(upbeat music) - [Announcer] You're watching highlights of the Chattanooga City Council meeting, a production of WTCI PBS.

(gavel bangs) - Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our Tuesday, April the 12th council agenda session.

I now call this meeting to order.

All right, this afternoon, under special presentations, we were informed earlier today that due to some error in the state's data, we had to reapportion some of the boundaries of our map.

So, I'm gonna at this time, just turn it over to Councilwoman Berz who is the Chairperson for the Redistricting Committee and ask her to go with the presentation.

Councilwoman Berz, you wanna hit your light?

There we go.

- Thank you, thank you, sir.

We found out, and it will be explained in full as it was earlier today.

So, this is the second public meeting we're having on this, that we had some incorrect information from the state relative to the census numbers, relative to redistricting.

The council has already heard this.

So, it's already on the record once, but we've asked the Chief of Staff to come forward and explain, and/or his staff explain, what happened with the state data, thank you.

- Yes, Councilwoman, so, as I said earlier this afternoon, during the process of gathering some data in response to some council inquiries, we were essentially creating a new data set to determine what the answer to the question was, and we found some inconsistencies in that data that was provided to us by the State of Tennessee.

And out of an abundance of caution, our team with the Department of Innovation, Delivery, and Performance, went above and beyond, and really checked to make sure that data was right.

And they found some inconsistencies, and we realized quickly that some changes were gonna need to be made because although it's very likely that other cities were affected by this data being incorrect, and we did say at the beginning, there might be some minor modifications, that is indeed what we have found.

And I've asked Andrew on our IDP team to give a brief presentation as to exactly what we found, but I wanted to underscore that we really wanted to make sure that we went above and beyond in the interest of transparency to making sure you all saw this and that we made adjustments to reflect what the Redistricting Committee asked the administration to do.

So, I'll ask Andrew to come forward and provide that brief presentation.

- Awesome.

- Thank you.

- Again, my name is Andrew Svigni.

So in brief, I'm gonna go over kind of some of the inconsistencies and why, and then the tweaks we had to make, what that meant for the population values in each district.

And then also visually what that looks like on the maps.

So, the inconsistencies, as Joe has stated, and we presented earlier today, the state provided a tool that had some incorrect data.

The data, actually, when we looked at the total population, it did match our 2020 census results.

But the Black alone population, for some reason, was inconsistent, and overstated by 1,747 people.

That's comparing the state data to the federal census data.

When we wanted to examine these inconsistencies further, it actually turns out that the tool is no longer live and that we can't actually compare it to dive into the problem.

We've notified the state and they have said they're working on getting it back up, but we had to find another tool to make modifications to the lines because we found that when we applied correct data to the current proposed districts, that district data was no longer a majority minority district and was just under the threshold due to these it inconsistencies.

So the overall changes, what you'll see is there's no changes to the proposed districts, one through six.

So, those all stay the same.

In district seven, eight, nine, there are some minor changes.

The Northeast corner of east 38 and central move from district seven to district eight, for Chatham, which is between Dods and west side drive moves from district nine to district eight and three blocks near the intersection of Dodson Wilder move from district nine and district eight.

And this is just to get just above the threshold for majority minority in district eight, which you will see.

So, when you look at this is the correct data, and I've also on the very bottom compared the summations of each of the individual districts to the federal census data to ensure that it is correct.

We've looked at this across all populations, not just black alone and white population and total population, but the black alone population shows that under our interpretation of majority minority district, that districts five, eight and nine are majority minority districts.

And they meet the kind of fairly risk averse requirements that we've set forth during this whole redistricting process.

And then here's the deltas, so the population changes.

This is between the current, so, this is if we actually took the current council districts as they are, not the proposed and then incorporated the 2020 federal census data, redistricting data, and then compared it to the proposed.

This is with the tweaks that we're are about to show you, what we showed you this afternoon, and we're showing here again.

The biggest changes think you see are in the white population percent change.

You see in districts five, eight, and nine, actually have significant increases.

The black alone population is a significant decrease in district three and increase in district eight in order to meet that minimum threshold.

So visually, what does it look like?

Like I was saying this area, this corner of east 38th and central, there's a small group of houses over here that are now moved into eight over here on the right side of the map.

We have made some trades with district seven and eight in order to decrease actually the white population, some in district eight.

So that would lower the denominator for calculating what percent of district eight is black alone.

Then you can see right here is where for Chatham is moved into district eight from district nine.

