If I had to pare down 2020 into one word it would be: heavy. For much of our community, the difficulties of life existed well before 2020. Yet this past year, perhaps more than any other experienced in the last half a century, has put a spotlight on our foundational cracks or societal gaps which have only grown more expansive and pronounced these last 9 months.
There is little debate that this past year has been heavy not only in loss, illness, economic need, disconnection, injustice, violence, inequity, dogma, sanctimony, and uncertainty, but also heavy in sacrifice, opportunity, and inspiration. You will not find me celebrating the "death of 2020." Absent having a magic wand to unwind the "hands of time" that would have allowed for a more coordinated public health response at the National level, a well support and nimble Metro response system for addressing need, and greater support and accountability on policing practices, we have no choice but to learn from 2020 and commit ourselves to creating a healthier and more equitable community!
Our challenge moving forward is that we come to agreement on the same lessons to be learned, commit ourselves to understanding nuance, and remember in healthier and more economically robust times. That is exactly what so many community members have set to doing this this year. I have had the opportunity to witness tremendous acts of care for neighbors, volunteerism, civic participation, and public service.
This annual special edition newsletter is dedicated to highlighting some of the important work and the drivers for making that work happen in 2020 because of and in spite of its heaviness. This list is just a flavor and is by no means exhaustive. As always, consider this an invitation to provide feedback.
Let us toast to 2020 for showing us opportunities toward a corrective path and the embodiment of Maya Angelou's words, “...when you know better, do better.”
Several new businesses had openings, expansions, or relocations such as Allstar Cheer Academy, Biscuit Belly, Defining You, Friends Bakery, Girard’s Hardware reopening, La Chandelier, Magnetic Tap Recorder Inc, & Stereo Center, Pap’s Beef Jerky/Pap’s Food Plant, Ralhla Asian Market, and the Rosewater
Drivers of this work: Louisville Forward, Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA), neighbors demonstrating demand, Office of Globalization, and South Louisville Business Association (SLBA)
Promotion of the Louisville Metro Small Business Relief COVID grants which included direct outreach to businesses
Drivers: Louisville Forward, Practicum and SummerWorks Interns, and Volunteers
Support to the Prosper Preston Partnership including surveys, walking assessments, clean ups, and business association incubation
Drivers: Area businesses, local neighborhoods and municipalities, LIBA, and Metro Agencies
Support to the Woodlawn Corridor including direct business engagement and infrastructure improvements
Drivers: Beechmont Neighborhood Association, Center for Neighborhoods, LMPD Division 4 Resource Officers, and Southwest Dream Team
Support of Small Business Saturday's South Louisville Stroll
Drivers: Local artists and venders, LIBA South, SLBA, Southwest Dream Team, and Beechmont, Iroquois, and Southside residents
Brightside beautification efforts including 8 new litter receptacles, development of an education and business plan for addressing litter, district-wide clean up day, support to hotspots and litterator volunteers, and ongoing supports to ramps
Drivers of the work: Brightside, D21 litterator hotspot volunteers, local schools and businesses
Tree plantings on Gheens Ave (47 trees), Gilmore Ln/Norton Ave (150 trees), Grade Ln (33 trees) and Phillips Ln (57 trees) and tree assistance for private property in the Green Heart intervention area
Drivers: Brightside, Division of Community Forestry, Green Heart, KYTC, LRAA, Louisville Grows, District 8 Councilman Coan, MSD, Trees Louisville, and Iroquois, Southside, Preston Park neighbors, and City of Lynnview
Cliff Park Enhancements including the installation of a new grill and picnic table as well as drainage improvements
Drivers: Friends of Cliff Park, Louisville Metro Parks, Louisville Parks Foundation, and MSD
Southside Sidewalk
Drivers: Americana Community Center, Public Works, MSD, TARC, and Southside neighbors
Public Works completed the following sidewalk repairs in District 21: GHEENS AVE & MITCHER AVE, 1327 TRINITY PARK DR, 1266 GILMORE LN, 4633 S 6TH ST, 106 W AMHERST AVE, and 807 INVERNESS AVE
Drivers: Public Works working to complete a backlog of sidewalk repair needs and community members who previously made 311 reports
Traffic calming measures including speed humps (approved, funded, and awaiting installation) on Carolyn Rd, Hood Rd, and N Rutland Ave and driver feedback signs on Seneca Trail
Drivers: Beehmont, Iroquois, and Preston Park/Seminole Village neighbors and Public Works
Block level engagement around various proposals related to MSD Vacant Lot Pilots including 4701 Cliff Ave, 4761 S 6th St, and 3015 Krashey Way
Drivers: Beechmont Neighborhood Association, Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservancy, Louisville Dog Run Association, MSD, and residents of Cliff Ave, S 6th St, and Preston Park/Seminole Village
Funding and RFP for a Preston Corridor Master Plan which will provide a visionary approach for improving the entire corridor by analyzing and recommending specific, implementable strategies around improved land use, economic development, premium transit, multi-modal facilities, streetscape improvements, green infrastructure, quality of place and traffic-calming
Drivers: Councilmembers Sexton Smith, James, Triplett, Mulvihill, Shanklin, Fox, Flood, and Peden, local neighborhoods and municipalities, Office of Advanced Planning and Sustainability, and Prosper Preston Partnership
Resolution requesting the Planning Commission review the land development code regulations with regard to heavy truck parking. Conducted an analysis of traffic patterns of semis in Beechmont.
