MidtownMemphis.org

LAST CALL for all Memphis & Mid-South Artists wanting to participate in this year’s - please don’t delay & miss out on being able to showcase your talent in this local artist beloved community event 💖 find out more at our website at https://www.vegreenline.org/artwalk-2024

- friends & neighbors, please like/share/tag to your talented artist network, thank you all, we love your support!

Congratulations Memphis Zoo!

Crump Station Businesses and Community Leaders
Monthly Meeting - 1pm, Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at King Hall
-Meet Crump Station’s Col. T.D.Jackson and key MPD staff.
-Get relevant crime data/reporting for our area.
-Info on public safety resources available.
-Share current safety concerns and issues with officers.
-Network with other Midtown businesses on shared concerns and solutions.
Light snacks are provided.

Steve Shular has been an incredible resource for Midtown neighborhoods and will be greatly missed.

'Relentless advocate for Memphis neighborhoods' retires from City Hall Curb by curb and street by street, Steve Shular worked to make Memphis a little cleaner and a little safer. He retired from the City of Memphis July 19.

Congratulations on a great project!

Come celebrate Independence Day in Midtown

Join Memphis Parks and the City of Memphis—in collaboration with the Downtown Memphis Commission and Oak View Group—for an Independence Day festival and the official City fireworks show in Liberty Park on Wednesday, July 3rd, from 5-9 p.m. 🎆
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This event is FREE for ALL, so gather your friends and family for an evening they won't forget.
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🌟 Free admission and free parking
🌟 DJ and live music!
🌟 Kids' inflatables, face painting, and carnival games
🌟 Family-friendly movie showing
🌟 Local food trucks
🌟 Biggest fireworks show in town starting at dusk.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1184186599443431

Thanks to Community LIFT as well as Memphis City Beautiful and RickJames Cashsaver for their support in making this project possible.

🚨 Grantee Alert 🚨

We are excited to announce that MidtownMemphis.org is joining our Creative Placemaking Cohort with their fantastic Madison Avenue Improvement Project! 🛤️🌳

This project is set to enhance the neighborhood with artistic crosswalks for safer pedestrian access, lush street trees along Angelus and Avalon, and vibrant neighborhood identifiers like beautified bus stops, pole banners, and signage. 🌟🌿🚌

MMO is committed to engaging local residents, businesses, artists, and community organizations in every phase, from design development to installation and maintenance. Together, we're creating a more beautiful, accessible, and connected Midtown Memphis! 🎨🏙️

The Huey's Community Garden at Madison and Barksdale will be on the tour on May 25th. Come by and see how we are raising polinators and produce for the kitchen at Church Health

Experience Memphis Gardens 2024 Walk, Gawk, & Talk through 200+ gardens in the Greater Memphis area...

MidtownMemphis.org will have a tent at the Crawfish Festival. Join us Saturday, April 27th from 11am - 5pm for all the crawfish you can crunch, live music, tasty beer choices, and a huge local artist's market - all surrounded by Overton Square's amazing shops and eateries!

Do you own a historic property with windows that need restoring?
This is for you! Register here:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/kr5qjac

We have concluded our negotiations with John Zeanah and the Dept of Planning and Development and we will not be arguing at Thursday's Land Use Control Board Meeting. We had good dialog and appreciate being heard.
Briefly:
Neighborhood Plans will remain in the ZTA for another year, and during this year, DPD will approach the neighborhoods on the list and discuss an updated Small Area Plan or neighborhood plan, and assist in guiding its implementation and fulfillments. We've agreed that if we see real progress and ongoing progress on DPD's part for the neighborhood plans, we will agree to removing this list from the city code next year.
3.3.18—DPD heard our concern about how allowing "open space" as frontage could be abused and they removed this from the ZTA to give it further review.
9.3.4D(1) and 9.23.1C(2)—we compromised on the time to allow for USPS delivery to 20 days, down from 25; it was 10 days a few years ago.
In Residential Corridors, we clarified language disallowing non-residential planned developments; there was also talk of eliminating RC's, which will not happen.
1.13.3E(2). We argued against this allowance for pending legislation and it was withdrawn, though for other reasons.
9.21 & 9.22 Regarding the request for increased administrative authority on lot size, lot width, and setbacks, DPD studied several years of BOA cases and so did we. We both found that the instances this would have applied was minimal—a couple times a year. We conceded to their request.
Regarding the lumberyard, MMO wrote a letter of opposition and has tried to be a go-between for some of the parties. Note that at yesterday's City Council, they allowed a new vote on the lumberyard to come at the next meeting, April 23, 3:30 PM, City Hall.