And then right here is at Wilder and Dods where there's the three blocks that are moved into district eight from district nine.

And those are the only changes, questions.

- All right, Council Ledford.

- [Ledford] Chairman, thank you.

I had asked this question at 3:30 and Andrew, you know it's coming again and I think it's worth repeating.

It's a good question.

It's about the insurance of data integrity versus what we received and what we have now.

Can you walk us through that and assure the public that we have the correct information?

- Yes, so that is something we were very concerned about.

Well, using even a different tool, the different tool technically had a set of census blocks, which are the smallest unit of measurement.

And that's how all redistricting is done using the census blocks.

There's approximately 4,100 census blocks in the city.

So we took the data from the new tool we're using and then matched those census blocks up to the federal redistricting file of census data and looked at each individual block.

I didn't comb through each row was through a program and mathematically, algorithmically done, but saw that there were no differences between the individual populations on each of those 4,100 blocks by total, by any race ethnicity, just to make sure that we checked all those boxes.

So it is, we are very, very sure this is the correct data.

- [Ledford] Very good.

Chairman, thank you for allowing me to repeat that question from 3:30.

- Thank you, sir.

And we did see this same data at 3:30, and it was decided at that time in order to give districts seven, eight, and nine a little bit more time to talk with their constituents, that we would move the first vote until April the 26th.

And I've instructed the attorney to place it on the two-week agenda next week for a first vote on April the 26th.

Are any other questions or comments about our reapportionment?

All right, we're good.

Thank you, Andrew.

- [Andrew] Thank you.

- All right, now we come to the time of our council every April, the second week in April, we elect officers.

And so we come to the time in our agenda that we are going to elect new officers.

And I do want to take just a moment or an opportunity to thank this council for the privilege and the opportunity to provide the leadership over this past year and the confidence that you've placed to me.

And that does mean a lot.

So at this time, I will open the floor for chair of the council.

This is for the chair of the council.

Mr. Vice Chair Smith.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair, before we move any further, let me just show and express my appreciation for all your leadership over the last two years.

It's been great sitting in the seat next to you during that time was an unprecedented time that we went through up here in the last couple of years, lots of changes, lots of things.

We could have been never anticipated or expected.

And you managed to lead this council through every single one of those amazingly well, so thank you so much for all the time you gave - Thank you.

for this council.

(audience applauds) And I know this is your second best day as chair.

So I would like to nominate Councilman Ledford for chair, sir.

- [Speaker] Second.

- All right, we have a motion on the floor for Councilman Ledford as chair with a proper second.

Councilwoman Dotley you've removed your light.

Okay, all right.

All right.

Any other motions for chair.

Mr. Vice chair?

- Well seeing no other lights, Mr.

Chair, I'd like to move to close nominations and by acclimation.

- All right, we have a motion to close the floor and move by acclimation with a proper second here in no opposition.

All in favor, aye.

- [All] Aye.

- Any opposed no?

So moved.

Mr.

Chair, would you like to come take your seat, sir?

(audience applauds) Sorry, you now have it all.

- Thank you, sir.

You can't wait to get outta here.

- All right.

Now what?

Thank you all for this incredible honor this evening to represent you as the chair of this city council, which I have been a proud member now for over five years, and appreciate the hard work by each and every one of you.

You know how I feel about your districts and helping you achieve your goals.

And I pledge to do the very same in this role to make sure that you are not only supported, but that we make sure that every resource is put to helping you succeed.

I'm over overwhelmed by the support and trust that my colleagues have placed in me to serve as chair.

And I look forward to working alongside my colleagues on city council and continuing to foster and the building blocks of progress in our community, through communication and relationships.

That's very important to me in this job.

So as we move forward, I would like to say if I could a special recognition, they don't come very often because they're usually tied up at school.

My son Zachary's in the audience.

Zach, are you gonna stand up?

My wife, Kelly, my beautiful wife, Kelly, you can stand up.

It's okay.

And last but not least tonight here, my rock who helps me run my company and one of the best people that you'll ever meet in the world, and that's my sister-in-law, Lauren Ziegler.

So thank you for being here.

(audience applauds) Online watching is my mama and I'm very happy that she's watching me.

Mom, I love you.

And her husband, Dr. Fred.

Fred, thank you for your love and your support and my in-law's the best in-laws a guy could ever ask in the entire world, Betty and Fran Ziegler.

So thank you so much for this incredible honor.

So enough time to get down to business.

We've got a lot to do in the coming year, so let's get to it.

