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"As we welcome the colorful blooms and warmer days of spring, it's a pleasure to connect with you through this newsletter. I've been able to participate in a lot of events around the district and community, you'll learn about those below.
This season marks a time of renewal and growth, both in nature and within our community. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get outside, garden, and enjoy the season. What do you most look forward to?
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Your feedback and participation are invaluable, so please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or suggestions at russ.bradford@nashville.gov.
Together, we can continue to strengthen our community and make this a great place to live for everyone. Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement. Wishing you all a joyful and inspiring rest of April!"
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The clock is ticking for Monell’s at the Manor to close its doors, but Michael King, owner of the well-known Nashville staple is working with Russ to do all they can to save the building.
The sign outside the manor that reads “lost our lease” speaks volumes, that’s not what this fight is all about for them. The manor is known for its Southern family-style cuisine where you “come as a stranger and leave as friends,” but behind the grand columns and yellow walls lies nearly a century of history. King committed to investing in that history before opening his restaurant at the mansion in 2011 by investing over half a million to restore the building. Even then, he feared them closing because he knew that the building, which is owned by the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, could be in danger of being demolished.
The building, which was once known as the Colemere Club, in a 2013 letter from the Tennessee Historical Commission claimed the building is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a process the owners of the building, BNA, would have to complete, but they never did.
Monell’s at the Manor plans to close on Sunday, April 21, but everyone is hanging onto the hope of saving the historic mansion. King has offered to pay to move the building but was told that it’s not in the best interest of BNA, which plans to demolish the building as soon as June 1 based on sources at the airport.
Monell's has gained support from members of the community and Metro Council with a resolution asking the airport authority for a time extension to find a way to preserve the building. Meanwhile, a change.org petition to Gov. Bill Lee, the Metro Council, and the Metro Nashville Airport Authority already has more than 4,300 signatures.
Russ urges anyone who wants to help to reach out to BNA's board of commissioners, MNAA.Commisioners@flynashville.com, and CEO Doug Kruelen, Doug.Kruelen@flynashville.com, to urge them to delay demolition of the building and allow it to be moved.
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Russ joined with advocates from across the state at the State Capital to take part in Alzhiemer's Advocacy Day. This is a cause close to his heart as his grandmother suffered from the disease.
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Like millions across the country, Russ was able to experience last week's solar eclipse. Even though Nashville only saw a partial eclipse this time around, it was still an incredible experience.
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Last week Russ went onto News Channel 5+ Morning Line along with Michael King to talk about the efforts to save the Colemere Manor. If you missed it you can watch the replay here.
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Russ attended this month's Donelson Hermitage Chamber lunch where I gave some updates on what is going on in District 13.
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On Saturday, Russ went down to Public Square for this year's Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival and to celebrate our city's decade-long Sister City relationship with Kamakura Japan.
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Russ attended a special pop-up event in East Nashville, an Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy. It was a unique experience with actors giving their renditions of some of Poe's famous works.
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The Mayor's Office will host a series of community conversations on license plate readers the week of April 22. The meetings will include presentations by MNPD, the CRB, and community organizations, along with opportunities to socialize and ask questions. The intent is to provide data and other information, understand concerns, and help shape future considerations around LPRs.
Your attendance and sharing of this series are welcome. Each session will run from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The sessions are:
- Monday, April 22 at Coleman Park Community Center
- Tuesday, April 23 at Southeast Community Center (this session is in conflict with the District 12 community meeting)
- Thursday, April 25 at I.T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts
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MNP is still searching for information, this person is the suspect in the shooting outside the Food Lion on Bell Road. A 58-year-old Marine Corps veteran was wounded in the attempted robbery. He is now recovering at home. Know the gunman? Call at 615-742-7463.
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CO Detector Loophole Closed
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A bill that would require carbon monoxide detectors at all daycares across Tennessee has passed the House. It passed in the Senate earlier and is now going to the Governor to be signed.
Carbon monoxide detectors sound the alarm when the odorless, colorless gas is in the air. Surprisingly, they were not required in every daycare in Tennessee under current laws. Only new daycares with fuel-fired equipment are required to have carbon monoxide detectors. Even some of those are exempt.
This bill was brought up in legislature following NewsChannel 5's reporting of an incident here in District 13 that highlighted the dangers of not having these detectors in place. Back in January, Elm Hill Academy discovered a leak that caused several children to need medical attention. That reporting spurred Russ to reach out to Rep. Darren Jernigan to make the devices mandatory in all daycares.
