Your Neighborhood Advocate: 
A Strong Record of Communicating, Listening and Seeking Public Input.

 

• Hosted district-wide zoning code update Q&A forum to inform, listen and better understand the concerns of our community. (May 9, 2019)
• Presented informative updates on zoning code proposal at neighborhood meetings, addressing neighborhood concerns.
• Informed community of zoning updates through blog publications, social media, and media interviews. Published 8 blog posts on proposed changes to the zoning ordinance during Recode.
• Introduced and passed dozens of amendments to updated zoning ordinance, making it a more neighborhood friendly zoning ordinance.
• Fought for written notice to be sent to residents for zoning code update to ensure proper notice was given to residents; written notice mailed out on February 25, 2019.
• Drafted and passed amendment that closed zoning loophole that would have permitted homes to have a dog kennel like environment with unlimited dogs in residential neighborhoods.
• Fought for and championed key terms like low, medium, and high density to remain in zoning ordinance.
• Preserved the peaceful enjoyment of our homes by opposing and ultimately removing firework shows, horse shows, and carnivals/circuses from the available temporary uses in our neighborhoods.
• Fought to keep citizens informed by including public notice and public meetings in the new zoning code.
• Championed neighborhood input by ensuring neighborhood preferences were included in the zoning code update.
• Fought to protect the investment you have in your home by supporting the same or comparable zoning after the new zoning ordinance as you had before the update through zone neutral maps.
• A strong and consistent advocate to increase budget for traffic calming.
• Implemented effective traffic calming measures on:

 Cheshire Drive 
 Wesley Road 
 Sheffield Drive 
 Gainsborough Drive 
 Corteland Drive 
 Marlboro Road 
 Westmoreland Blvd.

 Whitower Drive
 Nubbin Ridge

 

•  Supporting and working with neighbors on future traffic calming measures:

 Windgate Street 
 Woodland Drive 
 Southgate Road 
 Keowee Ave 
 Arrowhead Trail 
 Harley Drive 
 Agnes Road 
 Grandview/Layden 
 Sprankle Drive 
 Fox Cove Road 
 Woodburn Drive 
 Westwood Drive 
 Greenbriar Drive 
 Sunrise Drive 
 Coleridge Drive 
 Sherwood Drive 
 Stone Mill Drive 
 Holloway Drive 
 Wilshire Road

 Broome Road

 Bennington Road

 Rockingham Road

 Craig Road

 Buena Road

 Cherry Drive

 

A Champion for a More Walkable and Beautiful Community: 
Knoxville is our home – let's continue our work to make it beautiful, walkable and more connected.

 

• Supported a more livable community through the expansion of bike paths, sidewalks, parks and greenways.
• Expanded greenspace: Everly Brothers Park (2nd) and Urban Wilderness (citywide).
• New sidewalk and bike lanes along southside of Kingston Pike between Golfclub Road and Wesley Road (2nd District)
• Pedestrian and bicycle connection between Middlebrook Pike and Sutherland Ave. along Liberty Street (citywide)
• Connecting First Creek Greenway to Knoxville Botanical Gardens (citywide)
• Baker Creek Preserve Bike Park (citywide)
• Expanding the William Hastie Natural Area, adding 28 acres to the Urban Wilderness (citywide)
• Fought for new sidewalk installations in District 2 and throughout Knoxville.
• During my tenure, the following sidewalks have been installed in the 2nd District:

 Sheffield Drive 
 Ray Mears Blvd 
 Gleason Drive 
 Middlebrook Pike

 

• Doubled the average yearly budget for new sidewalk construction from 2017 to 2019.
• Continuing to fight sign clutter along our Knoxville streets and main corridors, preserving the beauty of our community.

 

A Record of Supporting a Clean & Healthy Environment 
Supporting Clean, Sustainable Initiatives and Cost Saving Measures for Tax Payers

 

• Achieved a 20% reduction in municipal CO2 emissions, based on 2005 baseline. Worked with city leaders to launch the LED streetlight replacement program in 2017; which not only pays for itself over 8 years, it will thereafter save $2 million dollars a year on our municipal power bill.
• Established new municipal goals for CO2 emissions, further reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.
• A consistent voice for Community Solar in Knoxville, this program would expand the number of people in our community who can benefit from solar power beyond just those who can afford to install panels on their roof. Participants don’t need a roof and don’t even need to own property to benefit from the electricity generated, which costs less and gives everyone, at every economic stage in life, the opportunity to participate and invest in their own future power needs.

