Metro Codes tips for new (and old) neighbors

The Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety published the following tips for new neighbors in its most recent newsletter. Since we all qualify as someone's neighbor, I thought these tips would be good reading for all of us:

At one time or another, we have been or we have had a new neighbor. Most of the time, we are shy about going over and meeting our new neighbors, and some of them we never get to know. Well, below we have a few suggestions as to how to get started in being a more friendly neighbor.

If we learn who our neighbors are and they know who we are, we will all be more apt to keep our living situations a bit more relaxed and when we see one of them (or they see us) in need of a bit of clean-up, we’ll be more at ease in saying something to one another...

• Introduce yourself to your neighbors— Neighbors that know each other can watch out for each other and keep the neighborhood safe. Smile and say “hi” once in a while.
• Keep your turf clean— Garbage neatly covered, no vehicles on lawn or blocking sidewalk, no broken furniture on porches, no bottles or cups on lawns, no cigarette butts, etc.
• Keep it low profile— Minimize gatherings on front porches and yards after 10:00 pm. No open alcoholic containers off private property. Limit the number of people at gatherings and ask for police help if a party is crashed or is getting out of control [(615) 862-8600 for non-emergencies, 911 for emergencies).
• Loud sounds and noise should not be heard beyond the property line.— The city noise ordinance applies 24 hours a day. People outdoors or arriving or leaving should stay quiet during late hours.