The new law takes effect on July 1st and devices would have to be installed no later than Sept. 30. Carbon monoxide detectors are covered under all Child Care Tennessee grants, according to DHS, including the Safety Supplement Grant.
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"Thank you all who showed up to our cleanup event last Saturday! If you have suggestions for a future cleanup, please email me at michael.dist13@gmail.com.
Metro Council recently passed a county-wide resolution that takes the first steps in establishing a wildflower program here in Nashville. You can read the legislation here.
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Wildflowers have many benefits. Incorporating them in various sections of our city will be a great long-term investment.
Here are just a few of the many benefits that this program will establish over time.
- Additional floral landscapes
- Increases the amount of pollinators
- Lower operational costs (mowing/upkeep)
- Maintaining and improving soil health
- Improved water quality
- Naturally managing and filtering stormwater
- Reducing the impact of drought
- Increased carbon sequestration
- Reduced litter on our roadways
Seeds and plants used for this project will be indigenous to the Southeastern US.
If you are interested in participating, you can assist by selecting a site on Metro right-of-way property and preparing the site for seed mixes. I will supply the wildflower seed mix to you upon request."
-Michael
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Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday to help clean up litter on Glastonbury Rd during our latest district beautification cleanup.
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Air Park Plaza
3301 MCGAVOCK PIKE
A few months ago, the owners of this property came to one of Russ' community meetings to talk about their desire to add workforce housing and retail to their existing property. They recently reached out to Russ to let him know they were purchasing the property directly behind their current site and his thoughts on increasing the number of units allowed from 33 to 50 or 60. He told them that a community would be required to allow the surrounding community to provide input. At this time, no further updates.
Hoover Materials Rezoning
2377 COUCHVILLE PIKE
Russ was contacted by representatives from Hoover Materials requesting a rezone to Industrial to allow them to contrast a facility on Couchville Pike. The land use policy for this property is Industrial/Commercial already. The conversation was productive, Russ advised them of his concern about traffic and safety on the Pike there at the particular spot. He also spoke with them about the option to have a manned recycling convenience site. Russ has requested that a virtual community meeting be held before this proposal goes to Planning. The tentative date is April 29th at 6 PM. Once Russ has the virtual link he will send that out in a separate email and put it on social media.
Crown Enterprises Expansion
2464 COUCHVILLE PIKE
Crown Enterprises representatives reached out to Russ a few months ago about wanting to rezone property they acquired to allow for the expansion of their operations. Since that initial meeting, Russ has met with Crown multiple times to fine-tune their design and to address any potential concerns from the residents who live near the property. Crown has provided a potential community meeting date of May 14th at 6 PM and will host at Smith Springs Community Center. Crown informed Russ that they will also reach out to neighboring properties to assist with notification about the meeting. This proposal has not yet been submitted to the Planning Commission.
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Airport Board Call to Action
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Last month local businessman and media owner Bill Freeman announced he has stepped down from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) Board of Commissioners, effective immediately.
In a release, Freeman says the move comes, in part, so that he can spend time with his family, including his wife Babs Freeman. In addition, he has suffered two strokes in the past few years.
Freeman had served about three months of this term after joining the board in 2016. His time on the board — which now offers seven members — included a stint as its chairman.
Mayor O’Connell will now choose a replacement for the body that oversees both BNA and John C. Tune.
Russ urges residents to email O'Connell, mayor@nashville.gov, and urge that he appoint D13 resident Steve Swartz, a retired pilot, to the Board to ensure that the community most impacted by the airport has a voice and seat at the table.
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There is no shortage of animals looking for forever homes at Metro Animal Care and Control (MACC), but officials are now hoping a new position will cut down on the time it takes to get those pets matched with a new owner.
MACC recently added a new animal behaviorist to their team which staff said will play an integral role in their operations. The behaviorist helps with a system referred to as pathway planning; it includes spending time with the animals currently at the shelter mostly outside of their kennels by taking walks, extended play times, and observing them in other public settings. During this time, they will take in-depth notes on each pet to create an analysis that will ultimately determine how they should be placed, whether that be in foster care, up for adoption, or another avenue of finding them a forever home.
Russ fought hard during the last term to get this position funded because he knew how beneficial this role would be to assist with the placement of pets into homes. Two years ago Russ was successful in getting this role funded in the budget.
