METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
Allen, Burkley (Council Member)
METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
Council Member At-Large Burkley Allen
November 2021
- Redistricting – Every ten years after the census has been completed, all congressional and local political districts are redrawn to ensure equal representation for all people. The Planning Department oversees the process for Metro Council and Metro School districts. The Planning staff has completed the first round of community engagement and feedback gathering on their first draft of the proposed new districts and has just issued a revised draft. The Planning staff is ready to get comments on the new map. They have reopened the survey on the Planning website where residents can compare Proposal A to Proposal B and submit comments. Folks can also drop by the Metro Planning Department (700 2nd Ave. S) on Monday, Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to review maps, ask questions and share comments. Neighbors can also send an email at redistricti...@nashville.gov .
E-bike surveys – As Nashville and cities around the country have begun to build up bike infrastructure, electric assist bicycles (E-bikes) have become very common. With the arrival of E-bikes in Nashville, we are once again faced with the challenge of developing policy on how to share common spaces for emerging technologies. Metro Parks has traditionally prohibited motorized vehicles, which includes golf carts, ATVs, and motorized scooters, on greenways. Electric wheelchairs are allowed. Where do E-bikes fit in this policy? By state law, E-bikes, are not considered motorized vehicles as they all have pedals and are generally operated by human power with an intermittent boost from a battery for hills or challenging terrain. E-bikes are divided into three classes based on how fast they can go with electric assist and whether the rider has to pedal. There is already a 15 mile per hour speed limit on greenways, which applies to all bikes, traditional or electric assist. Metro Parks and the Nashville Department of Transportation are gathering public comment to help inform the policy about E-bikes on greenways. Here are comments I have heard so far.
|
|
PRO |
CON |
|
Access |
Allow less physically fit cyclists to enjoy greenways |
Possible overcrowding |
|
Safety |
B-Cycle has agreed to limit max speed of bikes to 15 mph, which is the Greenway speed limit |
E-bikes are heavier than most bikes, and some can go faster than 15 mph. Might put more inexperienced riders on Greenways |
|
Data so far |
Documented problems with bikes cited so far have been caused by inconsiderate cyclists and have not been specifically connected to E-bikes |
Some state parks are reviewing their past allowance of motorized vehicles on park trails, but that includes ATVs, golf carts, and snowmobiles and not exclusively E-bikes (which are technically not classified as motorized vehicles) |
|
Other |
Increases commuting options |
Will this lead to scooters on greenways? |
Everyone’s input is important. The survey can be found at https://hub.nashville.gov/s/request-type/a0ut0000002Ndi3AAC/metro-nashville-parks-department-2021-electric-bike-greenway-access-survey?language=en_US
Covid-19 Vaccines are now available for children aged 5 to 12 The CDC has approved the use of the vaccine which contains
one-third the amount of active ingredient used in the vaccine for those 12 years old and up. Children would receive a second dose 21 days or more after their first shot.
The vaccine will be available beginning Monday, November 8 at Metro’s two drive-thru locations. Vaccine will also be available at the Health Department’s community pop up vaccination clinics starting next week.
See locations at asafenashville.org.
Those seeking the vaccine can also check with their pediatrician, nearby pharmacies, grocery locations, and walk-in clinics.
Brush Pick-Up begins
- November 9 – Area 10 (Whites Bend, Charlotte Park, Cockrill Bend, Nations, TSU, College Heights, Germantown, Buena Vista)
- November 17 – Area 11(Joelton, Whites Creek, Marrowbone, Scottsboro, Bells Bend, Bordeaux, Haynes Heights, Haynes Manor)
- November 24 - Area 12 (Goodlettesville, Bellshire, Dalemere,)
- December 1- Area 1 (West Madison, Capital View, Douglas Park, Cleveland Park, McFerrin Park, Highland Heights)
Download the map and schedule at https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/2021-2022_Brush_Flyer.pdf?ct=1632941998
Metro Parks and the Metro Historic Commission are hosting a community meeting to envision the future of Fort Negley Park. Neighbors are invited to an informative, interactive experience to learn about the history of the park and participate in forming a mater Plan for the historic site. The meeting will be November 9 at 5:30 pm at Rose Park Middle School, 1025 9th Ave S. Speakers will include Dr. Leoretha Williams from TSU; Dr. Carole Bucy, Davidson County Historian; Krista Castillo, Fort Negley Museum Coordinator; and Gary Burke, representing Friends of Fort Negley. For more information, visit www.nashville.gov/departments/parks.
