Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone had a great holiday celebrating the men and women who work hard to build this city and make it run well.
EVENTS
Trash and Recycling will not be picked up on Labor Day Monday, September 2. Pick-up will be the day after the regularly scheduled day for the rest of the week.
Brush Pick-Up runs in the following areas this month:
- Area 3 (Old Hickory, Lakewood, Hermitage, Stones River, Two Rivers, River Trace) on September 3
- Area 4 ( Donelson, Airport, Percy Priest, Northeast Antioch ) on September 11,
- Area 5 (Antioch, Cane Ridge, Paragon Mills) on September 20,
- Area 6 (Brentwood, Crieve Hall, Grassmere, Abbay Hall, Sidco, WeHo ) on October 2
- Area 7 (Edgehill, 12th South, Battlemont, Green Hills) on October 11.
The schedule and map are on the NDOT website. Residents should place sticks and limbs away from power poles so the truck can pick them up. Leaves should be in compostable bags. Please don’t blow leaves loose into the gutter since that can lead to clogging of storm drains and street flooding. Leaves can be bagged in compostable bags and left with brush pick-up. Metro’s Street sweeping will pick up a lot of trash in gutters if cars are not parked in their way. Check the street sweeping schedule . Put your street name in the “Find in this Data Set” search box to find your street’s scheduled date. Moving cars off the street makes this a much more effective process.
Root Nashville is our city’s drive to plant 500,000 trees by 2050. This is a public-private campaign led by Metro Nashville and the Cumberland River Compact. Trees are instrumental in absorbing stormwater and filtering pollutants before they enter our streams and rivers; the growth of Nashville’s tree canopy supports the Compact’s goal of improving water quality for residents of the Cumberland River basin . Tree planting season is quickly approaching - and the search for tree recipients and planting sites is in full swing There are a few ways to request free trees for Davidson County businesses or neighborhoods this fall: Businesses and organizations can apply for 10 or more at their office, HOA, place of worship, or other community space. Anyone can suggest a public planting site (like a park or street) via HUB Nashville Get involved and help grow Nashville’s tree canopy this year - each tree contributes to the Root Nashville campaign’s goal of planting 500,000 trees in Davidson County by 2050. Order at https://rootnashville.org/ or email hello@rootnashville.org . The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps is also helping with this effort. Their tree sale extends through the winter. More information is on their website .
I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes. The state legislature has authorized the construction of additional lanes on I-24 for drivers who are willing to pay for fast, unobstructed travel between Nashville and Murfreesboro. Choice Lanes are variable price managed lanes that use pricing to proactively manage demand and provide travel-time reliability. The proposed Choice Lanes would allow motorists to maintain consistent travel speeds even when the adjacent existing lanes are congested. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has been holding in-person public meetings to provide information about the proposed I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project and receive public feedback. There is a recorded presentation from the virtual public meeting hosted on August 14. Drivers can submit comments online through September 19 after viewing. Comments can also be emailed to TDOT.24ChoiceLanes@tn.gov or left on voicemail at (615) 451-8039. A response letter answering questions and comments will be posted on the project website in the fourth quarter of 2024. TDOT will notify respondents when it’s posted.
On Sunday, September 8, at 9:30 AM, Edgehill United Methodist Church (1502 Edgehill Ave) is hosting the authors of the book, I Think You’re Wrong (but I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations. Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers are two working moms from opposite ends of the political spectrum who teach that politics don’t have to divide us. This is a little unusual in many faith groups! Sarah (from the left) and Beth (from the right) are also co-hosts of Pantsuit Politics, recently named an Apple Podcasts Show of the Year. Sarah and Beth will share during the worship service and will host a community talk immediately following the service on the book and its intersections with faith and the current political landscape. All are welcome to join.
Hustle for the House 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville takes place Saturday, September 21. The race will start and finish at the Nashville Ronald McDonald House at 2144 Fairfax Avenue and follow a certified course through the Hillsboro West End Neighborhood. All participants are invited to dress in their finest disco attire. Sign up runners, walkers, kids, and dogs here . The Ronald McDonald House provides a “home-away-from-home” for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor is offering its biennial Mini-Conference for Neighborhood Disaster Preparedness and Response Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee 3421 Belmont Blvd. The conference is designed to provide a platform to discuss disaster preparedness and recover for neighborhoods and communities across our metropolitan area and affected neighboring counties. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), disasters can and should be prevented. We can prevent hazards from becoming disasters by helping communities to be prepared, reduce their risks, and become more resilient. The objective is to host 60-70 neighborhood and community leaders and partners and equip them with resources, skills, and other valuable life-saving information. For more information, contact Hwesi: 615-782-8212 or email hwesi@n2nsolutions.
N2N is continuing its neighborhood leader training with Policy & Zoning 101 The Basics on Saturday, October 5 from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm at West Police Precinct5500 Charlotte Pike. This is an In-Person ONLY Training & Networking Event. This Course is Free to Residents of Davidson County, but advance registration is required. This four-hour primer is for residents who just want a basic understanding of the who, what, why, and how questions. The training will cover the following topics:
- How Did We Get Here
- Building Blocks of a City
- Identifying the Stakeholders
- Life Cycle of a Project
- What is Policy and Zoning
Register at n2n.solutions .