Currently, when a cat or dog comes into MACC sees a pattern of animals staying for roughly four to five months before being adopted or fostered out. With a new behaviorist on staff, the goal is to hopefully cut down that timeline. Every animal that comes into the shelter is not going to be right to be adopted through MACC. Sometimes it’s better if MACC matches them through a rescue partner; sometimes it’s better if they find foster care for them
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- Tonight's Council meeting starts at 6:30 PM, you can view the agenda here and the analysis here. The minutes from the last meeting can be viewed here.
- The Council will be voting to approve several appointees to various boards and commissions. Those on tonight's agenda are the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, CATV Special Committee, Equalization Board, Metro Action Commission, Nashville Music, Film, and Entertainment Commission, Planning Commission, Public Records Commission, and Sustainability Advisory Commission.
- At the last meeting several rule changes were proposed and approved by the Council. One of those that Russ supported early on was to defer final Council approval of board and commission appointees for one meeting so that Councilmembers who are not on the Rules Committee have a chance to review the discussions to help inform their voting.
- A new state law now allows the Council to approve certain utilities-related legislation by resolution instead of an ordinance which requires three readings. The first use of this new method is RS2024-374: A resolution to amend Ordinance No. BL2024-239 to authorize The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County to abandon additional public water mains, fire hydrant assemblies, and easements, for property located at 1 Terminal Drive, also known as BNA Concourse D Expansion (MWS Project No. 23-WL-97 and Proposal No. 2023M-216ES-002). Russ was successful in getting this deferred one meeting in committee yesterday so it will be deferred by rule tonight to the next Council meeting. His reasoning behind the deferral is to allow the public time to adjust to the new method of approving these agreements.
- BL2024-307: An ordinance to amend the Geographic Information Systems Street and Alley Centerline Layer for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, by renaming J.B. Estille Drive, between Lebanon Pike and Old Lebanon Pike, to “Donelson Station Boulevard”. (Proposal Number 2023M-001SR-001). This has not yet gone before the Emergency Communication Board so it will be deferred until the next Council meeting.
-Other Resolutions and Ordinances sponsored by Russ:
Resolutions
- RS2024-373: A resolution approving a grant application for an Organics Management grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to the Metropolitan Government, acting by and through the Metro Water Services Department, to continue a pilot food scraps pickup program to ensure that food scraps that would otherwise end up in a landfill are diverted for compost to expand organics recycling in Davidson County.
- RS2024-379: A resolution recognizing April 26th, 2024, as Lesbian Day of Visibility in Nashville and Davidson County.
Bills on Introduction and First Reading
- BL2024-181: An ordinance to amend Section 16.08.012 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to amend adopted building codes to allow for certain residential buildings up to six stories to be served by a single exit stairway.
Bills on Second Reading
- BL2024-182: An ordinance to amend Title 16 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to clarify who may update the official website regarding the issuance of permits and notices, remove requirements for washer and dryer hookups in certain homes, and remove and separate bathroom facilities at gas stations.
- BL2024-183: An ordinance to amend Title 16 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to provide for housing, health, and safety of residents by streamlining Codes provisions related to fireproofing requirements for middle housing creation and conversion, including specifically the creation of a class of Large Unit Homes within the International Building Code and providing for NFPA-13D sprinklers and one-hour fire-resistance-rated separation therefor.
- BL2024-254: An ordinance to amend Title 15 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws relative to infrastructure investment for offsite construction.
- BL2024-304: An ordinance amending Section 16.08.012 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws to add a new exception related to storm shelter occupancy standards.
Bills on Third and Final Reading
- BL2024-295: An ordinance approving Amendment Number 1 to the contract between the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (“Metro”) and AT&T Corp. (“AT&T”), for managed and unmanaged telecommunications services.
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If your community or group has an event or announcement you'd like included in The Flight Tracker or shared on social media please those to Russ via email here.
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Dates to Remember
- 4.16 - Metro Council Meeting, 6 PM, Historic Metro Courthouse
- 4.17 - District 13 Quarterly Townhall, 6 PM, Arlington UMC
- 4.20 - Coffee with your Councilman, 9-11 AM, Dunkin' on Briley - Metro Earth Day Celebration, 11 AM - 5 PM, Centennial Park
- 5.7 - Metro Council Meeting, 6 PM, Historic Metro Courthouse
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