Flooding on March 27 affected all of Nashville. The Crieve Hall and Antioch areas were hit especially hard, in some cases worse than in 2010, and many residents are looking at significant damage and repairs. If you want to help
- Visit HON.org. Projects will be added as they become available.
- Donate items at the Community Resource Center (218 Omohundro Pl.) Get information on items needed at the Community Resource website.
- Donate money at at the Hands On Nashville website and indicate that it is for the March 2021 flood.
Re-appraisal information will be provided to property owners in mid-April. The re-appraisal takes place every four years as required by state law to take into account how property values have changed in different parts of the city. Property owners have the right to appeal their value through the Appeals process starting with the Informal Review (deadline to appeal in May), then the Formal Appeals to the independent Metropolitan Board of Equalization (MBOE) (deadline to appeal in mid-June) then to the independent State Board of Equalization (SBOE). Commercial property owners may by-pass appealing to the independent MBOE and appeal directly to the SBOE, as long as they contact the MBOE before the MBOE filing deadline in mid-June. The re-appraisal will affect individually property taxes differently. There are two parts to how property taxes are calculated – the property’s assessed value and city’s tax rate. Assessed value is based on the market value of the property based on recent sales of similar property near-by. State law also requires that the total income the city gets from property taxes stays the same after the re-appraisal, so the tax rate will be adjusted accordingly. Since property values have risen over the past four years, that means that the tax rate will go down. Property owners whose values have risen less than the city-wide average will see their taxes go down. Property owners in the fastest growing parts of town could see some increase if their values have risen above the average rate.
Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) officials are now scheduling appointments for COVID vaccines for anyone 16 years old and older. Despite the current halt in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, there is still plenty of other the kinds of vaccine available. MPHD officials encourage Davidson County residents to schedule an appointment by visiting covid19.nashville.gov or by calling 615-862-7777 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Health Department offers a Spanish language phone number to schedule appointments at 615-326-9986.
The Health Department will offer appointment options each day, seven days a week at the Music City Center for the Pfizer vaccine, which will require two shots. Parking is free for those coming to the Music City Center vaccine clinic (P2 parking garage). Pfizer vaccinations are also being scheduled Monday through Friday at Recovery Health at 1207 Jefferson Street. Davidson County residents 18 and older can also sign up for Johnson and Johnson vaccine Monday through Friday at the former K-Mart site on Harding Place once the current halt is ended. Only one shot is required with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Many area pharmacies are also providing vaccines. WeGo Public Transit is pleased to support those without any available transportation option seeking either a COVID-19 test or vaccination. Vaccine trips will be provided by WeGo-operated vehicles and/or 3rd party para-transit service provider free of charge. Please note that trips may be shared with other customers being transported to the vaccination site. However, trip grouping will be limited to ensure that social distancing is maintained while onboard transit vehicles. COVID-19 testing trips are facilitated by a 3rd party provider and not co-mingled with any WeGo operated service. To discuss transportation options to a COVID-19 testing site, please call WeGo Customer Care at 615-862-5950.
As more people get vaccinated, Nashville can gradually move out from under the restrictions that have been necessary for the past year to prevent the spread. We are now in Phase 3 of reopening.
- Bars and restaurants can open at whatever capacity enables patrons to maintain safe distance or 175 guest per floor. Tables are limited to 10 guests. Masks must be worn when moving around. Closing time is 2 a.m.
- Commercial and retail establishments can open at 75% capacity with social distance or barriers required.
- Personal service businesses can operate at 100% capacity with appropriate protections.
- Gyms, fitness centers, and pools can operate at 50% capacity.
- Day camps can operate at whatever level enables them to maintain appropriate distance while keeping campers in small cohorts.
- Outdoor facilities at Metro Parks are open.
- Entertainment venues can operate at whatever capacity is compatible with the required distancing and sanitation between patrons.
- Metro Schools are back in person for all grades with CDC guidelines for distancing and sanitizing.
- Events and venues still need to check with the Metro Health Department for maximum size here.
Information on Covid 19 can be found at Nashville.gov by clicking on the yellow banner at the top of the page. Dr. Alex Jahangir of the Covid Task Force and Interim Health Director, Dr Gil Wright, will continue to have weekly press briefings Thursdays at 10:30 a.m, and additional information is available at www.asafenashville.org.
