District 8 Streets Report: A Time to Plant, a Time to Reap

In this space, we provide updates on major projects and report on upcoming (scheduled and funded) streets and other infrastructure improvements.

It is the New Year of the Trees and District 8 is in the holiday spirit.  The Planting O’ the Green is back for the fourth year and in partnership with MSD, Brightside, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Trees Louisville and Olmsted Parks Conservancy, we are celebrating the 2020 AOH St. Patrick’s Parade by planting a record 182 trees both here and in this year’s sister district, District 21.

In District 8, we are planting 36 trees in Cherokee Park near the Cochran Hill Dog Run; 25 trees, pruning two others and removing eight dead or dying trees on Tyler Lane in the Hayfield Dundee (Upper Highlands) neighborhood; 11 trees on Speed Avenue near Highland Middle School; and six trees in Tyler Park near Tyler Park Drive/Windsor Place and Cross Road.

We are planting 104 trees in D21, which makes 433 trees planted in eight Metro Council districts in addition to District 8 over the last four years.  Our goal is to plant, on average, two trees per day – one in District 8 and another elsewhere in the city – every day, through 2020 (2,920 trees total).  Unfortunately, we will fall well short but by the time this year’s parade rolls around we will have planted, on average, one tree per day somewhere in the city more than two out of every three days since the day I took office (784 trees total).  Not bad.

We are not just planting new trees; we are taking care of the trees we have.  We will be professionally trimming every public tree that needs it on Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue (including at the Douglass Loop) between Broadway and Interstate 264 beginning by February 25th and ending by March 10th. 

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As part of Louisville Water’s project to renovate a nearly 100-year-old water main, Lexington Road will be closed to through traffic between Grinstead Drive and Stilz Avenue from Monday, February 17th to Friday, February 28th.  As with any project of this magnitude, unexpected delays can occur.  The work will also require the closure of Lexington Rd at Top Hill Road and Cochran Hill Road.  The Cochran Hill closure only impacts the south side leading into Cherokee Park.  The closure of Lexington is necessary so that crews can safely tie into a parallel 24-inch water main.  The construction pit for this tie-in will require the closure of all four lanes of Lexington near Top Hill Rd.  In order to minimize the length of the road closure, crews will be working extended hours Monday to Friday.

The detour will be Grinstead Drive to Stilz Avenue.  Postcards are being mailed to impacted residents and Louisville Water is holding a press conference tomorrow (2/13) at 1:30pm to provide detail on the project and road closure.

Thank you for your understanding as Louisville Water works to complete this important project.       

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There are no paving or sidewalk repair projects scheduled over the next two weeks.  The weather should allow major road maintenance to resume in March.

Scheduling information is subject to change. Please let us know if you observe any discrepancies in projects reported as completed.  Visit the District 8 Streets Information page here.

District 8 Development Report: We Gonna Rock Down to Barret Avenue and Then We’ll Take It Higher

In this space, we report on District 8 planning and zoning activity from the past two weeks and, also, preview activity scheduled for the next two weeks.  All information is as of today’s date. Please Subscribe & Stay Informed to receive Notification of Development Proposals via email or text and never miss the opportunity to participate in the development process. 

A year ago this week, following months of canvassing door-to-door, we met with Barret Avenue business district stakeholders to itemize a list of improvements needed to freshen up the corridor.  We budgeted for the investment last summer as part of this year’s District 8 capital infrastructure plan and we are on track to complete construction of Phase I from Winter to Highland Avenues in spring.  (We are reallocating funding to increase the project budget by approximately 20%.)  Phase II is planned from Ellison Avenue to Winter Ave and from Highland Ave to Christy Avenue in Fiscal Year 2021.  D8 ends on Barret at Christy, so subsequent northerly phasing is to be determined by District 4 Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith (or her successor) and I trust will receive a boost from the Urban Government Center redevelopment. 

As you can see from this conceptual plan and proposal, the new streetscape components include banners, litter bins, signage, trees, bike racks, lighting and painting; additionally, we intend to refresh all pavement markings – including crosswalks – and repair all sidewalks in the study area, as necessary.  The above linked document is draft.  Please review it and share your thoughts with me by Wednesday, February 26th.    