We are so thankful for to all of our sponsors that make the Mojo of Midtown awards possible every year. Thanks to our gold sponsors for 2024, Aaron’s Painting Solutions, Blueskycourierservices, Eclectic Eye, The Mail Center, Overton Square, Playhouse on the Square, and Tactical Magic! Plus, a huge shout out to Karen Capps for hand crafting our Mojo awards each year!

We’d like to thank everyone who came out to the Mojo of Midtown Awards to join us in honoring our 2024 recipients. Thanks to these amazing people, businesses, and organizations for helping make our community a better place year after year.

Bill Bullock– for volunteering tirelessly to keep the forest strong in Overton Park for the next 100 years.

The Cupboard – for serving a meat and three and being a place to meet for 75 years.

Idlewild Presbyterian Church – for providing More than a Meal and Midtown Legal Clinic and making Mid-town home for over 100 years.

Mr. Lincoln's Costume Shoppe – for transforming us into gods, geeks, and ghouls since 1991.

TheatreWorks - for providing a home for 11 diverse performing arts groups at two theatres.

And a big thanks to Playhouse on the Square for hosting the Mojo of Midtown Awards at Circuit Playhouse again this year!

We are so proud to honor Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Bill Bullock, The Cupboard, Mr. Lincoln's Costume Shoppe, and TheatreWorks. Got to MidtownMemphis.org to see photos from the event.

The city wants to remove neighborhood plans from our zoning code. Please help us tell the city that the voices of neighborhoods are important. Copy and send this letter by Wednesday April 3, 8AM.
TO: Land Use Control Board
Re: ZTA 24-2
ATTN: Brett Ragsdale [email protected]

LUCB:

I am opposed to the following ZTA proposals in which the Department of Planning and Development is diminishing the voices of Memphis citizens and taking the authority to speak for them.

1.9D The Department of Planning and Development would like to remove a long list of neighborhood plans that have been created by the neighborhoods, often in conjunction with DPD, and some with the City Council. These plans present long-range goals for these neighborhoods, and after more than 20 years in some cases, the goals from those plans are being realized. For example, home ownership has been increasing in Glenview, Rozelle-Annesdale and Vollintine-Evergreen, three neighborhoods that have been working hard to organize and come back with more residents, and more homeowners.
While the data that spurred the plans may be out of date, the goals are very relevant. Removing these plans from the UDC will distance the neighborhood goals from the zoning ordinances, making the plans less likely to be consulted.
Should DPD execute new neighborhood plans in accordance with Memphis 3.0, those can replace these. Until then, these voices of the neighborhood should remain.

9.21.2A(1) & 9.22D What may seem a minor request –DPD is asking to increase their administrative authority for setback encroachments from 10% to 20% --is actually DPD allowing citizens less say and influence in their immediate neighborhoods.
The Department already has the authority to request these changes to code, however presently the neighbors who will be affected by these variances will be notified and will have an opportunity to speak at a public hearing. DPD wants to take away that opportunity for citizens to speak.
Similarly, we would rather the neighbors be alerted when a change is being made to lot size and lot width, and not grant that new authority to DPD.
The neighbors most affected should not be shut out by DPD. Please let citizens continue to have a prominent voice in their neighborhoods. Please do not grant this additional authority to DPD.

Thank you,
NAME
NEIGHBORHOOD

Please copy this letter and send, and share this post! Deadline is Wednesday April 3, 8AM:
TO: Land Use Control Board
Re: ZTA 24-2
ATTN: Brett Ragsdale [email protected]

LUCB:

I am opposed to the following ZTA proposals in which the Department of Planning and Development is diminishing the voices of Memphis citizens and taking the authority to speak for them.

1.9D The Department of Planning and Development would like to remove a long list of neighborhood plans that have been created by the neighborhoods, often in conjunction with DPD, and some with the City Council. These plans present long-range goals for these neighborhoods, and after more than 20 years in some cases, the goals from those plans are being realized. For example, home ownership has been increasing in Glenview, Rozelle-Annesdale and Vollintine-Evergreen, three neighborhoods that have been working hard to organize and come back with more residents, and more homeowners.
While the data that spurred the plans may be out of date, the goals are very relevant. Removing these plans from the UDC will distance the neighborhood goals from the zoning ordinances, making the plans less likely to be consulted.
Should DPD execute new neighborhood plans in accordance with Memphis 3.0, those can replace these. Until then, these voices of the neighborhood should remain.