Help is available to many homeowners who are struggling to pay mortgage payments because of employment changes related to the COVID-19 economic slow-down. Most homes have been protected from foreclosure through at least March 31, 2021, and many are protected through June 30, 2021. Most homeowners now have until at least June 30 to sign up for forbearance – a way to temporarily lower or pause mortgage payments. Those enrolled in a federal forbearance program may be able to extend that protection for several months. To learn if you’re eligible for these protections, how to get them, and which deadlines apply to you, visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. At the local level, Judge Rachel Bell has set up a special court to help renters who are facing possible eviction to negotiate a payment plan with landlords so they can stay housed. To access the Diversionary Court, fill out an application here.
Brush Pick-up begins in Area 8 (Green Hills, Hillsboro West End, Belmont Hillsboro, Percy Warner, Devonshire) on April 1, Area 9 (Bellevue, West Meade, Hillwood, White Bridge, Cherokee Park, Richland West End, Sylvan Park, Sylvan Heights, Hadley, Fisk Watkins Park) on April 7, Area 10 (Whites Bend, Charlotte Park, Cockrill Bend, Nations, TSU, College Heights, Germantown, Buena Vista) on April 20, and Area 11 (Joelton, Whites Creek, Marrowbone, Scottsboro, Bells Bend, Bordeaux, Haynes Heights, Haynes Manor ) on April 27.
Effective April 11, 2021, WeGo Public Transit will implement system-wide service changes that increase service from 78 percent to 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels in light of increasing ridership and improving conditions related to COVID-19. WeGo Public Transit held a public comment period to get feedback from current ridership about the effects the service changes would have on their commutes. This public comment period lasted from January 25 to February 15. Both the Regional Transportation Authority and Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority Boards approved the proposed changes on March 17 and February 25 respectively.
Route changes were made based on shifting ridership demands that required reallocation of service hours. Spring service changes feature the following adjustments:
Frequency Improvements
- 3 West End/White Bridge
- 4 Shelby
- 5 West End/Bellevue
- 6 Lebanon Pike
- 7 Hillsboro
- 17 12th Avenue South
- 18 Airport
- 23 Dickerson Road
- 34 Opry Mills
- 41 Golden Valley
- 52 Nolensville Pike
- 55 Murfreesboro Pike
- 56 Gallatin Pike
- 77 Thompson
Expanded Service Hours
- 3 West End/White Bridge
- 4 Shelby
- 7 Hillsboro
- 8 8th Ave South
- 14 Whites Creek
- 17 12th Ave South
- 18 Airport
- 19 Herman
- 22 Bordeaux
- 23 Dickerson Road
- 28 Meridian
- 29 Jefferson
- 50 Charlotte Pike
- 52 Nolensville Pike
- 55 Murfreesboro Pike
- 56 Gallatin Pike
Routing Improvements
- 23 Dickerson Road
- 34 Opry Mills
Discontinued Services
- 24 Bellevue
- 35 Rivergate
- 38 Antioch
- 43 Hickory Hills
- 64 Star Downtown Shuttle
- 72 Grassmere/Edmondson
- 73 Bell Road
- 96 Murfreesboro
Route Combinations
- 87 Gallatin and 92 Hendersonville
- 91 Franklin and 95 Spring Hill
Reduction in Service
- 8 8th Ave South
- 21 Wedgewood
- 25 Midtown
Customers can access information, including schedules, in a number of ways.
- Electronic schedules for the new routing were uploaded to the website at WeGoTransit.com as of Tuesday, April 6.
- Customers can call WeGo Customer Care to ask specific questions and find out updated trip information.
- General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) Data has been pushed out to apps and online resources, including Transit App.
WeGo expects to return to full service in Fall 2021. For more detailed information on these changes, customers may visit the WeGo website.
The Transit Alliance of Middle TN (TAMT) and Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) have joined together to create the Neighborhood Transit Institute (NTI), a three-day training for anyone who wants to know more about. . .
- transportation and transit
- why transit matters to our neighborhoods
- ways to advocate for better transportation options
NTI is free to participate and meets via Zoom 9 am- 12 pm, April 17th, April 24th, and May 1st. All presentations led by local experts. Please register here and forward on to anyone you think might be interested.
