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

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Under Special Presentations this afternoon, Councilman Coonrod would like to recognize someone that will be leaving us here just in a couple of days.

- Thank you, Chair.

Is Richel on here?

- I'm not seeing her name, ma'am.

- Ah, man.

Well, I just wanted to acknowledge her.

Friday will be her last day with the City Government and I just wanted to acknowledge her and the great things that she's done working here.

- Well, thank you very much.

Councilman Byrd?

- Thank you, Chair.

Man, Coonrod, you broke my heart.

Richel, we love you.

You're an amazing person.

You helped me out tremendously, always been there.

And I just want to thank you for just being a breath of fresh air and such a positive young lady.

Also, I'm gonna miss you have a great journey.

Sis, I know you're gonna do great things.

- Alright.

Thank you, sir.

- You're welcome.

- Alright, now we go to our minutes.

Could I have a motion on the minutes please?

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- Alright.

We have a motion on the floor to approve our minutes with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- She's booting up.

Carol?

- What?

- Say yes.

(members laughing) - We're approving the minutes.

- I'm sorry.

I didn't hear what.

- We're approving the minutes, Councilwoman.

- Oh yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- The ayes have it.

Now we move into your order of business.

Under Ordinances - Final Reading, we have two items.

Madam Clerk, let's take them together if I hear no objection from the Council.

Item 5A and B.

- Item A.

An ordinance closing and abandoning a sanitary sewer easement located in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue, as detailed on the attached map.

Item B.

An ordinance closing and abandoning a storm drain easement located in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue, as detailed on the attached map.

- Councilwoman Coonrod.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- Okay.

We have a motion on the floor to approve items 5A and B with a proper second.

Any questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call Madam Clerk.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- So moved.

Now we move into Ordinances - First Reading under Public Works and Transportation.

Madam Clerk, I'd like to take 6A and B if there are no objection from the Council.

Councilman Mitchell, was that a hand to make a motion or?

- I'll be making a motion here, just doing it.

- Alright sir.

Item A and B, ma'am.

- Item A.

An ordinance closing and abandoning a sanitary sewer easement located in the 400 block of Druid Lane (405, 407, 411, 415, 419, and 423), as detailed on the attached map.

Item B.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 24, Article XIV, Section 24-502, relating to speed on through streets.

- Councilman Mitchell.

- Move approval.

- Second.

- Okay.

We have a motion on the floor to approve items 6A and B with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- Motion carries 9-0.

Now we move into Resolutions under Economic and Community Development.

Madam Clerk, would you please read 7A, B, C, D, and E if there are no objections from the Council.

- Item A.

A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Premises Use Agreement with Lookout Valley Recreational Association, in substantially the form attached, for the use of the athletic fields and buildings located at 370 Warren Place, Tax Map No.

144J-B-008, for a term of four (4) years at the annual fee of $1.00.

Item B.

A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic and Community Development to award up to $64,000.00 in HOME Program funding to Tower Construction, to assist in the rehabilitation of an affordable two-family rental located at 1308 Buckley Street.

Item C. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic and Community Development to enter into an agreement with the Chattanooga Area Regional Council of Governments (CARCOG) for the management of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) for a two-year term beginning on May 1, 2021.

Item D. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic and Community Development to extend the current agreement with BrightBridge, Inc., for the management of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) for thirty (30) days beginning on April 1, 2021, and ending on April 30, 2021.

And item E. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic and Community Development to enter into an agreement with The Lodge of Chattanooga, L.L.C.

(Budgetel) for non-congregate COVID-19 related housing and security services for up to 100 households currently experiencing homelessness, for a ninety (90) day period beginning March 13, 2021, and ending June 12, 2021, with an option to extend the agreement, if funds are not expended, for an additional ninety (90) day period, for a FEMA reimbursable amount not to exceed $400,000.00.

- Councilman Oglesby followed by Councilwoman Coonrod.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I move for approval.

- Before I second, Byrd, about the hotel, that's an example of going outside the process today, so I second.

- Alright.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call Madam Clerk.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- Motion to approve items 7A, B, C, D, and E carries.

Now Madam Clerk, let's move down to 7F and G. - Item F. A resolution confirming Mayor's re-appointment of Eddie Holmes to the Chattanooga Housing Authority.

Item G. A resolution confirming Mayor's re-appointments of Katie Reinsmidt and Aon Miller to the General Pension Board.

- Alright.

Councilwoman Berz.

- Move approval.

- Second.

- Okay.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call Madam Clerk.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- So moved.

Now Madam Clerk, if you would, let's read 7H, I, J, and K if there were no objection from the Council.

Okay?

- Item H. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve Change Order No.

1 (Final) for Dusty Greer Roofing, Inc. of Monroe, Georgia, relative to Contract No.

Y-19-021-201, Replacement Roofing System for Tyner YFD Center, for an increased amount of $4,400.00, to release the remaining contingency amount of $12,100.00, for a revised contract amount of $170,650.00.

Item I.

A resolution authorizing an On-Call Blanket Contract for professional surveying services for year four (4) of a four (4) year term, Contract No.