We’ll be discussing a new Bardstown Road streetscape plan in the near future.

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Short term rental enforcement continues in large part to be complaint-driven, based on public reporting of alleged violations to administrators.  Now, there is a new tool available to help.  This interactive map contains all of the registered short term rentals in Louisville having an active permit to rent their property out to paying customers on STR websites like Airbnb.  It also indicates properties with a conditional use permit, which is required to rent the property if it is not the owner's primary residence.  If you believe someone is using a property as a short term rental but it does not show up on this registry, or if the registry indicates a non-owner occupied property does not have a CUP, then please report the issue here (select “Zoning and Business Concerns,” “Zoning Concern,” “Short Term Rental,” complete the form and submit).  Please also notify me at: brandon.coan@louisvilleky.gov

This and other STR tools will continue to evolve and get better.  Consider the 600-foot rule.  Soon, users will be able to enter an address and instantly see whether a property may qualify for a CUP, with or without a waiver, and what the process is to apply.  The more open and transparent the STR system is, the better it will work for all stakeholders: property owners, neighbors and guests.   

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Over the Last Two Weeks

On February 3rd, the Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a request for a conditional use permit for a short term rental that is not the primary residence of the host at 2125 Baringer Avenue.  19-CUP-0269

Over the Next Two Weeks

On February 12th at 4:30 pm, the Architectural Review Committee will hold a public meeting to review a proposal to install a new front door and sidelights on the front façade of a home located at 1445 Willow Avenue.  The meeting will be held at 444 S. 5th St.  19-COA-0159

Click here to view meeting agendas, download supporting documents and live-stream all planning and zoning public meetings. Visit the District 8 Development Information page here. 

District 8 Crime Report: Every Breath You Take

The following Crime Report is adapted from the last two 5th Division Weekly Crime Updates (1/26/20 - 2/8/20) provided by Sgt. Stuart Hamilton. Please note the linked maps cover the entire LMPD Fifth Division, not just District 8 (Beats 2, 3 and 4).  

If our efforts to plant more trees constitute a moral victory, then one of our strategic objectives that has been an abject failure so far is to establish and register 50% of District 8 blocks in neighborhood watch clubs by the end of 2020.  Not for lack of trying, mind you.  We have created a neighborhood watch toolkit, held workshops and more.  While the outreach has led to the creation of a handful of new block watches, it has become clear to me that a shift to a digital, social media and mobile-based approach is the key to better, more effective community-oriented policing – at least in District 8.  I have repeatedly asked LMPD to work with me on this but really to no avail.  I am not giving up.

On the next episode of Eight More Miles: the District 8 Podcast, I will be joined by LMPD Special Advisor Jessie Halladay to discuss these issues, which indicates a good faith honest attempt on LMPD's part to make some progress together.  If you have questions, comments or ideas you would like for me to air with Jessie, please send them to me by Friday morning (9:00am), February 14th.  The show will be posted next Monday (2/17).  Listen and subscribe on iTunes, Soundcloud and Spotify. 

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Over the years, we have had requests for more traffic enforcement reporting.  Now, thanks to Officer Robert Ward, we are able to oblige.  Beginning next edition, we will report on District 8 traffic stops, parking violations and collisions according to our regular bi-weekly reporting periods.

This reporting period, however, is from 1/2/20 - 2/7/20.  Over the last five weeks, Office Ward conducted 66 traffic stops (overwhelmingly for speeding but also for other moving violations and an expired registration); cited four parking violators, towed two others; and investigated two collisions, including a fatal accident. 

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Robbery – There was one robbery this reporting period.

Victim reports that on Thursday, January 30th at 9:45pm, a subject approached him and demanded his wallet in the 1200 block of Bardstown Road.  The victim refused and the subject then pushed the victim down and took his wallet.  The suspect is an unknown white male approximately 40 years of age.

Burglary – There were two burglaries this reporting period, a decrease from the last reporting period (6).  There was one in Beat 2 and one in Beat 4.  One was by force and the other was by unknown means.  Both were residential.  See maps here and here for more detail.