The consolidation of most of neighborhood conservation zoning overlays guidelines is back at the Historic Zoning Commission. The consolidation would combine all conservation zoning guidelines into a single document with a separate document for each conservation zoning district defining its boundaries and noting any unique guidelines. It also incorporates a number of interpretations that have guided decisions about historic properties in many historic districts over the years. The webpage dedicated to this project provides a background, meeting notes, drafts and a series of short videos to give an overview of the project. Review by the Historic Zoning Commission will be broken into two different meetings. A public hearing was held at the March meeting, and the Commission will make a decision at the April meeting on April 21 at 2 pm.
I am co-hosting a virtual Community meeting on Wednesday, April 21 at 6 pm with Council members Parker and Withers to discuss a https://richlandcreekrun.raceroster.com/ The bill would create a new type of overlay similar to historic overlays or urban design overlays that an area could apply for if it wanted to allow “mother-in-law” cottages in back yards while still prohibiting duplexes. This kind of overlay would be possible only in the inner core of the city known as the UZO, and it would not allow Short Term Rental use in the newly built DADU’s. Interested neighbors can tune in to the community meeting by going to the Metro Calendar of Events.
Saturday, April 24 is Earth Day. Nashville is planning a socially distanced event for Earth Day at Centennial Park. Nashville Earth Day provides opportunities for earth fans, growers, makers, food providers, sustainable businesses, non-profits, and metro/state government agencies to be part of this fun community event on Saturday, April 24, 2021. There will be acoustic music, yoga, Kidsville activity kits, a family Storybook Walk, and local food vendors. Information is available at the Nashville Earth Day website. This is also a great day for neighborhood clean-ups and plant swaps – socially distanced one last time.
The Richland Creek Run is returning for its 15th year as a virtual 5K anytime between on April 24 and May 2. Runners can support Greenways and run a 5K on any of Nashville’s great greenways or actually anywhere. Register here.
The Neighbor to Neighbor Conference 4 Neighborhoods happens Saturday, May 15 as an on-line gathering. This is a one-day training and networking opportunity for anybody who wants to make a positive difference in their neighborhood. Topics include Crime Reduction and Prevention, Neighborhood Planning and Development, Making Government Work for your Neighborhood, Preserving Neighborhoods, Beautification and the Environment, Effective Neighborhood Organizing, and more. Information and registration are on the Neighbor to Neighbor website.
Families can sign their children up for Metro Public Schools summer camps here. Programs will offer fun learning and an opportunity to fill in any academic gaps that developed during last year’s challenging virtual learning adaptation to the COVID pandemic.
The Housing Fund has created a Housing Resiliency Fund to support existing low-to moderate-income homeowners residing in following seven (7) zip codes: 37013, 37206, 37207, 37208, 37211, 37216, and 37218. The goal of this fund to help ensure families can keep their homes and maintain critical, long-term financial stability despite an increase in property taxes. Fund payment will begin in the 2021 tax year. As part of its mission to maintain affordable and healthy places, The Housing Fund will build on an initial donation from Amazon to fund the program in order to attract additional sources from philanthropic organizations. Applications for tax help will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Participants must have an annual household income below 120% of the area median income (AMI) to participate. This means $98,800 for a family of four. Participants must own their home and have lived in their home prior to January 1, 2020. The fund pays the difference between taxes after last year’s increase.
I am happy to report that BL2020-535, the Dark Skies Bill passed at the last council meeting. I appreciate all the people who wrote in support. This will provide guidance for responsible exterior lighting design on new construction that will be better for the environment, human health, energy consumption, and scientific observation including star-gazing. It should also lead to more effective enforcement of our existing light trespass restrictions. I hope Nashvillians will sleep better as we reduce light pollution and deal with nuisance lights shining into other people’s windows. A little bit of awareness can go a long way.
I hope everyone is having a great spring. Please get your vaccine and keep wearing your mask in public. With everyone’s help, we will be back to normal soon. Contact me at burkley.allen@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604 with your thoughts and concerns.
Regards,
Burkley Allen
Metro Council At-Large