November 15 is America Recycles Day. Recycling preserves limited landfill space, saves energy, and conserves natural resources. When you choose to purchase items, especially those that are packaged in aluminum or glass, choose to support a clean environment and a circular economy by recycling! Making beverage cans from recycled aluminum cuts air pollution by about 95%. Using recycled PET in place of virgin PET reduces energy demand by 75% and greenhouse emissions by 60% Twenty recycled aluminum cans can be manufactured with the energy needed to produce just one can from virgin ore. Mining raw materials for aluminum takes 20 times more energy than recycling aluminum. Recycling aluminum saves more than 90% of the energy required to produce new aluminum products versus producing new metal from virgin ore. Recycling 40 aluminum cans provides the energy saving equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Over one ton of natural resources are saved for every ton of glass recycled. Take the recycling pledge on the Keep America Beautiful website at https://kab.org/programs/ard/pledge/
- Property Tax bills
have been mailed out. These reflect last year’s reappraisal, which is required by state law every four years.
The purpose of the reappraisal is to ensure that each parcel is assessed fairly relative to the rest of the county.
This is required by state law to be a revenue neutral process, meaning the city doesn’t make any more taxes off of this process.
Property values on average went up 36% so the tax rate has been adjusted downward a similar amount from $4.21 to $3.288/$100 of assessed value.
As is always the case, properties in very hot parts of town saw increases in their overall taxes, and properties in more sedate parts of town actually had a tax decrease.
The packet includes a lot of information, including how to access tax relief and tax freeze programs for elderly, disabled, and veterans.
Every senior in Nashville-Davidson County who is 65 years old or older that owns a home, whose total household income does not exceed $44,510
and whose property taxes were paid in full is eligible for the property tax freeze program.
For more information about the Tax Freeze Program, contact the office of Metropolitan Trustee, Erica S. Gilmore at 615-862-6330. Payments
can be made in installments with full payment due February 28, 2021. For property owners who feel that the assessment that their property tax is
based on is too high, the appeal process for 2022 begins on November 1.
The first step is an Informal Review Request
on-line at the Property Assessor website, padctn.org. That can be followed by a formal appeal for the 2022 assessment year by calling the Call Center in the last week of May 2022 and the first week of June 2022 to set an appointment to appeal the property
value to the independent MBOE. Any appeals made for the 2022 assessments year will have no effect on the 2021 assessment year for tax payment, but will cover the years moving forward until the next reappraisal.
- Metro has over 75 different volunteer boards and commissions that help with the governance of the city taking full advantage of citizen engagement and expertise. Residents of Davidson County are encouraged to participate in everything from the Agricultural Extension Board to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Nominations can be submitted by Council Members to the Mayor’s Office for consideration. The Mayor’s Office whittles the list down and final approval is by Council vote. Descriptions of all the boards and commissions can be found at https://www.nashville.gov/Government/Boards-and-Commissions.aspx. There are openings coming up on the Community Oversight Board and the Sports Authority. If you are interested in serving on either of these or any other boards, please send me a resume with a brief explanation of your qualifications and why you would like to serve.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor is seeking four individuals to serve as At-Large Board Members who will represent the general interests of neighborhoods throughout Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. Neighbor 2 Neighbor is a local nonprofit organization with IRS 501(c)(3) status dedicated to equipping residents and neighborhood organizations with the tools they need to build safer, healthier, and more vibrant neighborhoods. Their Board is made up of 15 members, each serving three-year terms, who are committed to their mission. They currently have several open board positions that need to be filled by candidates with experience in finance/accounting, marketing, and/or fundraising. They are also seeking one resident living in the Midtown Hills Precinct area to serve as precinct representative. This individual will be responsible for representing the interests of neighborhood organizations in the Midtown Hills Precinct. Board members serve as ambassadors to the community and are expected to promote the mission and work of our organization by all appropriate means. If selected, this member will serve a three-year term that will begin January 1, 2022 and end on December 31, 2024. For more information, contact Jim Hawk at j...@n2n.solutions or 615-495-2945.
