METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
Allen, Burkley (Council Member)
METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
October 2023
EVENTS
Brush Pick-up for
Area 7 Edgehill, 12th South, Battlemont, Green Hills on October 2
Area 8 Green Hills, Hillsboro West End, Belmont Hillsboro, Percy Warner, Devonshire on October 6.
Area 9 Bellevue, West Meade, Hillwood, White Bridge, Cherokee Park, Richland West End, Sylvan Park, Sylvan Heights, Hadley, Fisk, Watkins Park on October 12
Area 10 – Whites Bend, Charlotte Park, Cockrill Bend, Nations, TSU, College Heights, Germantown, Buena Vista pick-up beings October 23
Area 11 – Joelton, Whites Creek, Marrowbone, Scottsboro, Bells Bend, Bordeaux, Haynes Heights, Haynes Manor pick-up begins October 27.
Neighbors can confirm dates on the NDOT website at https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/2023-2024BrushFlyer.pdf?ct=1685653099 Remember to put leaves in compostable bags and place brush piles away from utility poles so the machinery can pick them up safely.
There’s still an opportunity for parents to sign 5th-8th graders up for a FREE afterschool program! NAZA-funded programs offer high-quality afterschool learning experiences that help youth thrive and develop to their full potential. Programs are offered at dozens of convenient locations citywide - find one near you and apply online for FREE: www.nashvillez.org/afterschool
The Housing Division of Metro Planning is submitting an application to the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency for a Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) grant. The purpose of this grant aligns closely with the Housing Division’s efforts to eliminate barriers to housing security, particularly for low-to moderate income families. Metro’s application will request the maximum amount allowed of $10 million. As dictated by the grant requirements, eligible activities must identify and seek to remove one or more barriers to affordable housing production and preservation. Additionally, each proposed activity must:
- Further develop, evaluate and implement housing policy plans.
- Improve housing strategies, or
- Facilitate affordable housing production and preservation.
Taking into consideration the input received during MDHA’s Consolidated Plan process, community and stakeholder meetings, and a thorough needs analysis, Metro Housing will be requesting funding for the following activities:
- Develop zoning and land use implementation tools and policies that encourage Missing Middle Housing (three to eight units in a single building);
- Provide technical assistance and capacity building to mission driven affordable housing developers and contractors to expand the creation/preservation of affordable housing;
- Develop a guide to facilitate affordable housing on land owned by faith-based institutions;
- Finance the development or preservation of affordable housing focused on permanent supportive housing and households earning 0 to 30% of the Area Median Income; and
- Grant Administration
The application is available on the Planning website for review and comment through Tuesday, October 17 at 11pm. Click here for more information.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor is hosting several great workshops for its Policy and Zoning training this month:
Policy & Zoning 101
Going Deeper
In-Person ONLY Training & Networking Event
This Course is Free to Residents of Davidson County
Advance Registration Required
This seven-hour course (two three-hour sessions) is for people who want a deeper understanding of Metro’s planning and zoning process. The following topics will be covered:
- What is ‘Policy?’
- Community Character Manual
- Transects, Elements, and Intent
- Land Use Policy
- What is ‘Zoning?’
- Land Use, Massing
- Zoning Code
- Specific Plan (SP) Zoning
- Zoning Terms
- Overlays, Subdivisions
- Community Plan Amendment
- Zoning Appeal
- Process for a Zoning Change
- Online Tools and Resources
- Parcel Viewer
- Development Tracker
- Municode
There is no pre-requisite for this course.
Session 1: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Session 2: Saturday, October 28, 2023
8:30 am - 12:00 noon
Hermitage Police Precinct
3701 James Kay Lane, Hermitage, TN 37076
For more information, go to https://www.n2n.solutions/upcoming-events .
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October is breast cancer awareness month. One out of eight women will be affected by breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection can mean the difference between an effective cure and a much worse outcome. Yearly mammograms are recommended. Metro Employees and their dependents can take advantage of free screenings at Nashville General Hospital every Monday in October between 7:30 and 9 am.
ISSUES
September and October are bird migration months. Nashville has issued a bird safe proclamation/resolution to encourage building owners to minimize unnecessary lighting at night, which can cause confusion and disorientation, and to install bird safe glass to reduce bird strikes against windows. Structural collision with windows and buildings is the leading cause of death among wild birds in North America, accounting for anywhere between 100 million and one billion bird deaths each year. More information is available at https://www.audubon.org/news/what-does-bird-safe-glass-even-mean .
The Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone six months old and older get a flu vaccine, preferably before the end of October. Flu shots are available at most doctors’ offices and at CVS and Walgreens. Walk-ins are available, but scheduling an appointment may save time. Many businesses have programs for their employees. For example, Vanderbilt has created multiple ways for eligible students, faculty and staff to receive a free flu vaccine now and throughout flu season at the Student Health Center and Vanderbilt Health Clinics. Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines can be taken at the same time. Vaccination is still seen as the best way to avoid serious complications from disease.
Free Internet is available to over 150,000 households in Nashville through a new program. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a bipartisan Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. ACP gives a $30/month home internet discount to individuals or households that qualify. Qualifications are based on income level, receiving SNAP, Medicaid, or Pell grants. For many, this means free home internet. Metro Nashville and Davidson County residents can call 311 to get help with ACP or visit hub.nashville.gov and use the “Affordable Internet” request. There is also help available for those who need to learn how to use the internet. Metro Digital Inclusion launched the Digital Inclusion Asset Map. This interactive map is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) coded list of organizations, or assets, in the community whose services residents can leverage for help with digital skills training, tech support, and more.
Metro has close to 80 Boards and Commissions that provide citizen input and oversight to many departments through their volunteer members. Members are nominated by the mayor’s office and confirmed by the Metro Council. There area openings on the Employee Benefit Board, Metro Development and Housing Authority (MDHA), Solid Waste Regional Board, Sports Authority, Storm Water Review Board, and Transportation Licensing Commission. Registered Nashville voters can indicate interest on the board’s website at https://www.nashville.gov/boards
Imagine Nashville is a citywide initiative guided by the belief that we as a community must share our dreams and ideas to shape our future. After an extensive listening process, the next step will be to identify and organize the best ideas in a concrete, specific, actionable plan with transparency and accountability for results. The steering committee is working over the next several months to reach across geographic, socioeconomic, racial and ethnic lines, and age differences to ensure everyone has a chance to share their wildest dreams, their most practical concerns, and, most of all, their ideas for how Nashville should go forward. This is a successor to Nashville’s Agenda in the 1980’s that led to the Bridgestone Arena, Frist Art Museum, and greenways. Everyone is invited to fill out community survey and provide your opinions on how Nashville should be growing. Find out more at https://imaginenashville.org/
Every year Metro Water Services issues a Community Confidence Report. This explains the process for cleaning the water that is distributed for drinking and shows how our drinking water compares to the EPA’s health standards with regard to key chemicals. This report now includes information about PFAS, the “forever” plastics that have recently been determined to be present almost everywhere. MWS has been monitoring PFAS for a number of years, and now what EPA has just set health standards, the data show that measured levels in Nashville drinking water are below the limits. The report for 2022 can be found at https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/2022_Consumer_Confidence_Report.pdf?ct=1683299413
Fall brings a special set of challenges to Metro’s storm water system. Keeping leaves and debris out of the street can go a long way to keeping the system functioning well. In the older parts of Nashville, the storm sewer and sanitary sewer were built in the early 1900’s as a combined system. Leaves that get into the system make their way to the sewage treatment plant and add a lot of unnecessary load to what has to be treated and disposed of. In other parts of the city everything in the storm drain goes straight to the river including leaves, sticks and trash. Please remember not to blow your leaves into the street. Metro will pick them up if they are bagged in compostable bags, which can be bought at most hardware stores. This is also a great time of year to Adopt-A-Storm-Drain. Pick a storm drain near you and commit to keeping it free of sticks, leaves, and trash to keep our water ways clean and help prevent flooding on your street during heavy rains. Or report clogged drains at hub.nashville.gov. Metro Water also has a street sweeping program. The Street Sweeping Schedule is published monthly on Metro’s Open Data website https://data.nashville.gov/Beautification/Metro-Water-Services-Current-Street-Sweeping-Sched/p9iq-sxk3 . Sweepers will be in districts 6,19, and 21 for the rest of the month. Click on the “View Data” button, and then filter by your district. You should be able to find your street and when it will be swept. Moving cars off the street on sweeping day will help Metro Water Services get debris and leaves off the street before they end up in the storm sewer system and clog it up.
WeGo has implemented fall changes to the bus routes as of October 1. The changes include new payment options, expanded service hours, and improved frequency of service with more buses on select routes. WeGo is now using its reloadable QuickTicket or exact change only
- Only QuickTicket or exact cash is accepted on fixed-route service.