9.21.2A(1) & 9.22D What may seem a minor request –DPD is asking to increase their administrative authority for setback encroachments from 10% to 20% --is actually DPD allowing citizens less say and influence in their immediate neighborhoods.
The Department already has the authority to request these changes to code, however presently the neighbors who will be affected by these variances will be notified and will have an opportunity to speak at a public hearing. DPD wants to take away that opportunity for citizens to speak.
Similarly, we would rather the neighbors be alerted when a change is being made to lot size and lot width, and not grant that new authority to DPD.
The neighbors most affected should not be shut out by DPD. Please let citizens continue to have a prominent voice in their neighborhoods. Please do not grant this additional authority to DPD.

Thank you,
NAME
NEIGHBORHOOD

Your help please! Copy and paste this email send to the address at the top--by 8AM Wednesday 4/3. Thank you!
TO: Land Use Control Board
Re: ZTA 24-2
ATTN: Brett Ragsdale [email protected]

LUCB:

I am opposed to the following ZTA proposals in which the Department of Planning and Development is diminishing the voices of Memphis citizens and taking the authority to speak for them.

1.9D The Department of Planning and Development would like to remove a long list of neighborhood plans that have been created by the neighborhoods, often in conjunction with DPD, and some with the City Council. These plans present long-range goals for these neighborhoods, and after more than 20 years in some cases, the goals from those plans are being realized. For example, home ownership has been increasing in Glenview, Rozelle-Annesdale and Vollintine-Evergreen, three neighborhoods that have been working hard to organize and come back with more residents, and more homeowners.
While the data that spurred the plans may be out of date, the goals are very relevant. Removing these plans from the UDC will distance the neighborhood goals from the zoning ordinances, making the plans less likely to be consulted.
Should DPD execute new neighborhood plans in accordance with Memphis 3.0, those can replace these. Until then, these voices of the neighborhood should remain.

9.21.2A(1) & 9.22D What may seem a minor request –DPD is asking to increase their administrative authority for setback encroachments from 10% to 20% --is actually DPD allowing citizens less say and influence in their immediate neighborhoods.
The Department already has the authority to request these changes to code, however presently the neighbors who will be affected by these variances will be notified and will have an opportunity to speak at a public hearing. DPD wants to take away that opportunity for citizens to speak.
Similarly, we would rather the neighbors be alerted when a change is being made to lot size and lot width, and not grant that new authority to DPD.
The neighbors most affected should not be shut out by DPD. Please let citizens continue to have a prominent voice in their neighborhoods. Please do not grant this additional authority to DPD.

Thank you,
NAME
NEIGHBORHOOD

The Mojo of Midtown Awards Bash will be here in 2 weeks! Get your tickets now.

The Mojo Awards will be here soon!

Come celebrate the 2024 Mojo of Midtown Award Recipients with us on April 3rd, 6-9pm at Circuit Playhouse.

Bill Bullock – for volunteering tirelessly to keep the forest strong in Overton Park for the next 100 years.

The Cupboard – for serving a meat and three and being a place to meet for 75 years.

Idlewild Presbyterian Church – for providing More than a Meal and Midtown Legal Clinic and making Mid-town home for over 100 years.

Mr. Lincoln's Costume ShoppeMr. Lincoln’s Costume Shoppe – for transforming us into gods, geeks, and ghouls since 1991.

TheatreWorks– for providing a home for 11 diverse performing arts groups at two theatres.

Tickets are $40 in advance on Eventbright or $45 at the door.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/784385767947?aff=oddtdtcreator@

Shade is Cool!

As Arbor Day approaches, let's take a moment to appreciate some of the many ways trees enhance our lives. Celebrate the gift of trees with us on March 1st at Audubon Park.

For more information about Tennessee Arbor Day, visit https://memphiscitybeautiful.org/arbor-day/.

Join us in caring for the Spanish American War Memorial Park! Volunteers are needed to w**d, trim, and plant in the park! Tools will be provided. Parking is on S. Cox near Central Ave.

To learn more and sign up, visit https://volunteermemphis.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=904479.

It was a perfect day for planting 60 trees - light rain the whole time. Thanks to all the amazing volunteers who came out to Washington Bottoms! We are proud to partner with The Works, Inc. and Memphis City Beautiful to improve this important part of midtown.

The Washington Bottoms Tree Planting is this Saturday, February 10! Help us give some love to Washington Bottoms in the form of new oak trees.

Learn more & sign up: https://bit.ly/WBTreePlanting2024