Boards, Commissions & Committees

The City of Belle Meade is chartered as a City Manager-Commissioner form of government. The Board of Commissioners is the policy making body, while the City Manager is the Chief Administrative Officer.

Board of Commissioners

The citizens elect five Commissioners for staggered four-year terms and the Commissioners elect two of their members to serve as Mayor and Vice-Mayor for two-year terms. For more information on the Board of Commissioners click here.

Municipal Planning Commission – MPC

Meetings: City Hall, Third Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m.  These meetings are open to the public and all residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend.

Purpose: The board considers proposals for sub-divisions of land, combining of lots, amendments to the zoning code, and petitions for the closure or renaming of streets.  Plans for consideration are due at the Building Official’s office the first Friday of the month before the month of the hearing you wish to appear.

Structure: The Mayor and one Commissioner are required to serve on the MPC.  The Mayor appoints the remaining eight members of this ten-member board to serve three-year terms.

MPC Members:

  • Rusty Moore, Mayor
  • Haley Dale, Vice-Mayor
  • Gavin Duke, Chairperson
  • Nina Davidson, Vice-Chairperson
  • Carter Dawson, Member
  • James Hastings, Member
  • Scott Kendall, Member
  • Ashley Levi, Member
  • Karen Rich, Member
  • Larry Wieck, Member

Historic Zoning Commission- HZC

Meetings: City Hall, Second Tuesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.  These meetings are open to the public and all residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend. Plans for consideration are due at the Building Official’s office the first Friday of the month before the month of the hearing you wish to appear.

Purpose: The Commission is tasked with preserving Belle Meade.

Structure: The Mayor appoints the seven member Commission to serve five-year terms. The Commission must have a member from the discipline of architecture and a member of the Municipal Planning Commission.

HZC Members:

  • Bunny Blackburn, Chairperson
  • Jeanette Whitson, Vice-Chairperson
  • Mal Wall, Member
  • Gavin Duke, Member (MPC member)
  • Ray Hayles, Member
  • Rene Poe, Member
  • Charlie Rankin, Member

Board of Zoning Appeals- BZA

Meetings: City Hall, third Tuesday of each month at 5:00 p.m.  These meetings are open to the public and all residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend.

Purpose: The board considers plans and drawings for compliance with the zoning code including structure height, minimum lot area, open side and rear yards, setback requirements, and permitted and non-conforming uses. Plans for consideration are due at the Building Official’s office the first Friday of the month before the month of the hearing you wish to appear.

Structure: The seven-member board appointed by the Mayor and Commissioners to serve three-year terms.  The Mayor appoints the Chairman.  The Chairman selects a Vice-Chairman.

BZA Members:

  • Joe Dughman, Chairperson
  • Pete Zabaski, Vice-Chairperson
  • Chris Tardio, Member
  • Erick Clifford, Member
  • Charles Atwood, Member
  • Johnny Phipps, Member
  • Ron Farris, Member

Board of Building Code Appeals – BBCA

Meetings:  City Hall, Second Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m.  These meetings are open to the public and all residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend.

Purpose: The board considers variances in cases of non-compliance with the building code and violations of the property maintenance code.

Structure: The five-member board is appointed by the Mayor and Commissioners to serve three-year terms.

BBCA Members:

  • Clay Bright, Chairperson
  • Haley Dale, Member (Commissioner)
  • Johnny Phipps, Member
  • Jeannette Whitson, Member
  • Charles Thornburg, Member

Budget & Finance Committee

Meetings:  The Committee holds a minimum of two meetings a year. The Annual Audit meeting is generally held the first Wednesday in December. The Annual Budget meeting varies, but generally takes place in April.  These meetings are open to the public and all residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend.

Purpose: The Budget & Finance Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Commissioners on matters related to finance, including recommendation of approving the audited financial statements, approving the annual fiscal budget, and engagement of the city’s audit firm.

Structure: The five-member committee is appointed by the Mayor.  All Commissioners attend the Committee meetings.

Budget & Finance Committee Members:

  • Blair Wilson, Chairman
  • Tom Curtis, Member
  • Eric Helman, Member
  • Vacant, Member
  • Larry Wieck, Member

Beautification Committee

Meetings:  The Committee holds a meeting on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 pm.  These meetings are not public hearings, but are open to the public.  All residents and other interested parties are cordially invited to attend and listen.

Purpose: The Beautification Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Commissioners on matters related to beautification of the city. It is solely funded by public donations.

Structure: The committee chair is appointed by the Mayor.

Beautification Committee Members:
Laura Katherine Wood, Chair; Jackie Bellar; Carter Dawson; Jill DeBona; Michael Dixon; Gavin Duke; Lisa Ellis; Jeffrey Ezell; Martha Phipps; Carolyn Sorenson; Chip Wilkison; Peter Grimaldi, Advisor (Cheekwood)

Ceres Society of Belle Meade

The Society of Ceres is named after the Roman goddess of horticulture.  This Society was initiated by Mayor Elizabeth Proctor in the early 1980s for the purpose of renewing and maintaining the plantings in Belle Meade.  Since then, Belle Meade residents have enjoyed exceptional horticultural beauty supported in part by their tax-deductible donations to the Ceres Society.  These monies, along with City funds, are used to maintain the landscaping on Belle Meade Boulevard, as well as other pocket parks and medians throughout the City.  In addition, donations provide holiday wreaths on our street sign poles, the American Flag displays, and fund community events that promote the mission of the Ceres Society: Preservation, Education and Beautification of this Beautiful Meadow.
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