybe $20 or $30, but a DUI is definitely a lot more than that," Huffman said. "More than anything, I think that this is good legislation just because it checks a lot of boxes for the city.”

Huffman said this ordinance also encourages the development of the "neighborhood bar."  He said the ordinance follows cities across the country that have eliminated parking mandates.

The final vote for the mandate was set to be held on Tuesday night, but it was deferred. It will again be discussed at Metro Council's next meeting on Sept. 2.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/middle-tn-neighborhood-news/metro-council-defers-ordinance-to-eliminate-parking-requirements-for-bars-nightclubs/