I think we are at the time to open up nominations for vice chair position, I will now open the nominations for vice chair.

Do I hear any nominations.

I do see a light, Dr. Berz.

I have a whole bunch of lights, hang on.

That came in at the same time.

Hang on one second, Dr. Berz.

I think Councilwoman Knowle, I think, have you chimed in first on the queue?

So I'm gonna recognize you, please.

- Thank you Mr.

Chair.

I nominate Councilwoman Dotley.

She has been a wealth of support and information for me.

Everyone loves her.

She works well with everyone and definitely cannot do without that infectious smile that she has.

So I make a motion that Councilwoman Dotley.

- [Ledford] Do you have a nomination for vice chair in Councilwoman Dotley, do I have a second?

- Second.

- Second.

- I hear multiple seconds.

Do I hear another nomination for vice chair?

I will entertain a motion to close nominations.

- You can close nomination, - Go ahead.

and we will move by acclimation.

- The nominations are closed and we will move by acclimation.

All those in favor, say aye.

- Aye.

- Aye.

- Congratulations Councilwoman or Vice Chairwoman Dotley.

(audience applauds) Okay, Mr. Attorney, I think we are ready to move on to the regular order of business.

- Yes, sir.

- Thank you very many.

- You're welcome.

- The minutes next.

- All right, can I get approval for the minutes please?

- [Participant] Second.

- Minutes are moved and accepted by acclimation.

Okay now we are ready to move into ordinances on first reading items under planning.

I think what everyone's here for tonight.

So let's dive right into it.

Items under first reading for planning 6A, Madam Clerk.

- An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code part two chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to amend condition number one and leave condition number two of ordinance number 13607 previous case number 20-20-0098A from property located at 6340 Middle Valley Road and two unaddressed properties located in the 6,300 block of Middle Valley Road, subject, sir conditions.

- Thank you, Madam clerk.

Is the applicant in the house?

I see the applicant.

Do we have opposition this evening to this case?

Vice chairman, I see an applicant with no opposition, what is your wish, sir?

- [Panelist] I'm no longer vice chair.

- Oh, you're no longer vice chair.

- [Panelist] No, I am not, thank you.

- That's been two years.

- [Panelist] I know.

- You'll have to give me at least a pass on that one.

- It's hard to get used to.

I've also never had this view of the council chambers before either.

So it is a little different for me as well.

I did receive opposition to this case.

I believe that the number of meetings that we have held Mr.

Chair, we have been able to address the majority of those concerns.

I do have one follow up to this item, but I would like to speak to the applicant first, if you wouldn't mind coming to the lectern, please.

- [Ledford] Sure, if the applicant would please come to the podium, if you'll state your name.

- [Barry] Barry Evans.

- [Ledford] Thank you, sir.

- Mr. Evans, there were some conditions placed on this case at planning you're aware of those three conditions and you were amenable to those, correct?

- [Barry] Yes.

- And I have seen a preliminary, I'll just call it a site plan.

I know it's not heavily detailed, but it does at least show where the plan is for the three single family detached homes there at the end of the cul-de-sac.

- [Barry] Yes.

- I would like to move a approval Mr.

Chair, but then I will also be making an amendment as an additional condition that would like added to just attach that site diagram.

And again, it's not the detail of it.

It's just to make sure that we, and that the community that saw that plan knows that that is going to be the correct alignment of the town homes and those three single family disconnected homes.

That makes sense, Mr?

- [Barry] Absolutely.

- Okay, great.

So Mr.

Chair, with that, I would like to get it on the floor and move approval.

- [Panelist] Second.

- On the floor, there is a second.

- All right, I'd like to move to amend by adding a condition to attach the current site map that has been presented at planning to this case.

- It's gonna take a while.

We do have an amendment that has been properly second.

Discussion, seeing no discussion, we are voting on the amendment to the item case 0219, all those in favor of the amendment say, aye?

- [All] Aye.

- Those opposed?

Item carries.

- [Participant 2] All right, Mr.

Chair, I'd like to move as amended, please.

- We have a motion to move as amended.

- [Participant 3] Second.

- With a second, all those in favor, say any discussion?

All those in favor, say aye.

- [All] Aye.

- Opposed.

Motion carries.

Thank you.

- Thank you, sir.

- Thank you, Councilman.

Madam clerk, 6B.

- An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code part two chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone properties located at 5246, 5250, 5258, and an unaddressed property in the 5,200 block of Old Hickson Pike from R2 residential zone to R3 residential zone, subject to certain conditions.