Auto Theft – There were four auto thefts this reporting period, a decrease from the last reporting period (6).  There was one in Beat 2 and three in Beat 3.  Two were unlocked and two were by unknown means.  See maps here and here for more detail.

Theft from Automobile – There were 10 thefts from automobile this reporting period, a decrease from the last reporting period (15).  There were five in Beat 2 and five in Beat 3.  Two of the vehicles were unlocked, three were by unknown means and five were by force.  Please remember to Lock, Take and Hide!  See maps here and here for more detail.  Chicken feet and a voodoo doll, huh?

2020 District 8 “Unlocked” Crimes Tracker

Q1: 17/62 = 27.4%

2019: 182/492 = 37%

2018: 206/581 = 35.5%

2020 over 2019 District 8 CompStat Data (Period 2020 5)

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything in these crime reports, please email LMPD 5th Division District Resource Officers at: 5thdivlmpd@louisvilleky.gov.  Visit the District 8 Crime Information page here.

District 8 Events Calendar: The Fortnight Ahead

This listing is primarily a District 8 business calendar.  We’ll also highlight annual and special events affecting traffic and street closures, and choice events that are free and open to the public.  We’ll use social media to promote many others.  For event location and other information, click here to visit District 8 Events online.

FEBRUARY 12  4:30pm             Architectural Review Committee Public Hearing 19-COA-0159 1445 Willow Ave

                          7:00pm             Belknap Neighborhood Association Meeting

FEBRUARY 13  7:00pm             Deer Park Neighborhood Association Meeting

FEBRUARY 17  6:00pm             German Paristown Neighborhood Association Meeting

                          6:00pm             Original Highlands Neighborhood Association Meeting

                          6:30pm             City of Seneca Gardens Meeting

                          7:00pm             Cherokee Triangle Association Meeting

FEBRUARY 22 9:00am              Highlands-Shelby Park Library Café LOUIE

FEBRUARY 25  7:00pm             City of Strathmoor Manor Meeting

FEBRUARY 26  8:30am             Highland Commerce Guild

8 Shout-Outs: The Grateful 8th

This is a flexible space for giving thanks, saying hi to friends and having a little fun.

1. Shout-out to the Highlands Douglass Neighborhood Association for cross-checking Airbnb and our new interactive STR map to discover 10 properties appearing to be in violation in the neighborhood and reporting them!  Our zoning enforcement team has opened cases on all of them!  
2. Shout-out to loyal District 8 Crime Report reader Harvey Matheny for persisting to secure our new traffic enforcement report! 
3. Shout-out to DuPont Manual High School Senior Pranav Senthilvel for interviewing me as part of his incredibly interesting research into logrolling (quid pro quo) in local politics!  I can’t wait to read his report!
4. Shout-out to Angie Carlson, Susan Rostov and Meaghan Thomas for representing District 8 in the Center for Neighborhoods' Spring 2020 Neighborhood Institute cohort! 
5. Shout-out to Professor Ariana Levinson and Adam Johnson for all their hard work in support of worker-owned co-ops and business succession planning!  Worker-owned co-ops are a means to local independent business preservation, which must be part of our strategy to keep Louisville weird.  Learn more at the February 26th meeting of the Highland Commerce Guild!  
6. Speaking of HCM, shout-out for a Taste of the Highlands, Tuesday February 25th!  Eat, drink and be merry at this wonderful event to benefit Highlands Community Ministries' Dare to Care Food Pantry and Senior Meals Programs.  Tickets are $50.  Learn more and get them here!
7. Shout-out to Senator Morgan McGarvey for two more dispatches from Frankfort, recapping the weeks ending January 31st and February 7th.  If you liked Apocalypse Now then you’ll love tales from the Kentucky General Assembly!    
8. Finally, shout-out to the return of World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band!  Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!  General public tickets go on sale Friday, February 14th, at 10:00am at the evil Ticketmaster.

In Two Weeks: The Sweet Relief Edition

Thanks for reading, and tune back in two weeks!  

Councilman Brandon Coan   |   Louisville Metro Council   |   District 8

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601 West Jefferson Street, Third Floor

Louisville, Kentucky 40202

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