For anyone who wants to learn more about how Nashville’s water gets cleaned and treated for drinking, Metro Water Services (MWS) is accepting applications for the Fall 2024 Citizen’s Water Academy through September 13. The Fall 2024 CWA will include five interactive sessions, held in-person over the course of two and a half weeks. This is a great opportunity to learn how MWS manages water from “river to river” and I encourage you to apply. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with MWS Staff and experience the water treatment processes by touring various MWS facilities - including the state-of-the-art Research & Analytical Laboratory and the historic Omohundro Water Treatment Plant. All MWS customers are eligible, but class size is limited, and the selection process is competitive. Through the Academy, MWS hopes to build a diverse network of leaders and influencers, representative of all of Nashville, willing to and share their knowledge within the community. Participants must commit to attend all the sessions below, which will be held at various MWS facilities. All sessions are held from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. The Fall 2024 dates are as follows:
- Thursday, September 26 - “Imagine a Day Without Water” at the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant
- Tuesday, October 1 - “Protecting the Environment” at the Whites Creek Water Reclamation Facility
- Thursday, October 3 - “A Sustainable Future” at the Biosolids Facility
- Tuesday, October 8 - “Protecting Public Health” at the MWS Research and Analytical Laboratory
- Thursday, October 10- “The Value of Water” at the Omohundro Water Treatment Plant
To apply, complete the application available online at Citizen’s Water Academy Application (google.com) The application deadline is September 13. Applicants will be notified of acceptance no later than September 17.
ISSUES
Metro Government depends on its Boards and Commissions to implement codes and policies fairly and impartially. These bodies are made up of engaged citizens who care about specific issues and are willing to give their time. Board and Commission Openings currently need to be filled for the Transportation Licensing Commission, Procurement Standards Board, Community Review Board, Metro Development and Housing Authority, and Solid Waste Region Board. Most board positions are nominated by the Mayor or Vice-Mayor and confirmed by the council. Interested applicants can submit a resume on-line by going to the specific board page. Procurement Standards is nominated by the Council. Anyone interested in serving on that board should contact their councilmember to be nominated.
The Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) has announced a new Tactical Urbanism program that supports and facilitates community-led installation of temporary transportation projects in neighborhoods. Also known as “planning by-doing” or “pop-up urbanism,” tactical urbanism has been present in Nashville for over the past decade. A prominent example is the Civic Design Center’s ‘PARK(ing) Day Nashville’ project, where street parking spaces are repurposed once-a-year into small parks and places for art and public gathering. A more local example is using haybales, plastic planters, and paint to set up a temporary traffic circle to see how neighbors and drivers respond. Potential applicants should first review the contents of the Tactical Urbanism Guide to become acquainted with design guidance for the program. Community organizations and neighborhood groups can then submit a project to be considered for funding by sending a Tactical Urbanism Permit Application to tactical.urbanism@nashville.gov. Applicants who would like to be considered for project funding should select “Yes” on the question “Apply for Tactical Urbanism Program Funding?” Project applications will be reviewed and funded on a quarterly schedule. Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis but must be submitted by the quarterly submission deadline to be considered in each quarterly review. Projects not funded in a particular quarter are eligible for reconsideration in subsequent quarters. Four projects will be selected in the first funding cycle of the program and decisions will be announced by mid-September. The next quarterly submission deadline is targeted for mid-to-late November 2024. For more information on Tactical Urbanism, visit Nashville’s Tactical Urbanism Program webpage.
Choose How You Move – The city has passed all the hurdles to get the proposed Transit Referendum on the November election ballot. The proposed program improves all modes of transportation by focusing on Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety. The program will accelerate the construction of 86 miles of sidewalks, 17 Transit Centers, 12 Park and Rides, 600 intersections with smart signalization, and enhanced safety features on dangerous roads. Bus service will be more frequent, run 24/7 with more cross town buses, so that riders can get where they need to go conveniently and reliably. The referendum will allow Davidson County voters to approve a dedicated source of funding through a half cent increase in the local sales tax. Because of Nashville’s tourist base and large commuter population, half of the revenue will be paid to tourists and commuters, who are using our infrastructure and should help pay for it. Nashville is one of only 4 major cities that don’t have dedicated funding for transit. This has been a disadvantage when applying for federal funds. Now Nashville will be competitive in our grant applications enabling us to leverage our local funding. Find out more on the Transit website.
September and October are bird migration months. In 2021 Nashville signed an Urban Bird Treaty, and last year the Metro Council issued a bird safe resolution (RS2022-1471) to encourage building and homeowners to minimize unnecessary lighting, which will reduce bird strikes against windows. Nighttime light pollution often leads to collisions with buildings, confuses birds’ internal clocks, and interferes with their ability to undertake long-distance migrations. Birds are an important part of our ecosystem, pollinating our flowers and crops, eating insects, and providing free music. The local Audubon Society chapter is encouraging businesses and homeowners to sign the LIGHTS OUT NASHVILLE pledge to turn all all unnecessary exterior lights during these crucial months . Homeowners can sign the pledge and see how you can help protect migrating song birds at www.birdsafenashville.org.
I hope everyone’s new school year is off to a great start. Please let me hear from you about your ideas and concerns. Reach out to burkley.allen@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604. Sign up for my newsletter at www.burkley.org
Burkley Allen
Metro Council At-Large