MEMPHIS, August 18, 2026 - The Memphis City Council's Planning and Zoning Committee held its discussion item on Ordinance 5980 for two weeks. Later the same day the Council adopted Ordinance 5980 on second reading as part of the consent agenda, in a single vote covering five items, with no discussion.

What the ordinance does

The published agenda caption states that Ordinance 5980 amends Ordinance No. 5856, which established the rules and regulations relating to the operation and regulation of short-term rentals in Memphis, by amending Section 8, "Compliance," to detail enforcement of short-term rentals reported as a "Public Nuisance." It is sponsored by Councilman Philip Spinosa. The requested action on second reading was to adopt.

The two items and the sequence

The Planning and Zoning Committee met at 2:30 p.m. with two items on its agenda. Item 1 was the honorary street name resolution for Samuel Henderson. Item 2 was listed as "Discussion on Ordinance 5980. All Council Districts. Sponsored by Spinosa."

The committee took up item 1, approved it, and then the presiding member said item 2 would be held for two weeks. The transcript records no explanation and no discussion of the ordinance's substance.

The Council convened at 4:00 p.m. The Comptroller called the consent agenda as items 6 through 10 plus add-on item 25. Ordinance 5980 was identified on the floor as a general ordinance up for second reading. Councilman J. Ford Canale moved the consent agenda on the committee's recommendation of approval, Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren seconded, and the consent agenda passed. Seven members were recorded voting on it.

The consent agenda also carried a zoning ordinance for second reading on 2021 Berryhill Road, Case No. Z 26-05, Ordinance No. 5981, rezoning about 3.36 acres from Conservation Agriculture to Residential Single-Family 6, and a joint ordinance amending the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code to establish a procedure for replacing the zoning map, Case No. ZTA 26-02, Ordinance No. 5979, which had been held from July 21, 2026. Both carried recommendations of approval from the Land Use Control Board and the Division of Planning and Development. It also carried two engineering resolutions accepting bond security, both with same night minutes.

Two readings of the same sequence

The record supports two honest readings and does not choose between them.

One is procedural and unremarkable. Second reading is a step, not final adoption. A general ordinance requires three readings in Memphis. Holding a committee discussion item while letting a second reading proceed keeps the ordinance moving toward the meeting where the substantive debate will happen, and the discussion item can return before third reading.

The other is that an ordinance changing how the city enforces nuisance complaints against short-term rentals advanced one step closer to law on the same day the only agenda item created to examine it was postponed, and that the advance happened inside a consent agenda where no member spoke to it.

Nothing in the record states which reading is correct, because no one said why the item was held.

What happens next

The committee held its Ordinance 5980 discussion item for two weeks, which places it at the Council's September 1, 2026 meeting. Ordinance 5980 stands adopted on second reading. A general ordinance requires third and final reading before adoption, and no date for that reading was announced at the August 18 meeting.

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