17-002-901 with the following firms: (1) Arcadis US, Inc.; (2) ASA Engineering and Consultants, Inc.; (3) Civic Engineering and Information Technologies, Inc.; (4) Earthworx, LLC; (5) The RLS Group, Inc.; (6) S&ME, Inc.; and (7) Vaughn and Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc. based on the services categories of the professional surveying services that each consultant qualified for, the renewal of the seven (7), one (1) year blanket contracts for professional services estimated at $400,000.00 total annually for all seven (7) professional firms for use by all departments.

Item J.

A resolution authorizing payment to TVA for administrative costs relative to the pending acquisition of Tax Parcel No.

128B-C-006 for a new Law Enforcement Training Center to replace the current facility slated for eventual transfer to the U.S. Park Service to become part of the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District, for an amount not to exceed $100,000.00.

Item K. A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into an Agreement for Utility Construction and Relocation as part of a 3rd and 4th Street Project with the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, in substantially the form attached, with the City's contribution of fifty (50%) percent of the total cost not to exceed $1 million.

- Councilman Gilbert.

- Chair, before I say yay for this, can Mr. Payne come out and explain one more time to individuals or constituents that was not at our 3:30 meeting, so they know what we voted on.

- I think we did discuss that at 3:30.

Mr. Vice-Chair, would you bring in Bill Payne, please?

- Good evening Council.

- Mr. Payne, give us a little explanation of item J.

- Yes, sir.

Item J is a resolution to authorize payment for some outstanding invoices to TVA for administrative cost and due diligence costs related to environmental services that TVA is performing as part of the city's look into the possibility of acquiring this property.

That is all it is for, just for those administrative and due diligence costs.

- Chair, I move to approve.

- Alright, Councilwoman Berz?

- Second.

- Alright.

Before we take a roll call vote, we do have a motion on the floor.

Mr. Vice-Chair, would you excuse our guest please?

- Well, he's not going anywhere.

There he goes.

(members chuckling) - He's being stubborn.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve items 7H, I, J, and K with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- The ayes have it.

- We now move into Purchases.

Council, if you would pull up your purchases for this afternoon, as we bring Mr. Sammons in.

- Is he being stubborn too?

- Either my net is down or what's going on?

Hang on.

Let me try it again.

I think that worked.

Here we go.

- Yeah, there he comes.

And good evening, Mr. Sammons.

- Good evening, Mr.

Chair and members of Council.

We have a few purchases for your approval this evening, starting with our City Wide Services Division of Public Works.

We have the purchase of trees being awarded to Hidden Valley Nursery, LLC, Select Trees Enterprises, and River Rock Nursery for an estimated annual cost of $100,000.00.

Next from our Waste Resource Division of Public Works, we have the purchase of a motor control center being awarded to Gexpro for an estimated annual cost of $66,018.36.

Also from the Waste Resource Division, we have an increase request for overhead door annual maintenance and repair services being paid to Certified Door & Dock Services, LLC, the increase of $15,000 for a total annual estimated spend of $76,000.

This increase was to cover services needed prior to the expiration of this contract.

And last, we have from Public Works, propane service at the Landfill being awarded to Suburban Propane for estimated annual cost of $50,000.

And that concludes the purchases for this evening.

- Thank you, sir.

What's the pleasure of the Council?

- Move approval.

- Second.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve tonight's purchases with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- So moved.

- Well, I think Mr. Sammons has already been excused, hasn't he?

Alright.

Moving now to committee reports.

I will take them as I see them on the screen.

Councilman Ledford?

- No report, sir.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We had a number of discussions this afternoon about pending legislation and I believe I wanted to confirm, did we decide that we would meet next week and discuss legislation or was that also put off?

It was another piece that we were not going to discuss?

- Well, I had requested my resolution be put in Legislative Committee for next week.

- Well, sir, then we're gonna hear your resolution in Legislative Committee next week.

- Thank you, sir.

Councilwoman Coonrod.

- Youth and Family Development, we're gonna have a committee meeting on next Tuesday.

- Alright.

Very well.

Councilman Byrd.

- No report.

- Councilman Oglesby.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Next week, we will have an Economic and Community Development Committee meeting where we will review policies surrounding the waiver of fees for Outdoor Spaces owned by the city.

- Thank you, sir.

Councilman Mitchell.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We had a Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting today and we will again in two weeks.

Thank you.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- No report.

- Councilwoman Berz.

- No report.

- Very well.

Thank you.

Moving now to Other Business.

We do have a couple of appointments and one nomination this afternoon for the Health, Education, and Housing Board.

- Yes.

Once again, thank you, Mr.

Chair, Council.

Today, and this is actually, this is actually a District 7, 8, and 9 appointment, I would like to, I'm sorry, nomination.

I would like to nominate Alexa LeBouef to the Health, Educational, and Housing Facility Board.

I've known Alexa for quite some time and she has the passion, the enthusiasm, and the experience to really bring value to this Board.

So with that being said, I moved for approval of Alexa LeBouef to this particular Board.

- Second.

- Okay.