Metro Health Overdose Response Unit reports that there has been a significant increase in overdoses in our community. If someone is struggling with addiction or is concerned about a friend who is, help is available at TN Redline, a 24-7 phone number available (800-889-9789) for information on addiction and referrals. The number is available to all TN residents.
The Tennessee state legislature has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to change the requirements for vehicle emissions testing in Tennessee. This program was initiated because vehicles are the largest source of emissions related to smog, which is tied to increases in cancer, asthma, and heart disease. Because of effective emission standards and testing, Nashville’s air is cleaner every year in spite of having more cars on the road each year. The city does not make any money off of this program. It is strictly about keeping the air we breathe clean. Many counties will be ending their testing program effective January, 2022. Davidson County is looking at several ways to continue to protect our air quality, while making the testing more convenient for drivers. Like so many other industries the testing centers are experiencing a labor shortage, which has led to longer than usual wait times for the past few months. A camera based pilot can check emissions as cars drive down the interstate and send notices that a car has passed. Other options are being considered as well. In the meantime, testing centers have a website http://www.nashvillevip.org/ where drivers can click on an inspection site to see how long the wait time is. It is best to look at the actual picture of the line and see what time it was taken. Going in the first half of the month, and avoiding mornings and lunchtime can also help.
Trash and recycling Routes will be on holiday schedule for Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving. Pick-up days that fall on or after a holiday will be shifted one day for the rest of the week. A calendar for recycling can be found at https://filetransfer.nashville.gov/portals/0/sitecontent/pw/docs/recycle/RecycleCalendar.pdf.
Metro Parks is asking for help in finding the perfect tree to serve as the centerpiece for the city’s holiday celebration. Metro Parks’ Horticulturist, Randall Lantz, said the Parks Department is looking for a 30 to 40-feet tall Norway Spruce that looks good from all angles. Ideally the tree has grown too big for its current location or needs removal. For anyone that believes they have such a tree, please make sure and include the location of the tree so Parks staff can take an initial look. The tree should ideally be a Norway Spruce which has the same shape that we see in children’s books about Christmas. The tree is anchored at Public Square Park and is decked with thousands of multi-colored LED lights. The Parks’ Department will cut down the tree, grind out the stump, and plant a replacement tree for the owners. If you have a tree that meets the criteria, please call Randall Lantz at 615-862-8400 or email him at Randal...@nashville.gov
Speaking of trees, November is the perfect month to plant trees. Many organizations are holding tree planting events during this month and throughout the fall. Cumberland River Compact is the lead organization for the Root Nashville campaign, which has a goal of restoring our tree canopy by planting 500,000 trees by 2050. https://rootnashville.org/ In addition the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps has a monthly tree planting event each month through March. https://www.nashvilletreeconservationcorps.org/ The Nashville Tree Foundation is hosting ReLeaf Day on November 20. https://www.nashvilletreefoundation.org/. My neighborhood, Hillsboro West End is hosting our tree sale through November 12. https://www.HWEN.org. Trees provide shade and wildlife habitat, reduce heat island effect and cooling bills, reduce stormwater run-off, increase property values, and make Nashville a more beautiful city. Look around your street for a place that needs a tree and contact any one of these groups.
I hope everyone is having a great fall. Please let me know about your suggestions and concerns by contacting me at burkle...@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604.
Metro Council At-Large
