New Blog Address!

Our blog has moved! You can find Mark's CityLiving Blog now at http://nashvillecitylivingblog.com.

Making Nashville Greener and More Resilient

Creating, Enhancing and Preserving the Places that Matter

The Mayor's Office, The Land Trust for Tennessee and The Conservation Fund invite you to a special event on June 3rd to help shape the future of Nashville's natural and cultural resources. The recent flood is a bold reminder of how important the health and strength of our natural infrastructure is to our well being. Come to one of the following workshops on June 3rd to discuss how we can make Nashville greener and more resilient.

Morning Workshop
Location: Belmont University Curb Event Center, 2002 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212
Time: 8-11:30 am
Registration 7:30-8 am
Welcome by Mayor Karl Dean at 8:10
Guest Speaker: Steve Morse, University of Tennessee

Evening Workshop
Location: Belmont University Curb Event Center, 2002 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212
Time: 4-7:30 pm
Registration 3:30-4
Guest Speaker: Susan Whitaker, TN Department of Tourism

Breakout session topics:
Connecting People to the Green Infrastructure Network
Connecting Wildlife and Water Networks
Urban and Rural Farming and Food Security
Shaping Future Development and Conservation
Preserving Our Historic and Iconic Sites
The Greenest in the Southeast: How we measure against other peer cities

Please RSVP to aladd@landtrusttn.org (or 615-244-5263) with your name, the workshop you will attend and your top breakout session topic. We will email you back confirming your attendance and with directions and additional information.

About the project:
The goal of this public/private partnership is to develop the most progressive open space protection strategy in the Southeast. (As recommended by the Mayor's Green Ribbon Committee.) The team has been collecting and analyzing information for the past six months and now is ready for significant public input. The results of June forums will help set priorities for implementation. For more information visit http://nashvilleopenspace.wordpress.com/.
For questions please call or email: Audra Ladd: aladd@landtrusttn.org 615-244-5263

Tax Credit Extension at Gale Park

Gale Park is a new mini-neighborhood development coming to Gale Lane. Nowhere else in this area can you find a new construction single-family home in the $250's. And for the next three sales, the developers are offering an extension of the recently expired tax credit! The next three buyers at Gale Park will get $8000 to take off the price, put towards upgrades, or use towards closing costs. There are already ten homes sold at Gale Park, so hurry up and take advantage of this opportunity!

Home Sales Increase for 7th Consecutive Month!

According to the latest news release from the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR), there were 2,145 home closings in April. This is a 33.7% increase compared to the 1,604 closings in April of last year.

Year-to-date closings are also significantly up! There were 6,337 in 2010, and 5,366 in 2009, for an 18% increase.

Lucy Smith, GNAR President, states that "Stable prices for single family homes and condominiums paired with an increase in pending sales create a hopeful sign as we move into the summer selling season."

"Many people may be wondering about the impact the recent flooding could have on the real estate market. Clearly, the damage and loss is significant in both downtown commercial and area residential property. There may be a brief impact, but there is likely to be continuing sales activity throughout Middle Tennessee. And, the exceptional job of response by both area volunteers and community leaders confirms that Greater Nashville will continue to attract companies and families. The true heart of this city has been revealed to people around the country and what they are seeing is very compelling."

The average number of days on the market for a single-family home in April was 87 days. The median residential price for a single-family home was $164,950 and for a condominium was $143,950. Compare these prices to those last year at the same time which were $164,500 and $149,900, respectively.

To read the complete release, click here.

Greenways Temporarily Closed Due to Flooding

A message from Greenways for Nashville:

Greenways Temporarily Closed Due to Flooding

For safety reasons, Metro Parks closed Greenways on Monday pending a safety assessment after last weekend's flooding. Some greenways sustained significant damage to bridges, boardwalks and barriers. Some sections of trail are impassable, and Metro Parks has deemed it in the best interest and safety of users to close the trails system until further notice.

Please refrain from using the Greenways until they are re-opened and please don't attempt to climb or otherwise circumvent gates or other barriers.

As is customary for the ‘Volunteer State’, several have contacted us wanting to support a clean up effort. There is a cleanup currently being organized by the Richland Creek TrailWatch group. There will be much to clean-up at most of the greenways.

Individuals or groups wishing to organize clean-up efforts please contact the greenways office. After the assessments are complete, Metro Parks and Greenways for Nashville will coordinate with volunteer groups to begin the clean-up process. While the Metro Parks department does a fine job of keeping our trails maintained, they may appreciate the extra help during this unusually laborious period.

The results of the flooding on our greenways system is disappointing. With patience and work we will overcome this historic event.

Health, safety and strength to you and yours,
Greenways for Nashville

Understanding Flood Insurance & FEMA Assistance

One of our past clients works for Adjusters International - public adjusters and disaster recovery consultants. He supplied us with a very information PDF of information about flood insurance and how FEMA assistance works.

Understanding and Recovering from One of Nature's Worst Disasters

Flood Memo from the Mayor's Office

This memo is directly from the Mayor's Office. Lots of good information in here. Hope everyone is safe out there. Village is doing what we can to help. Stay tuned for info about a food drive we are participating in to help the Second Harvest Food Bank and how donations to the Village Fund will go directly to local flood relief efforts.

RECOVERY EFFORTS EXPAND AS CUMBERLAND RIVER BEGINS TO RECEDE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Mayor Dean outlined the expansion of recovery efforts as the Cumberland River begins to recede. The Cumberland River crested between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, May 3. The water is expected to continue to recede slowly and return back below flood level (40 feet) before the end of the week. The Army Corps of Engineers continues to release water from the dam as part of its normal course of operation.