Drivers: D21 Semi Committee, Jefferson County Attorney Office, Public Works, and neighbor volunteers
Direct outreach and organization of block clubs: active block groups include Bellevue, Dyer/Tile Factory/Breitenstein, Francis/S 1st St, School/Forum, and S 6th St
Drivers of the work: Block club captains and Division Resource Officers
Organized the Beechmont Pocket Park Stroll & Strum which was a socially distant walk through Bellevue Park, Cliff Park, and Woodlawn Gazebo to hear local musicians who are a part of the Louisville Federation of Musicians (Local 11-637) and funded by the Community Music Partnership
Drivers: Beechmont Neighborhood Association, Community Music Partnership, and Metro Parks
Launched the district-wide Participatory Budgeting survey to ask the community how they would like to see their Neighborhood Development Fund dollars spend in their neighborhoods
Drivers: Advisory team members, local neighborhoods, and McNary Group
Neighbors gathered in Beechmont to show their support for racial justice, using peaceful protest to make their voices heard with a message that South Louisville is a place that welcomes all to the community
Drivers: Beechmont neighbors
The Lights on District 21 volunteer led project assessed 700 streetlights. Of the streetlights we assessed, 5% had outages and were reported for repair.
Drivers: D21 volunteers, Metro's GIS mapping team, and Public Works
Metro Planning and Design received a grant to assess 2,000 District 21 structures for historical surveying. This can lead to having structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places which is a national honor roll and source of unique sense of place and community pride.
Drivers: Beechmont Neighborhood Association, City of Lynnview, D21 Kent School Practicum Student, Lord Aeck Sargent, neighborhood/community researchers, Planning and Design staff, Southside neighbors, and UK Historic Preservation Project
Hosted public workshops around the Budget and Southend Street Homelessness
Drivers: Coalition for the Homeless, District 12 Councilman Blackwell, LMPD, neighbors, and St. John Center
Advocated for resolution of vacant and abandoned properties priority list
Drivers: D21 volunteers, Code Enforcement, LMPD, and Office of Community Development
District 21 has supported the following pieces of adopted local ordinances and resolutions:
COVID Relief Funding - Before Congress approved the CARES Act, the Metro Council allocated $2.7 million for emergency food and rental assistance from its newly created pension reserve fund (fund created in December 2019 in last year’s mid-year budget)
Conversion Therapy Ban
Created a permanent Metro Council Committee on Equity and Inclusion
Criminal Justice Reforms
Banned no-knock warrants
Reformed LMPD use-of-force policy
Created a Civilian Review Board & Inspector General office
Calling on Frankfort for four reforms: 1) Subpoena power for the Inspector General, 2) Amend the open records law exemption for body camera, 911 recordings, and radio transmissions, 3) Eliminate the gag rule on Metro officials, and 4) Allow the chief’s designee to participate in disciplinary hearings
Fair Rental Housing
Increased LMPD officer pay through approval of FOP contract
Opportunity Youth Fund - In the FY21 budget, Council designated $1 million specifically for opportunity youthParking Reforms to Promote Smart Growth - Amending the Metro Land Development Code as it relates to the reduction up minimum parking requirements in certain areas and revisions to the Residential Parking Permit Program
Outdoor dining accommodations
Property tax moratorium for qualified census blocks
Renewable Energy - this resolution urges Louisville to transition city operations to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, 100% clean energy by 2035 (including electricity and natural gas), and 100% clean energy throughout the community by 2040
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