We have a motion on the floor for this nomination with a proper second.

Madam Clerk, before we vote, I want to make clear it has District 6, but this will be a District 7 representative.

Is that correct Councilman Oglesby?

- That is correct.

- Okay.

Madam Clerk, if you'd make that note.

Alright.

Motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Councilman Byrd?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilman Gilbert?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Mitchell?

- Yes.

- Councilman Oglesby?

- Yes.

- Vice-Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- Nine yeses.

- Sir, the ayes have it.

- Thank you Council.

- You still have the floor.

- Thank you.

This is an appointment.

And I would like to appoint Ms. Veatrice Conley to the Community Development Advisory Board representing District 7.

- Very well.

Thank you, sir.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Alright.

Mr. Attorney, I think you're up next.

- Yes, sir.

Just wanting to announce that Mr. Kelly and I in the City Attorney's Office have recommended the settlement of a case involving an injury at Coolidge Park here of a minor, for the minor and his mother.

It will be presented to the court and the total amount of that settlement will be in the amount of $60,000.00.

That's above my limit.

I wanted to make sure I produced that to the court and to this body and at least let you know we will have to get the approval of the court as well whenever we do that.

- Okay.

At this time, we don't need to take any action.

Is that correct?

- Not unless you disagree at this point based upon our previous presentation.

- Okay.

I'm not hearing any objections, so thank you sir.

- Yes, sir.

- We now move to recognitions of persons wishing to address the Council at this time.

Mr. Vice-Chair, do we have any people registered to speak this afternoon?

- We do have a few, sir.

- Alright.

Very well.

Mr. Attorney, if you would read the rules.

I would ask those that are in attendance that would like to speak at this time, would you please click on the Raise Hand button on your computer and let us know that you'd like to speak?

Mr. Attorney, if you'd read the rules.

- Yes, sir.

Let me get my rules back up here.

For some reason, I lost them just a second ago.

Let's see.

At this point in time, we are at the end of the Council Agenda and the Chair will recognize any individuals that wish to speak at this point in time.

In accordance with the Council's rules, each speaker wishing to address the Council can be recognized but after they provide their name and council district.

Before addressing to the Council, no person can have more than three minutes to speak, and each speaker may address the Council only upon matters within their legislative and quasi-judicial authority and not upon matters which are under the authority of other governmental bodies or agencies.

And the speaker cannot be permitted to use any vulgar or obscene language nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others.

Address your comments to the Council as a whole and not make comments directed towards any individual Council members.

Having read those rules to you, please go ahead.

- Alright.

Mr. Vice-Chair, would you bring in Ms. Helen Burns Sharp?

I see your hand.

If you would give us your district number then you may proceed.

- I will.

So my name is Helen Burns Sharp.

Hello Council.

Happy spring to you.

I live at 129 Walnut Street in District 7.

Thank you for the opportunity to address you today.

My topic is the Steep Slope Ordinance that's on your next week's agenda.

As currently written, it would only apply to slopes of 33% or greater.

Here's a quick story.

For 18 years, I was planning director for a mid-sized city in Oregon.

The original city was on the Southside of the Willamette River and relatively flat.

During my tenure, there was a large voter-approved annexation on the Northside of the River.

That area was anything but flat.

So we knew we needed Hillside Development Standards to regulate the development of potentially hazardous terrain to minimize public and private losses due to earth movement hazards, and to minimize erosion and related environmental damage.

Planning staff check with other cities in Willamette Valley to determine best practices.

The first step was to determine the slope threshold where the regulations would apply.

Every city we surveyed had set its minimum threshold at no higher than 16%.

Remember, your draft ordinance currently sets it at 33%, which is more than twice as steep.

One Oregon Zoning Ordinance has a little graphic that I think is interesting where they sort of defined based on slope.

They have some definitions and they say 16 to 20% is a hillside, 21% to 25% is a steep hillside, 26% to 30% is a very steep hillside, and 31% and up is a mountain side.

The way your ordinance is currently drafted it will not apply in places like North Chattanooga which used to be known as Hill City.

It would only apply to mountain sides.

What's the point of having a regulation if it doesn't address the problems we are experiencing?

Please lower the slope threshold in your ordinance to between 16 and 20%.

The home builders say that regulations may raise the cost of development in certain areas and discouraged development, but most other cities our size have good hillside regulations and are experiencing development.

Please consider the cost of not having responsible regulations.

That cost is born by joining property owners, future homeowners, neighbors, and future generations.

We're fortunate to live in such a beautiful area.

Our topography contributes to that, let's not screw it up.

The Home Builders Association has paid staff, lobbyists, and political action committees.

We the public are totally dependent on you the Council to represent our interests, which is the public interest.

We're counting on you to do the right thing.

Thank you.

- Alright.

Thank you, ma'am.

Okay.

Is there anyone else in attendance tonight that would like to speak?

Would you please raise your hand at this time if you have registered?

Mr. Vice-Chair, ah, there we go.

Council, I am seeing no other hands raised at this time.

What's the pleasure of the Council?

- I move we adjourn.

- So moved.

We are adjourned.

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