Overview
The Livable Nashville Committee – comprised of leaders from Nashville’s public, private, environmental, academic, and philanthropic sectors– is charged with developing a shared vision for protecting and enhancing Nashville’s livability and environmental quality.
Building off of their work under Mayor Megan Barry's administration and the accomplishments of Mayor Karl Dean’s 2009 Green Ribbon Committee, as well as the formally-adopted sustainability policies from Metro’s countywide General Plan NashvilleNext, their 2017 inaugural report recommends Nashville pursue goals and actions across five focus-areas: Climate and Energy, Green Buildings, Waste Reduction and Recycling, Mobility, and Natural Resources.
Draft Livable Nashville Recommendations
Livable Nashville Vision Statement
To make Nashville the greenest city in the Southeast, together we will work to conserve resources; increase equity of access to clean air, water, nature and the amenities of a livable community; and preserve and enhance the dynamic and authentic Nashville we love.
Community Involvement
Community and stakeholder engagement with the Committee presents an opportunity to harness public interest in environmental leadership, and to initiate ambitious sustainability goals, policies, and projects.
- February 7, 2017: Draft recommendations released for public review and comment. Public comments were accepted via survey and email from February 7 to March 17, 2017.
Proposed General Recommendations
- Implement the practice of sustainability across and throughout Metro Departments with assigned staff and metrics.
- Work with the local philanthropic sector to encourage strategic, environmentally-focused giving.
- Appoint more citizens with an environmental ethic or a background in environmental sciences to Metro Boards and Commissions.
- Encourage current and future mayoral administrations to dedicate staff to sustainability practice.
- Structure the Metro Code and its enforcing Department around achieving sustainability goals.
- Establish an annual “Green State of Metro” mayoral address to update the public and stakeholders on progress of implementation on Livable Nashville’s recommendations.
- Develop partnerships around sustainability measures with board-governed, Metro-affiliated agencies such MDHA and MNPS.
Specific Area Recommendations
Climate & Energy
Lower energy costs for residents and businesses, while reducing our reliance on oil and coal, in order to improve air quality and lower GHG emissions.
| Targets |
Strategies |
“Sizzle” Items |
- Reduce Metro GHG emissions by 20% by 2020 (40% by 2030; 80% by 2050)
- Reduce Nashville GHG emissions by 10% by 2020 (30% by 2030; 70% by 2050)
- Install 10 MW of renewable energy by 2020; increase energy from renewables 30% by 2030
|
- Establish specific GHG emission-reduction targets and timelines
- Scale up local renewable-power generation
- Reduce GHG emissions from non-building assets
- Develop an outreach/education campaign to engage citizens in reducing GHG emissions
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- NES to build 2MW Community Solar
- Convert street and traffic lights to LED and “dark-sky” compatible technologies
- Install 4-6 MW solar on Metro buildings
|
Green Building
Enhance the resource-efficiency of new and existing buildings in order to improve occupant health and productivity.
| Targets |
Strategies |
“Sizzle” Items |
- Reduce Metro building resource-use by 20% by 2020 (40% by 2030; 80% by 2050)
- Reduce Nashville building resource-use by 10% by 2020 (25% by 2030; 75% by 2050)
- Ensure energy utilities for low-income residents are under 20% of income by 2020 (<15% by 2030; <10% by 2050)
- Reduce energy consumption of commercial buildings by 5% by 2020 (20% by 2030; 60% by 2050)
|
- Improve energy-efficiency in Metro buildings
- Improve energy-efficiency in residential buildings
- Improve energy-efficiency in commercial and institutional buildings
- Improve energy Code compliance
- Deploy education/outreach strategies at the building level to increase individual action
|
- Build a highly-visible ‘Zero Net Energy’ Metro building
- Launch a “Round It Up” program to fund low-income energy-efficiency projects
- Launch a Green and Healthy Homes Initiative
|
Natural Resources
Ensure Nashville enjoys clean air, clean water, and conserved green, open spaces.
| Targets |
Strategies |
“Sizzle” Items |
- 0 stream miles added to 303B designation by 2020 (Remove all 350 miles from list by 2050)
- 0 hazardous air-quality days by 2020 (0 days with risk to human health by 2050)
- 4000 acres of land preserved by 2030
- 10 new miles of greenways by 2020; 53 new miles by 2030
- Stop net tree-loss by 2020 (Plant 500,000 trees by 2050)
|
- Restore natural functions of the landscape to improve water quality, save money, and improve resiliency
- Plant a half-million trees to increase canopy-cover from 47% to 50%
- Conserve, restore, and sustainably manage public and private lands throughout Davidson County
- Ensure that outdoor air-quality is healthy for all of Nashville’s residents by reducing non-point source air pollution
|
- Stop net tree loss and plant 50,000 trees during first term
- Launch a Conservation Assistance Fund
- Implement a high-profile ‘De-pave’ [green infrastructure] project, such as the Nissan Stadium parking lot
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Waste Reduction & Recycling
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle our waste for a healthier, cleaner, more prosperous Nashville.
| Targets |
Strategies |
“Sizzle” Items |
- Reduce food waste by 10% by 2020 (50% by 2030)
- Increase landfill-diversion rate to 35% by 2020 (50% by 2030; Zero waste by 2050)
|
- Increase residential recycling rates
- Reduce construction and demolition waste
- Increase rates of commercial waste-diversion and recycling
- Demonstrate leadership on food-waste reduction
- Leverage Metro’s administration of the solid-waste program
- Equip Metro Government with the ability to “lead by example”
|
- Mayor’s Restaurant Food-Saver Challenge
- Biweekly curbside-recycling pickup
- Glass-Bottle recycling pilot-project with lower-Broadway’s Honkey-Tonk row
|
Mobility
Provide more transportation options for cleaner air, healthier commutes, and better access to jobs and opportunities.
| Targets |
Strategies |
“Sizzle” Items |
- Increase active-transportation [bike/ped] mode share to 7% by 2020 (12% by 2030; 30% by 2050)
- Achieve Vision Zero program goals (no increase in traffic fatalities by 2020; 50% reduction by 2030; zero fatal crashes by 2050)
- By 2030, increase share of households within 0.5 mile of transit running at least every 15 minutes to 40%
- Transition 25% of Metro LDV fleet to AFV by 2030
|
- Organize Metro institutions and processes around delivering a more equitable, efficient multimodal transportation system
- Bring nMotion to life
- Empower Nashvillians of all ages and abilities to get around by bicycle
- Develop and implement a true Vision Zero program
- Use technology and innovation to improve the transport system
- “Green” the vehicle fleet
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- Increase frequency and service-hours on 14 MTA routes (benefiting 70% of today’s ridership, requiring 50 new buses)
- Build a high-profile protected bikeway in the urban core
- Launch a robust, regional Transportation Demand Management program
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