- Magnetic fare tickets/passes and change cards will no longer be accepted.
- No change, change cards, or transfers will be given.
- All-day passes will not be available for purchase on-board buses.
- Transfers will no longer be issued, requiring cash-paying customers to pay for every boarding.
For the rest of October, any stored value on a Quick Ticket is worth twice as much. For ticket inquiries, please contact wegot...@nashville.gov.
Route adjustments include
• 29 Jefferson –routing change on John A. Merritt Boulevard at 32nd; buses will turn left on 32nd, right on Albion, and right on 33rd to the regular end of the line.
• 84 Murfreesboro –routing change to and from the Greyhound Bus Station; buses will travel via Murfreesboro Pike and Lafayette Street between the Greyhound Bus Station and Spence Lane in both directions instead of via I-24
• WeGo Link –service expanding to Brick Church Pike, Burton Hills, Old Hickory, Rosebank, and Skyline
Many Buses more often & all-day/all-week
• 7 Hillsboro – service to operate every 15 minutes midday on Weekdays
• 8 8th Avenue South – service to operate every 30 minutes midday on Weekdays and Saturdays and every 40 minutes on Sundays
• 75 Midtown – service to operate midday on Weekdays and Saturdays and on Sundays
• 77 Thompson/Wedgewood – service to operate hourly on Saturdays and Sundays Longer service hours
Service is extended to 11:15 p.m. on Weekdays and Weekends for 6 Lebanon Pike 42 St. Cecilia/Cumberland
Frequent network extended to 1:15 a.m. on Weekdays and Saturdays for 3 West End 22 Bordeaux 52 Nolensville Pike 4 Shelby 23 Dickerson Pike 55 Murfreesboro Pike 7 Hillsboro Pike 50 Charlotte Pike 56 Gallatin Pike WeGo Access
See https://www.wegotransit.com/assets/1/24/Summary_of_Changes_Fall2023_v3.pdf for specific route changes or call Customer Care at 615-862-5950.
As part of an four game pilot, soccer fans can take a WeGo express bus to the soccer game on Saturday, October 21, departing from the Park and Ride in Murfreesboro at 3:20 p.m. or in Antioch at 3:45 p.m. The return bus leaves GEODIS Park 30 minutes after the game ends. Get details at https://www.wegotransit.com/community/nashville-sc/
Nashville’s Zero Waste Master Plan team is spearheading a Food Scraps Pickup Pilot program as part of their work to find more sustainable solutions for food waste. Approximately 1/3 of what Nashville residents throw away as trash is food scraps and other organic materials that could be composted. When landfilled, that wasted food, food scraps, and other organic materials create methane gas. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Methane also accounts for about 20% of global emissions. Unlike landfilling, composting uses the natural decomposition process to return the nutrients in food and organic material back to the earth and create healthier soils.
By collecting food scraps for composting, instead of landfilling, we can:
- Reduce the production of methane gas in landfills
- Improve the health of middle Tennessee soils
- Reduce Nashville's reliance on landfills
- Get closer to Nashville's Zero Waste goal to reduce all waste to landfill by 90%
Participants are asked to
- Collect food scraps: Collect food scraps and other compostable products throughout the week.
- Take it to the curb: Place compostable materials in the curbside bin provided. Compost Nashville picks up the bin each week.
- Reduce waste to landfill: Food scraps will go to a local facility to be turned into a nutrient rich compost that improves local soils.
- Share the experience: Let Metro Waste Services and your neighbors know how it went!
It only takes about 10 minutes to apply and participants that are selected will get one free year of compost collection at the curb.
Additionally, participants will get a free bag of compost, a Zero Waste gift from our team, and a chance to win 1 of over 100 other prizes including a free tree from Root Nashville and a $50 Tennessee State Parks gift card.
More details about the program, including the application form, is available on our website: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/water/zero-waste-nashville/food-scraps-pickup
This is an exciting first step to provide a more resilient way to manage food waste for residents and I look forward to sharing more about this and our other programs in the future. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the Food Scraps Pickup Pilot program, if you have any questions about our Zero Waste goals for Nashville, or if there is anything I can do for your constituents.
I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying the arrival of fall. I’m optimistic that the change of seasons and a new Metro Council and Mayor will bring new opportunities, and Nashville can move forward to being a great place to live and work for everyone. Please contact me with your thoughts and suggestions at burkle...@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604. Sign up for my newsletter at www.burkley.org
Burkley Allen
Metro Council Member At-Large
