Knoxville Neighborhood Advisory
Knoxville Neighborhood Advisory – Vol. 8, No. 20 – Tuesday June 16, 2015
For a PDF version of this issue, click here: http://bit.ly/NeighborhoodNewsletter_vol8no20
1. Fairmont-Emoriland Schedules Yard Sale
2. Lyons View Plans Cook-Out, Appreciation Day
3. Sharp Shares Stories from Houston Conference
4. CAC Taking Applications for Community Leadership Class
5. This Thursday is “Try Transit Day”
6. BZA Meets Thursday, Can Impact Your Neighborhood
7. Health Fair Offers Free Screenings, Other Services
8. Neighborhood and Government Calendar
Published by the City of Knoxville’s Office of Neighborhoods to report news important to Knoxville’s residential neighborhoods. News & calendar deadline: 5 p.m. Mondays.
1. Fairmont-Emoriland Schedules Yard Sale
The Fairmont-Emoriland Neighborhood Association (FENA) is providing publicity for a neighborhood-wide yard sale this coming Saturday, June 20, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Four households are participating: 2204 Emoriland Blvd., 1517 Emoriland Blvd.,
1921 Fairmont Blvd., and 2217 Barton Street. FENA Member Lauren McKim (laurenmmcd@gmail.com) arranged publicity via Facebook, Craigslist and the News Sentinel.
A neighborhood-wide yard sale is a good community-building event. Your neighborhood organization can help neighbors increase sales because bargain hunters know they will find multiple events in a relatively small area. Some neighborhoods ask participants to donate a portion of the proceeds to the organization. Others end the day with an ice cream social or other social activity.
2. Lyons View Plans Cook-Out, Appreciation Day
Lyons View Community Club (LVCC) has announced a community event and cook-out to be held, rain or shine, from 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Lyons View Community Center, playground, and William E. Davis Jr. Pavilion, all located at 114 Sprankle Street in West Knoxville.
“The main purpose of this year’s event,” according to LVCC’s announcement, “is to show our appreciation to the many individuals, churches, organizations, businesses, elected officials, and both City and County Mayors and their respective staffs for all they continue to do to support this community.”
In addition, the group will recognize LVCC Past President Walter Keith, who died early this year, for his contributions to the historic, African American community.
“Additional time will be provided for continued socializing, music (provided by Geno Bailey), dancing, playing cards, and just reminiscing at the Lyons View Recreation Center and pavilion from 7:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.”
Please bring a covered dish to share. Contact Mary Brewster at 865-454-2390 or marylbrewster@yahoo.com to let her know the dish you would like to bring. Meats (chicken, ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs) and assorted drinks will be provided by the Lyons View Community Club.
All participants should park at Church of the Ascension, 800 Northshore Drive. A shuttle van will be available from 4 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. to transport visitors to and from the community center. Due to very limited parking at the Center, vehicles for handicapped individuals and emergency services will be the only ones admitted at the LVCC playground.
3. Sharp Shares Stories from Houston Conference
Debbie Sharp, the assistant neighborhoods coordinator in the Office of Neighborhoods, recently attended the annual Neighborhoods, USA conference in Houston, Texas, and she is sharing what she learned on the Office of Neighborhoods blog.
Visit http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/neighborhoods to see the first of several blog posts on the conference. Just click on “Office of Neighborhoods Blog.” This first post highlights the fact that, for the most successful neighborhood organizations, human resources are more important than financial resources.
We have also posted pictures from the June 15 West Hills picnic.
4. CAC Taking Applications for Community Leadership Class
The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) is seeking applicants for its 29th Community Leadership class.
Each year, CAC offers free leadership training to 30 current and emerging leaders who live, work or volunteer in low-to-moderate income communities, and who have demonstrated a commitment to service. Individuals who work with agencies or programs which affect these neighborhoods are also encouraged to apply.
Key selection factors will be the interest and demonstrated community commitment of each potential participant. Those chosen class members will be asked to commit one day each month to the training program from Sept. 2015-June 2016. Overall topics include business economics, media, social and neighborhood issues, education, and local government.
The objectives of Community Leadership are to:
• Strengthen the capacity for leadership at the grassroots level.
• Create a learning atmosphere which crosses economic, social, racial and demographic lines.
• Acquaint participants with formal and informal decision-making channels.
• Challenge and motivate individuals to become more involved in community affairs.
Any individual may apply or nominate someone else. More detailed information and applications are available at CAC Neighborhood Centers and the CAC Central Office located at 2247 Western Ave. Or email communityleadership@knoxcac.org. The application deadline is Friday, August 7. For additional information, contact Lori Galbraith at 776-0094.
5. This Thursday is “Try Transit Day”
Ever considered commuting via transit but just felt like you didn’t know where to start?
This Thursday, June 18, Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) is offering “Try Transit Day” – an opportunity to hop on the bus and enjoy a relaxing ride into work. For more, see:
http://knoxvilletn.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=109562&pageId=257685
6. BZA Meets Thursday, Can Impact Your Neighborhood
Does your neighborhood organization care about how close a building can be to the street or a neighboring property (known as setback requirements)?
How about the size, height and shape of commercial signs? The size of parking lots and driveway widths? The number of required parking spaces for nearby businesses?
If so, then you may wish to pay close attention to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). See http://knoxvilletn.gov/government/boards_commissions/board_of_zoning_appeals/.
