Neighborhood Pop-Up Traffic Circle — The Belmont-Hillsboro Neighborhood is trying out a new type of traffic calming strategy at the intersection of 15th Ave S and Elmwood. On Saturday, April 1, a group of volunteers met at the site with TURBO Nashville to install a pop-up traffic circle. Designed by traffic engineers and approved by Metro Public Works, this temporary installation will give neighbors a chance to see how driving around a circle can slow traffic in both directions. The circle will be in place for one week while engineers monitor traffic speed. Based on the results and the neighbors’ reactions, we’ll decide if this could be an effective tool at several intersections in the neighborhood. Contact Joe Woolley for more information.
Nashville is participating in the annual observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 2 - 8. The week-long initiative promotes victims’ rights and honors crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme—Strength. Resilience. Justice.—reflects a vision for the future in which all victims are strengthened by the response they receive, organizations are resilient in response to challenges, and communities are able to seek collective justice and healing. MNPD is also presenting the 2017 NCVRW Resource Guide, which contains theme artwork, theme posters, and web artwork, designed to help communities and victim assistance providers promote awareness of crime victim issues.
Join me and other council members for another round of Bus Ride 101, this time to the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival on April 8. If you’ve never ridden a Metro Bus, this is your chance to get introduced with plenty of support. We will be met at the bus stop at Elmington Park by MTA staff, who will provide free bus passes and ride with us explaining all the fine points about finding schedules and routes on the website or your smartphone. Once we are downtown, we will have a quick tour around the Music City Central bus terminal. Those that decide to remain downtown will be given a return pass and bus schedule. A MTA staff member will accompany the rest back out to Elmington Park. Please RSVP to Roseanne Hayes.
Nashville Reads continues this month at Islamic Center of Nashville on Saturday, April 8 at 11:30 and Bongo Java on April 19. Join this city-wide book group to discuss John Lewis’s graphic novel March about Nashville’s role in the Civil Rights movement.
The Gale Lane Sidewalk Project is moving closer to commencement. Over the past months, representatives for Metro Public Works have been working with property owners along Gale Lane from Granny White Pike to Belmont Boulevard to obtain Right-of-Entry forms for permission to enter their properties to construct the planned sidewalk in front of their yards. Additionally, they have been coordinating with multiple utilities including Piedmont Gas, NES, Comcast, AT&T and Metro Water Services. The project is close to being ready for construction to start. A public meeting with the affected property owners is set for Tuesday, April 11 at 6pm at Christ the King Church on Belmont Blvd to discuss what can be expected during construction, introduce the contractor and distribute contact names and numbers, in case issues are encountered during construction.
Opportunity NOW — Mayor Barry created a city-wide paid youth internship and job initiative called Opportunity Now after hearing from young people in her Youth Violence Summits that they need activities in the summer. They need access to opportunity, skills, hope, and, yes, paychecks. The Mayor’s office has worked with private employers and Metro departments to identify thousands of paid positions, which can be found on the Opportunity Now portal. Now we need to fill these positions! If you have children, family, or friends that are between 14 and 24 and live within Davidson County, please encourage them to sign up for Opportunity NOW. By accessing the portal, young people can search for jobs, explore careers, build a resume, and gain skills needed for positions through video trainings. Not only will young people be earning a paycheck, they will also be learning what to do with that paycheck as they participate in financial literacy programming. There are two primary forms of employment on the portal: 1) direct hire, which are jobs that can be available year-round and are great for young people in the workforce looking for employment, and 2) paid, meaningful internships, which are geared towards younger Nashvillians who are going to be learning about the workplace for the first time. Direct hire positions are always available, but for younger groups, time is running out. April 7 is the deadline for applications for High School Internships for young people ages 16-17 and NAZA SummerZONE positions for ages 14-16. April 17 is the deadline for applications for additional Experience Work positions for ages 14-15. Please help spread the word, and make this summer safer and more productive for our young people. Visit the Opportunity Now website for more information.
Street work will begin in front of the former Boscos building in Hillsboro Village in the next couple of weeks as the renovation and revitalization finally get under way. TDOT requires this work to be performed at night due to the need to close the street. This will be followed by the sprucing up of Boscos and Sams to be replaced by a new restaurant and clothing store. In addition, a mixed-use project will be constructed in the back parking lot across from the Belcourt Theater that will provide new retail, residences, and parking.
Earth Day Volunteer Opportunities — What better way to celebrate Earth Day, April 22, than helping to spruce up Nashville neighborhoods? HWEN is participating by hosting a dumpster for bulk waste disposal at Eakin School parking lot, at the corner of Fairfax and 27th Avenue, as well as Scrap metal collection, Goodwill collection, and Cleanup at Fannie Mae Dees Park, Eakin Elementary, and Love Circle. Look on the HWEN website for more information.
Complete your celebration of Earth Day by attending the 8th annual Wood for the ‘Hood, a fundraiser hosted by Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc. which focuses on enhancing the tree canopy in public areas within the neighborhood. Join friends and neighbors on Saturday, April 22 for an evening of wine, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and the company of fellow tree lovers. The event will be held at the home of Brett Sheriff, 2114 19th Ave S. More information is available here. Thanks for doing your part in making Nashville a more beautiful city!
Join the Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville for World TaiChi and QiGong Day at the Dragon Park on Saturday, April 29. Neighbors are invited to participate in workshops or just enjoy the demonstrations from 10am to noon at Fannie Mae Dees Park, 24th and Blakemore.
The Country Music Marathon will take place Saturday, April 29. Road closings will be along Magnolia, 20th, Portland, Belmont, 12th South, and Wedgewood from 6am until 11am. No Parking signs will be posted the week before, and cars will be ticketed or towed if they are in the street on Saturday.
The Metro budget process is under way. Proposed budgets for each department can be reviewed here.
The 12th South water main replacement project is continuing on Beechwood Avenue near Belmont Blvd.
Metro Parks is now taking registration for their summer multidisciplinary arts camps. The programs challenge campers in dance, music, theater, and visual arts. Using their own ideas and imaginations to work together, campers discover what it takes to write a song, create choreography, construct a piece of art, and bring a story to life onstage. From the Ground Up / 8-10 yrs runs from July 17-21, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. Level Up / 11-13 yrs is July 24-28, 8:30 am-4:30 pm. Both programs cost $150.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Sidewalk Bill — Metro Council is considering a long awaited sidewalk bill (BL2106-493) that will add sidewalks as a requirement for more building projects in the inner core of Nashville. Emphasis is placed on filling in sidewalk gaps, and in providing sidewalks in highly walkable areas (like ours) or paying a meaningful amount into a sidewalk fund that will benefit nearby streets. This bill has already been approved unanimously by the Planning Commission and is on public hearing at the council Tuesday April 3. E-mails of support to all council members can be sent here and are greatly appreciated.
Short-Term Rental legislation is largely in the hands of the state for now. There are two bills proposed in the state legislature that prohibit cities from regulating short-term rental. These bills are being considered by the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on Tuesday, April 3 and the House Local Government committee on Wednesday, April 4. If you know legislators on either of these committees, please contact them and ask them to oppose any bills that take local control away from cities.
I appreciate all the great feedback and suggestions from neighbors. Please let me know what is on your mind, and enjoy this amazing spring! I can be reached at burkley.allen@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604.
Regards,
Burkley Allen
Metro Council 18th District