Knoxville Neighborhood Advisory
Knoxville Neighborhood Advisory – Vol. 8, No. 10 – Tuesday, March 31, 2015
- Participants Sought for “Fight the Blight” Workshop
- Old Mechanicsville to Host an Easter Service
- Community Development Director to Speak in East Knoxville
- Closure of Island Home Avenue is Focus of Monday Meeting
- City to Hold Public Meeting on 5-Year Consolidated Plan
- Bicycle Facilities Plan Ready for Public Input
- City Seeks Comment on Urban Agriculture, Food Production
- Neighborhood and Government Calendar
Published by the City of Knoxville’s Office of Neighborhoods to report news important to Knoxville’s residential neighborhoods. Deadline for news & calendar items: 5 p.m. Mondays.
- Participants Sought for “Fight the Blight” Workshop
The City of Knoxville’s Office of Neighborhoods, in coordination with various city departments, is conducting a four-session workshop focused on the challenges we face with blighted properties and how to better work together to address them.
The “Fight the Blight” workshop will be held over the course of four Wednesdays starting April 22 and continuing through May 13. The first three workshops will be held in the City County Building (Small Assembly Room) from5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., and the final workshop on May 13 will be held from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the CAC/L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Avenue.
To participate in this workshop, please fill out the one-page application located here: http://www.planetreg.com/E3319621138154. Or call Travis Nissen at 215-3077 for a hard copy to be mailed to you.
Seating is limited to members of existing neighborhood organizations inside city limits. Depending on the number of applications, the Office of Neighborhoods may limit the number of participants per neighborhood organization.
Applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15.
At the workshop, neighborhood group representatives will learn how and why properties become blighted, examine the nuts and bolts of city codes enforcement, and hear about public and private efforts that address blight. They will share views and concerns about blight, and propose solutions for these properties at the neighborhood level as well as in collaborative efforts with the city.
Neighborhood representatives who participate in this workshop will then be able to join ongoing meetings of the Neighborhood Working Group, which is composed of neighborhood group representatives and city officials who meet every other month to discuss problem properties and possible solutions.
- Old Mechanicsville to Host an Easter Service
Old Mechanicsville Neighborhood Interest (OMNI) is hosting All Soul’s Church for the church’s annual EasterSunday Service on April 5.
This event will take place at 10:00 a.m. Sunday at the Old Mechanicville Park, located directly across from the historic Fire Station #5 on Arthur Street. The event is open to the public. Bring a lawn chair for your comfort. Parking is available at the Helen Ross McNabb parking lot located on Arthur Street.
- Community Development Director to Speak in East Knoxville
Becky Wade, director of the City of Knoxville’s Community Development Department, is the featured speaker at the East Knoxville Community Meeting next week.
The meeting begins at 1 p.m. Monday, April 6, at the Burlington Branch of the Knox County Public Library, 4614 Asheville Highway. This monthly meeting has covered a wide variety of topics pertinent to East Knoxville, including the Magnolia Avenue Corridor, the Magnolia Warehouse District, the fortunes of Knoxville Center Mall, loss of a Walgreen’s store and concerns about lack of food access.
- Closure of Island Home Avenue is Focus of Monday Meeting
City of Knoxville officials, along with representatives of KUB and contractor Empire Construction, will host a public meeting next week to update South Knoxville residents, businesses and stakeholders on the traffic detour routes associated with the construction of a new apartment complex.
The public meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 6, at South Knoxville Elementary School, 801 Sevier Avenue.
The 134-unit River’s Edge Apartments — consisting of one-, two- and three-bedroom units in five buildings — are being constructed on Island Home Avenue, near the entrance to the Island Home Park neighborhood at Maplewood Drive.
Beginning in early April, Empire Construction will close Island Home Avenue between Sevier Avenue and Maplewood Drive to perform utility work associated with the River’s Edge development. The closure will continue for at least eight weeks.