MetroCenter is improving and pumping of water away from levee continues today. MetroCenter and First Avenue downtown remain evacuated at this time. Second Harvest Food Bank is relocating its food supply from its MetroCenter location to Nashville International Airport, which is being used for storage, staging and distribution efforts.

Coordination meetings related to the evacuated areas continue and updates will be forthcoming. In the meantime, it is vitally important that citizens stay out of these evacuated areas.

Hands On Nashville Volunteer Efforts

Nashvillians have and will continue to make remarkable contributions as flood volunteers. In the last 48 hours, more than 7,000 volunteers have registered with Hands On Nashville. Today they will begin staffing Disaster Information Centers and distributing Second Harvest’s Emergency Food Boxes in critical areas, like Antioch, East Nashville, and Opryland/Donelson. As clean-up and recovery continues, the use of volunteers will increase dramatically. If you are interested in serving as a flood volunteer, please register at www.hon.org.

Donations

Very specific donation requests include large quantities of the following: diapers, formula, cleaning supplies and rubber gloves, wet vacs, brooms, mops, and generators. If citizens have large quantities, they should contact the Community Foundation.

FEMA Update

As citizens start cleanup efforts, it is important to document everything and keep receipts. As soon as FEMA assistance is available, the public will be provided with information about how they can apply for assistance. FEMA will have 800 numbers and Web sites.

Shelter Update

The shelter in Bellevue located at 655 Colice-Jeanne Road is full and has closed. All other shelters remain open. Bellevue citizens are encouraged to seek shelter at Gordon Jewish Community Center located at 801 Percy Warner Blvd.

Citizens Encouraged to Check on Neighbors

Dr. Paul encourages congregations and neighbors to check on elderly residents in their homes and report those to Metro Health. Elderly neighbors who have been sheltering may need medical assistance or other services. If citizens find a senior with medical emergency they should call 911 and other assistance needs should be directed to211.

Nashville Electric Service

All circuits coming out of the East Network substation of the Demonbreun substation are out of service. All businesses in the area from Fifth Avenue to First Avenue and from Demonbreun Street to Commerce Street are without power. Power will be out for the next few days downtown due to water in underground vaults. NES has 54 crews working the current outages, and 3,500 total customers without power.

Consumer Advisory

Citizens should be aware of contractors and others who may claim to be associated with local, state or federal agencies. One reported case involves people claiming to be Metro Codes inspectors. Note that all Metro Codes inspectors travel in Metro vehicles. If they are on foot, Metro Codes inspectors will have Metro IDs as proof of their association with Metro. Citizens are cautioned to only work with licensed contractors and to seek multiple bids before having repairs done. To report suspected consumer fraud, file a report with the Tennessee Consumer Affairs Division at http://tn.gov/consumer/index.shtml.

Status of Omohundro Water Plant and Continued Need for Water Conservation

All Metro Water customers continue to receive services, and there are no outages reported at this time. The public water supply provided by Metro Water continues to be safe, but there is some concern that Nashville could experience a water shortage if conservation measures are not taken. Customers are directed to use water for drinking and food preparation only.

The Omohundro Water Treatment Plant continues to operate at normal capacity. The sandbagging operation is maintaining flood protection. However, with the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant out of operation, it is imperative that citizens conserve water. Lack of conservation efforts has resulted in a 15 percent loss of reserves.

Customers in higher elevations may experience reduced water pressure. If a customer loses pressure completely or has discolored water, they should contact Metro Water Services at (615) 862-4600. Harpeth Valley Utilities District treatment plant has also been affected by the flood and their customers are asked to conserve water for essential uses as well.

Bottled Water Distribution

Metro Southeast is being used as a staging area for distribution of donated bottled water to area mobile feeding stations at St. Edwards Church and Bellevue Baptist Church. Walmart, Sam’s Club, Purity Dairies, and Kroger have donated bottled water.

No additional fatalities reported at this time

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management has confirmed a total of ten fatalities in Davidson County that are thought to be flood related.

Red Cross Shelters Remain Open

All Red Cross shelters remain open as the operation moves from response to recovery. Damage assessments are being conducted by interdepartmental teams that will provide information to enable long term planning.

Juvenile Court Cancelled

All proceedings at Juvenile Court are cancelled for Wednesday, May 5.

Road Closure Update

No new updates. Public Works is working mudslides and debris and gravel removal.

Disaster Information Centers and Assistance Open Today at Noon

Community-based response for social and human services has begun in coordination with the Metro EOC and Nashville Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Today at noon Metro will open two Disaster Information Centers to provide general information on utilities, social service assistance, and legal and insurance information. Centers will be staffed by volunteers, Parks Department and other Metro employees. Citizens can drop by for information from 12-8pm.

Bellevue Community Center

656 Colice Jeanne Rd. 37221

Coleman Community Center

384 Thompson Lane 37211

We will have Salvation Army mobile feeding stations available nearby at St. Edwards Church and Bellevue Baptist Church to provide lunch and dinner for individuals and families who need information support. These centers will not be equipped for medical assistance. Citizens who need emergency assistance are urged to call 911. Metro continues to coordinate volunteers through Hands On Nashville www.hon.org;. The most urgent need continues to be cash donations, which can be made to the Metro Disaster Fund at www.cfmt.org;

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Janel Lacy
Press Secretary
Office of the Mayor

Nashville Flood 2010

Devastating flooding in Nashville's urban core. Hopefully the river will crest soon and waters will start to recede.

Our Church Street office downtown fared well, thankfully. Hillsboro Village location in great shape, and Franklin office survived too. East Nashville office has some water in the basement, but it could be so much worse.