- July.

Is the applicant present?

Okay, is there opposition to this case present?

I do see opposition, Councilman Smith.

Do you wish for a full presentation?

- [Smith] Yes, sir I do.

- All right, Dan, you wanna come and give us a full presentation on case 0047?

- Mr. Chairman, my name's Dan Rodder, and it is an honor to be here tonight.

I'm sorry your normal presenter, Karen Renick is on vacation, but I think we got the presentation loaded.

If we can page to the right one, Somebody's gonna have to help me page down there.

Go backward.

So this is case number 20-22-0047.

And as you heard previously, it's 5246, 5250, 5258 and 5,200 block of Old Hickson Pike.

It's a request to rezone from R2 residential to R3 residential zone proposed uses for town homes and apartment flats.

There was opposition at the planning commission meeting, staff recommended approval subject to the following conditions, limited to residential density of 12 units per acre and no individual driveways on Old Hickson Pike.

The planning commission voted to approve with no additional driveways on Old Hickson Pike.

And here's an aerial photograph of that site.

That's currently, I believe vacant.

Here's a zoning map and you can see the areas, a mix of residential and commercial uses.

Again, the property is approximately 3.5 acres.

And the proposed number of units is 74 or a density of 21 units per acre.

And again, staff request.

Our review is that the request is compatible with the adjacent uses and development form.

It is the proposed density exceeds the medium density recommended in the Hickson North River plan, the Hickson North River area plan states that multifamily can be introduced into the area as long as the density is compatible, and therefore staff recommended conditioning and limiting the density.

Staff also recommended a condition prohibiting driveways in Old Hickson Pike as suggested by the Transportation Department.

So again, the recommendation was approval subject to those conditions and there was opposition.

The planning commission determination was that the request is compatible with adjacent land uses and is compatible with the adopted 2005 Hickson North River plan.

And the precedent for higher density has been set by previous rezoning approvals across Old Hickson Pike.

And so the recommendation was for approval subject to the following condition, no additional driveways on Old Hickson Pike.

And this is a site plan for the zoning.

- [Ledford] Thank you, Dan.

Councilman Smith.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Dan, just to be clear, I wanna make sure that I understood the way that you said it, the approval, if you could back up the approval was for 12 dwelling units per acre, but then when you said planning commission approved, was it also with that stipulation or?

- No was not.

It was just for approved density.

- [Smith] Can you clear that up as to what planning commission approved as far as units per acre?

- Yeah, there's no limit on that.

It would be just what is proposed by the applicant, which was... - [Smith] Based on the applicant's proposal, we're at 21.

Is that right?

- That's correct.

Well, 21 units per acre, 74 total units.

- [Smith] Do you happen to remember why commission did not go with the 12 and was okay with the 21?

- There is a previous application was approved and I guess the development has already been billed across Old Hickson Pike.

- [Smith] Okay so the precedence based on the development across the road.

- That's correct.

- Okay, thank you, sir.

- So with that, Mr.

Chair, I do move approval of this plan.

- Thank you, Councilman Smith.

Can you confirm that is the motion is the planning commission version?

- [Smith] Yes, sir.

- We have motion for the planning commission version on case number 0047.

It has been seconded.

All in favor, say aye.

- Aye.

- Aye.

- Those questions discussion.

Those opposed?

Motion carries.

Thank you, Councilman Smith.

- Thank you, Council.

- Thank you.

- Madam clerk, item C please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code part two chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as the reason on property located at 6814 Hickson Pike from R1 residential zone to R3 residential zone.

- Is the applicant...

I see the applicant.

Do we have any position to this case?

Councilman Smith, I'm seen an applicant with no opposition.

What is your desire, sir?

- [Smith] The community meeting that you held I did.

I'm aware of the meaning obviously.

And then I have reached back out to a number of the residents and one of the main, I guess the main gentleman that helped set that up for that meeting never heard back.

So based on that, I see no reason not to move it forward.

You apparently did a very good job at that meeting because despite the number of people I reached back out to, I did not receive any further opposition on the development.

So without Mr.

Chair, I would like to move approval.

- Thank you.

- We do have a motion for approval on this item.

- Second.

- We do have a second.

Questions, comments.

Seeing none, all those in favor, say aye.

- Aye.

- Aye.

- Those opposed?

Motion carries.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] You've been watching highlights of the Chattanooga City Council Meeting, a production of WTCI PBS.

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