 

An Advocate for Affordable Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing 
Increasing availability of affordable housing and compassionate housing assistance for all citizens.

 

• Voted to invest $12.6 million over 4 years to expand affordable rental and workforce housing through the affordable rental and workforce housing fund.
• The affordable rental and workforce housing fund is a development tool that increases available units for anyone within the income qualifications to receive below market rate rent. This fund didn’t exist until July 2017.
• These investments expanded available affordable and workforce housing units to nearly 1,000 units city-wide.
• Supported addition of 4 times the number of social workers available to assist the unhoused and provide them connections to care and services.
• Advocated for permanent supportive housing for our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and voted for a 32% increase in the number of permanent supportive housing units available currently or approved new housing units  since 2018.

 

An Advocate for Responsible Public Safety 
Supporting and Empowering our Public Servants and listening to the Communities they Serve.

 

• Supported body cameras for Knoxville Police Department (KPD) officers. Body camera deployment began in January 2021 with full deployment anticipated Spring 2021.
• Advocated for a series of 5 workshops Council had to review KPD training, policies, and procedures; completed workshops in late 2020 promoted better understanding of current policies.
• Expanded violence reduction funding for additional violence interruption and reduction programs.
• Advocate for expanding Knoxville Police Advisory & Review Committee (PARC) staff to include an investigative manger to assist PARC executive director.
• Knoxville now has a social worker co-response team to respond to mental health emergency calls.
• Introduced new policies to reduce under age alcohol consumption in our community.
• Created informative server/restaurant guidelines to assist local business in preventing underage beer service.
• Required all applications for beer permits to have a server compliance plan to prevent underage service.

 

Strategic Beer Board Leadership:

Promoting a Culture of Consistency, Responsibility and Safety

 

• Currently serving as Knoxville’s Beer Board Chair, elected in December 2019.
• In July 2018, authored and implemented guidelines for server compliance, assisting restaurants and bars in reimagining how their establishment would prevent underage beer service.
• Championed the creation of a Downtown Festival District which creates a temporary area downtown for open containers within a defined space. Allowing beloved festivals like Rossini Festival, Dogwood Arts, Hola Festival, and Knoxville’s St. Patrick’s Day parade to serve beer to those in attendance in a safe manner.
• Launched annual beer board update to familiarize board members and our community on the actions of the Beer Board throughout the previous year.
  
  

A Record of Building Community Bridges 
A Vision of a More Connected and Unified Knoxville 

 

• Launched “Meet Your Reps” monthly community meetings with counterparts on Knox County Commission and Knox County School Board, providing a much-needed one-stop resource for district residents.
• Launched “Sutherland Ave. Lunch Mob” events with Vice Mayor McKenzie to raise awareness of local businesses effected by road construction. Hosted events at Dead End BBQ, El Charro, Gus’ World-Famous Fried Chicken with additional events planned post-pandemic.
• Assisted in the establishment and organization of “Stuff the Bus” School Supply Drive for Fulton High School from 2017-present in coordination with North Knoxville Business and Professional Association and in partnership with Councilmembers Rider (2018, 2019, 2020), Campen (2018, 2019), and Thomas (2020). Provided school supplies for hundreds of students in need.
• Launched “KAT Appreciation Day” on June 5, 2020 – thanking essential workers for their efforts during the pandemic. Free lunches provided by Yassin’s Falafel House and crowd-sourced community donations.
• Avid supporter of our public school system, regularly visiting District 2 elementary schools to meet with school administrators and read to students.

 

Economic Development and Job Creation:

Proactive Leadership Emphasizing Economic Growth and Job Creation in Knoxville

 

• Since 2018, the private sector has invested over $252 million in new and expanded business in Knoxville and created over 2,100 new jobs in Knoxville and Knox County. 
  (Source: Knoxville Chamber in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021).
• As Beer Board chair, launched plan to allow beer service in expanded temporary outdoor service areas to help our local restaurants continue to operate safely during the pandemic.
• Proactively promoted local businesses with “lunch mobs” and announcements during challenging times.
• Helped pave the way for Tesla to come to Knoxville by updating zoning at West Town Mall.
• Supported updated zoning paving the way for Amazon’s 2021 investment at former Knoxville Center Mall location that will bring over 700 new jobs to our community.