The eastbound detour route follows Sevier Avenue to McClung Avenue, turns left at South Haven Road and continues on Island Home Avenue to Maplewood. The westbound route uses the same streets in reverse. A bicycle detour route will be posted to substitute for the existing signed bicycle route.
- City to Hold Public Meeting on 5-Year Consolidated Plan
The City of Knoxville will hold a public meeting next week to present the final draft of its Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan for spending federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, at the John T. O’Connor Center, 611 Winona Street. In addition to making comments at this meeting, citizens may submit their comments via e-mail to Linda Rust atlrust@cityofknoxville.org or in writing by mail or fax to Linda Rust, City of Knoxville, Community Development Department, P.O. Box 1631, Knoxville, TN 37901, fax 865-215-2962. All comments are due no later thanThursday, April 16. The plan is available online in two separate documents:
Annual Action Plan Final Draft
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/development/currentdocs/2015-16_aaplanfinal.pdf
Consolidated Plan Final Draft
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/development/currentdocs/5YearConPlan-2015-2019.pdf
Hard copies of the plan are available for review at the Department of Community Development; the Lawson-McGhee branch of the Knox County Public Library; and the main office of the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee. Citizens may also obtain a copy of the draft plan by calling the Community Development Department at 865-215-2120.
- Bicycle Facilities Plan Ready for Public Input
A public meeting on a plan to improve the accessibility, safety and convenience of traveling by bicycle in Knoxville will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay St.
Staff from the City of Knoxville’s Engineering Department, the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), and consultants Kimley-Horn & Associates and Toole Design Group will be at the meeting.
Knoxville bicyclists last year identified roads where they think improved riding conditions would create better connections for bicycle transportation.
A planning committee and professional design consultants prepared the Bicycle Facilities Plan, which sorts more than 100 recommended projects into immediate, short-term, mid-term and long-term timeframes. The priorities in the plan will help guide the use of current and future funding.
The April 8 meeting will start with a presentation of the plan, followed by questions and answers and an open-house style discussion with consultants and staff.
See www.cityofknoxville.org/bicycleplan/feb2015_finalreport.pdf for a copy of the Bicycle Facilities Plan.
See www.cityofknoxville.org/bicycleplan/feb2015_appendices.pdf for the plan’s appendix, which contains maps of proposed projects and a list of all recommended projects.
- City Seeks Comment on Urban Agriculture, Food Production
The City of Knoxville’s Office of Sustainability has proposed zoning ordinance changes to remove barriers to urban agriculture and food production on private property.
See http://www.cityofknoxville.org/sustainability/UrbanAgric_ZoningOrdProp.pdf to view the full proposal and the specific ordinance changes. A public hearing on this effort was held last year. The Metropolitan Planning Commission will consider the ordinance at its regular monthly meeting on May 14. Passage there would send the ordinance to Knoxville City Council in June.
Brian Blackmon, Sustainability Project Manager, will go over the proposed changes at the regular monthly meeting of the Neighborhood Advisory Council on Wednesday, April 8. The meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is held at the CAC/L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Avenue.
In addition, the Office of Sustainability is fielding comments and questions about the proposal and is available to speak with individuals or neighborhood associations about the proposal. Contact Brian at 215-2065 orbblackmon@cityofknoxville.org with questions, comments, or requests for more information.
- Neighborhood and Government Calendar
Include your neighborhood-related event or meeting in this space. Call 215-3456.
Visit http://www.cityofknoxville.org/calendar/ for a complete list of meetings of various city boards and commissions. See the Community Events Calendar: http://www.cityofknoxville.org/events/events.pdf
If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to attend a City of Knoxville public meeting, please contact Stephanie Brewer Cook at scook@cityofknoxville.org or 215-2034 no less than 72 hours prior to the meeting you wish to attend.
Tuesday, March 31 — 6:30 p.m.
