Minutes: June 26 Neighborhood Meeting

Edgefield Neighborhood Meeting
Several neighbors convened on June 26, 2018, at 7PM at East Park Community Center. The following discussions were held during the meeting:
 
Marilyn Greer: VP of the Cayce Residents Association
Marilyn thanked neighbors for the donations for the Cayce Easter egg hunt. They had about 500 kids and residents involved. Next month, Cayce is hosting a back to school bash – looking for school supplies, backpacks, etc. If you’re interested in helping, just contact Marilyn: marilyngreer2@gmail.com.
 
The board provided an update on John the Mailman’s retirement party: There were 50+ people, and we raised over $800 for his gift. The party had support from a number of businesses, including Turnip Truck, Sky Blue, and others; those businesses received a gift of thanks from Steve as well.
 
Night Out Against Crime will be August 7 at East Park. Barbara Deck and Marilyn Greer volunteered to set up a table, just a couple of chairs and a display for HEN.
 
Ascend Amphitheater: Please send emails when you hear concerts from the venue: riverfrontparkconcerts@nashville.gov.
 
Crime Update: Commander Imhoff

• Night Out Against Crime is now a centralized event rather than neighborhood-by-neighborhood; last year had every neighborhood group represented as well as other nonprofits and other community-based groups, park police, live music, stage, bounce house, free food – doing more marketing of the event this year to bring a bigger crowd.
• 56 incidents in the area: 3 street robberies, 12 aggravated assaults (5 in one single incident, 2 domestic violence), 2 residential burglaries, 1 theft from building, 6 shoplifting, 2 front porch thefts of packages, 24 car break-ins (12 no forced entry, 11 forced, 2 guns taken, a couple of motor vehicle thefts).
• East Precinct is about 20% down in incidents, 17% less in violent crimes, down in all categories except for larceny (mostly due to car break-ins): 500 cars broken into just in East.
• Lots of juveniles who return where they keep having success in break-ins: “target rich.”
• Change in State law that says the car is an extension of the home means more people have guns in their cars – 40 guns stolen this year (only 22% were forced entries).
• Violent crime in Cayce is down 41% as well as almost all other crimes.
• Jim Damato added for neighbors: check out Facebook page for East Nashville Neighborhood Watch.

 
Church Hotel at 9th and Russell Update
The church at 9th and Russell will become a 17 room hotel. There will be parking for employees and guests in the lot across the street. Demo is supposed to start in August – estimating 5-6 months for the renovation. There were neighbor questions about where the demo dumpster will go for that period of time; and will they close down the pay parking lot during renovations?
 
Parking Discussions Update

• The new parking to corner signs and increased enforcement is helping.
• There’s still a lot of pressure on neighbors and accessing their houses.
• South 9th between Russell and Fatherland is still a problem – becomes a one-way street with cars parked on both sides – still some problems around the alleys – questions remain about whether emergency vehicles could actually make it through the area.
• We have talked to the Park about the size and frequency of the events.
• We have talked to local businesses about where employees park.
• WeWork pressures have brought things to a head most recently and led for some to seek resident only permit parking.
• 900 block of Russell (26 houses on the West end) has 86% of residents signed to support application for permit parking.
• Two others have met the signature threshold: S 9th between Russell and Fatherland, S 8th between Fatherland and Russell -> submitting petitions pending support of Cm Withers.
• There is support on the North side of Russell but not enough signatures on the South side.

 
​Councilman Withers’ Update

• Metro doesn’t have a good process or good public info available and it makes some of these parking type issues become contentious.
• Has told Russell Street residents that they have a stronger case because of the commercial development BUT there are a number of houses that have off street parking, which undercuts the petition.
• Everyone in Metro understands that neighbors are mad at WeWork and know why – the message has been received.
• Neighbors are not totally clear on the process or implications of the residential permit parking – so concerned about what they don’t know.
• The Mayor’s Office is going to outsource parking issues/management starting this fiscal year SO all of the current information we have may well change within the next 6 months.
• Proposes that we develop a parking plan for Edgefield that takes consideration of the whole rather than the piecemeal approach currently unfolding – need to define the “parking needs”  - Withers would like for Edgefield neighbors (a committee) to work with him on this.

 
Other business:                                               

• Question raised by neighbors and CMA fireworks past midnight are permitted for this particular event.
• Discussion about paying metro police for all of the extra time they spend with traffic and events.
• MNPD invested specifically to have officers present on foot and bikes just around the community and meeting people.