Established by city ordinance, BZA hears appeals of denials of building permits by the city’s Building Inspections Department. The board, consisting of five citizens appointed by the Mayor, meets at 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the Small Assembly Room of the City County Building.
Thus BZA meets this coming Thursday, June 18. Addresses on the agenda include 1215 Snowdon Drive, 937 N. Broadway, 1915 Cumberland Avenue, 1830 Cumberland Avenue, 242 E. Anderson Avenue, 800 and 804 Tyson Street, 5839 Washington Pike, 311 East Scott Avenue, 5316 Kingston Pike, 1101 Phillips Avenue, 915 Luttrell Street, and 100 S. Broadway.
The BZA agenda is posted no later than the Monday prior to the BZA meeting:
Click to access agenda_bza.pdf
Keep up with how the BZA might impact your neighborhood. Watch for the black and white signs indicating that there is a pending decision on a particular piece of property. Most signs are for Metropolitan Planning Commission issues — which are also important — but signs with the word “variance” are BZA items.
A neighborhood group that keeps track of BZA will request and study the paperwork on a particular appeal, decide whether to take a position on the appeal, and then attend the BZA meeting to voice the group’s support or objections.
Decisions of the BZA can be appealed within 15 days of the BZA decision to Knoxville City Council. Appeals of a City Council decision are made to Chancery Court within 60 days of a City Council decision related to BZA.
7. Health Fair Offers Free Screenings, Other Services
The Knoxville Area Programs and Partnerships for Achievement (KAPPA) Foundation is hosting a community health fair at Vine Middle School, 1807 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, on Saturday, June 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Although the Knoxville Community Men’s Health Fair is focused on men’s health issues, there will be free screenings, health education highlights, and other services that can benefit every attendee. The fair will foster a fun and supportive environment focused on engaging the community on the importance of prevention to deter serious health issues.
The fair strives to increase awareness of local, state, and national health services as well as to motivate participants to make positive health behavior changes.
See http://bit.ly/1IJMSEM to view the promotional poster of the event and to see a list of the screenings offered. To schedule a screening in advance, call 865-633-9050.
For additional information, or to request booth space, contact Wayne Carlton at carltn89@mindspring.com or 865-599-9093.
8. Neighborhood and Government Calendar
Include your neighborhood-related event or meeting in this space. Call 215-3456.
Visit http://knoxvilletn.gov/calendar for a complete list of meetings of various city boards and commissions.
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@knoxvilletn.gov or 215-2034 no less than 72 hours prior to the meeting you wish to attend.
Tuesday, June 16 — 6:30 p.m.
Lonsdale United for Change (Third Tuesdays)
Lonsdale Recreation Center, Stonewall Ave.
Steve Ritter, 973-0877
Tuesday, June 16 — 7 p.m.
Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association (Third Tuesdays, except December)
Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail
http://edgewoodpark.us/
Wednesday, June 17 — 12 Noon
Eastport/Lee Williams Neighborhood Watch (Third Wednesdays)
Lee Williams Senior Center, 2240 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
Sylvia Cook, 206-3433, sylviacook5901@comcast.net
Wednesday, June 17 — 6:30 p.m.
Lindbergh Forest Neighborhood Association (Third Wednesdays)
Graystone Presbyterian Church, 139 Woodlawn Pike
Kelley DeLuca, 660-4728, kelleydeluca@gmail.com
Thursday, June 18 — Breakfast – 7:30 a.m. Meeting – 8 a.m.
East Knoxville Business & Professional Association (Third Thursdays)
Open to Neighborhood Residents and Leaders
Meeting location varies
Doug Minter, Dminter@knoxvillechamber.com, Knoxville Chamber, 637-4550
http://www.eastknox.org/
Thursday, June 18 — 8:30 a.m.
Historic Zoning Commission (Third Thursdays)
http://knoxvilletn.gov/government/boards_commissions/historic_zoning_commission/
Kaye Graybeal, 215-3795, kaye.graybeal@knoxmpc.org
Thursday, June 18 — 12 p.m.
KUB Board of Commissioners (Third Thursdays, except July)
Historic Miller’s Building, 445 S. Gay St.
See www.kub.org. Click on “About Us” at top of the page.
Thursday, June 18 — 4 p.m.
City Board of Zoning Appeals (Third Thursdays)
Small Assembly Room, City County Building
Pre-Agenda Meeting: 3 p.m. in Room 511
http://knoxvilletn.gov/government/boards_commissions/board_of_zoning_appeals/
Thursday, June 18 — 7 p.m.
Old Sevier Community Group
(Third Thursdays, January-November)
South Knoxville Elementary School Library, 801 Sevier Avenue
Gary Deitsch, 573-7355, garyedeitsch@bellsouth.net
Saturday, June 20 — 10 a.m.
South Haven Neighborhood Association (Third Saturdays)
Hillcrest United Methodist Church, 1615 Price Ave.
Pat Harmon, 591-3958
Saturday, June 20 — 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Knox County Community Family Health Fair
Vine Middle School, 1807 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
Wayne Carlton, 865-599-9093
Monday, June 22 — 2 p.m. (zoning at 5 p.m.)
Knox County Commission
(Fourth Mondays, January-October. Third Mondays, November-December)
www.knoxcounty.org/commission
Agenda: Click on “Information” and then “Commission Agendas”
Public Forum held at beginning & ending of meeting