Chilhowee Park Neighborhood Association (Last Tuesdays)
Administration Building, Knoxville Zoo
Paul Ruff, 696-6584
Tuesday, March 31 — 7 p.m.
City Council (Every Other Tuesday)
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil
Agenda: http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/agenda.pdf
Wednesday, April 1 — Breakfast – 7:30 a.m. Meeting – 8 a.m.
East Towne Area Business & Professional Association (First Wednesday)
Neighborhood Residents and Leaders encouraged to attend
New Harvest Park Community Building
Chair, Justin Sterling, JSterling@simon.com
Thursday, April 2 — 6 pm
Cumberland Estates West Neighborhood Watch
(First Thursdays, even-numbered months)
Cumberland Estates Recreation Center, 4529 Silver Hill Drive
Anna Compton, 599-0724, amcompto@gmail.com
Monday, April 6 — 1:00 p.m.
East Knoxville Community Meeting (First Mondays)
Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway
Michael Covington, 865-274-7958, mdcov@hotmail.com
Monday, April 6 — 4 p.m.
Love Towers Fellowship Association (First Mondays except holidays)
Love Towers Community Room; 1171 Armstrong St.
Bill Jackson, 221-4402
Monday, April 6 — 5:30 p.m.
Public Meeting
Topic: Upcoming closure of Island Home Avenue
South Knoxville Elementary School, 801 Sevier Avenue
City of Knoxville, KUB and Empire Construction
Dawn Michelle Foster, dmfoster@knoxvilletn.gov, 865-215-2607
Monday, April 6 — 6-8 p.m.
Wesley Neighbors Community Association
(First Mondays, even-numbered months)
Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Rd.
John Heins, 297-7045
Monday, April 6 — 6:30 p.m.
Parkridge Community Organization (First Mondays except holidays)
Cansler YMCA, 616 Jessamine St.
Jerry Caldwell, 329-9943
Tuesday, April 7 — 11:45 a.m.
Agenda Review, Metropolitan Planning Commission
(Tuesday before MPC’s monthly meeting)
Small Assembly Room, City County Building
Tuesday, April 7 — 4:30 p.m.
Dandridge Avenue Neighborhood Watch (First Tuesdays)
Beck Cultural Exchange Center, 1927 Dandridge Ave.
Lawrence Washington, 524-4498
Tuesday, April 7 — 5:30 p.m.
Public Meeting
Community Development Department, City of Knoxville
Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan
John T. O’Connor Center, 611 Winona Street
Linda Rust, 215-2120, lrust@cityofknoxville.org
Tuesday, April 7 — 6 p.m.
Mechanicsville Community Association (First Tuesdays)
Fairview Recreation Center, 1628 Dora St.
Charles Wright, 637-1802
Tuesday, April 7 — 6-7 p.m.
Norwood Neighborhood Watch – 6 p.m.
Norwood Homeowners Association – 7 p.m.
Monthly on a Tuesday: Apr 7, May 5, Jun 2, Jul 14, Aug 11, Sep 8
New Hope Presbyterian Church, 1705 Merchants Road
Lynn Redmon, 688-3136
Wednesday, April 8 — 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Food Policy Council
(Second Wednesdays but check website for confirmation)
Knox County Health Department, 140 Dameron Avenue
http://www.knoxfood.org/; info@knoxfood.org
Wednesday, April 8 — 11:30 a.m.
Community Forum (Second Wednesdays)
Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road
Sue Mauer, 690-0269
Wednesday, April 8 — 4:30 p.m.
Neighborhood Advisory Council, City of Knoxville
(Second Wednesdays except December)
CAC / L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Ave.
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/neighborhoods
David Massey, 215-3232
Wednesday, April 8 — 6 p.m.
Public Meeting: Plan to improve accessibility, safety and convenience
of traveling by bicycle in Knoxville.
East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street
www.cityofknoxville.org/bicycleplan/feb2015_finalreport.pdf
City of Knoxville