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

- For our special presentation this afternoon, we will have a public input session on redistricting.

So at this time, I'm gonna turn the chair over to the Committee Chair Councilwoman Berz for the public input session.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

This will be the third public meeting we've had and this one is strictly for public input.

My colleagues have met in their districts, they have gotten all sorts of input and now we're going to have this meeting and I look forward to all the input.

We're on record several times as saying, I as chair the committee, saying follow the law, the instructions were follow the law, apply the numbers from the census, which is what the law requires, and make as little disruption to districts as possible.

And I think what we've gone over and over again is the law and apparently, a number of you didn't realize it was on the website.

Everything we've done has been on the website, which I guess is the fourth public hearing.

So we did it on total census first and we're wonderfully surprised to find out that the the racial breakdown and balance continued.

I don't think we have any more slides.

These have been online all, you do have one more?

Go.

What are they?

Okay.

So here you go.

That's pretty even, 1920, it's about 20,000 something of people.

Here are your deviations.

Here's everything that you've been asking about.

This was all done computer wise, given programs that we got from the state of Tennessee and from the federal government.

And all of this is online and it's been online.

And we really welcome your input.

At this point, it's purely an input session so if you would, get up, introduce yourself, your district and what you have to say.

We're recording and we're also making notes.

Should you have any questions, we'll get that information back to you.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Hi, Dr. Holmes.

- Hello.

My name is Dr. Abelina Holmes.

I'm from District 9.

As the founder and advisor of the Hamilton County Voters Coalition, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to talk about with the procedure that you used in redrawing the district's map for Chattanooga.

On August the 26th, one of our administrators contacted one of the council members to find out what the process would be.

And they were told that they had just got through talking about redistricting.

And they also shared their previous experience in 2011 about redistricting process as muddy and with much gerrymandering.

Then on September 23rd, the same administrator contacted council, the same person again, and indicated and asked what was the process.

At that time, the person was told that they had a chair and there was no rush.

They had until 2025 to put this plan in place, at least to 2024.

Then we didn't learn anything else about the process until March 1st.

So six months had passed, and we are just learning about it and we learned about it on chattanooga.com.

I have three questions.

How did the redistricting and mapping process occur?

Because between September the 21st in 2021 and March the 1st of 2022, five months without the public's knowledge and input, how did the City Council come up with these maps if they never met?

This appears to be a lack of transparency on the part of the City Council in conducting the redistricting process and this practice also creates a lack of public trust.

And as the council member said about the 2011 redistricting process, it appeared to be muddy.

(alarm beeping) - [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you, Dr. Holmes.

- My name is Theresa Turner and I've made it my priority to be here tonight.

- [Councilwoman Berz] What district do you live in Ms. Turner?

- I live in East Ridge, Tennessee.

- [Councilwoman Berz] In East Ridge.

Thank you.

- I made it my priority to be here this evening as a concerned citizen of Hamilton County who votes, representing the Hamilton County Voters Coalition as is co-chair.

Over the past seven months, I have witnessed a very public and engaging discussion on redistricting with members of the Hamilton County Commission Redistricting Committee as a whole, including the whole process the committee would use for developing maps and input on recommendations for changes to such maps by individual commissioners and by community members.

While the process was by no means perfect, there was perfect transparency and the commissioners appeared to be listening to the interest of citizens.

I have a couple of questions.

One being whose agenda and purpose has it served for the City Council redistricting discussion report or plans, including the development of maps for such limited engagement by so few council members and totally absent of a public engagement until tonight?

It's obvious to anyone who has an interest in being informed about how the 2020 census data as reflected in the April 2021 census report shows up in the citizen's redistricting plan.

My second question is it's not a question, it's a recommendation.

Tonight we're asking the following, as you have plenty time before 2025.

Let's restart the redistricting process in the city.

Let's include all the city counselors on the committee as a committee of the whole and let's allow public input at the end of each meeting.

Thank you.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you, ma'am.

- Good evening, Council.

My name is Helen Burn Sharp.

I live in District 7.

I am here to ask the council to start the redistricting process over.

Include all counselors on the committee and allow public input at the end of each committee meeting.

I make this request for two reasons.

Number one, I believe your redistricting process to date violated the state Open Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law.

A three person council committee held private meetings with mayoral staff to develop draft maps to submit to the full council.

The Open Meetings Act applies to all governing bodies with the authority to make decisions for or recommendations to a public body on policy.

It requires public notice of the meeting's minutes to be taken to the meetings and that the meetings be public.

Number two, I believe the public confidence in government has suffered because you did not allow public input as you were developing maps that will affect voting boundaries for the next 10 years.

While we appreciate this public hearing, it feels like it's being done as a way for you to check off the public input box before you vote on the maps, perhaps as soon as next week.

Without our having had the opportunity to sit in on the meetings as these maps were created, we can't comment intelligently on the boundary lines.

We did not know the underlying assumptions, we did not know the various alternatives that may have been explored.

You've made a good presentation here.

This may be a good plan, but basically the cake is baked and now you're asking us for our comments.

And when you really want public input is when you might think that the public might actually have an idea or tell you great job.

We're not saying that you haven't done a good job here, but clearly, this reminds me of Jerry Mitchell when he was on the council one time saying he thought that whatever was being considered needed a little more time in the oven.

I believe this needs more time in the oven.

Thank you.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you Ms. Sharp.

- I'm Eric Atkins from District 8.

And first of all, we do thank the council for engaging in the complicated topic that is redistricting.

Many of us were here 10 years ago when we took this on.

And I can tell you, just from my predecessors, like Joe Rowe and Sherman Matthews and Maxine Cousin, we had six public input sessions then where it was public dialogue, where we did do mapping on the board.

And compared to 10 years ago, this process to me is flawed, it's insufficient and inadequate.

And I believe that we should go and use the models that we did 10 years ago.

We can use the models that have undergone many other legislative bodies in this city and county.

Cause you had a good process with the school board and the county commission, where it was public debate and discussion.

And know that might not be state law, but I can tell you from a grassroots level, public input and transparency and openness are hallmarks of democracy that we fight for every year, every legislative session, we think it should be included on every public dials, just to have the public actively engaged.

Because we're looking at things such as maintaining minority-majority districts.

We're looking at gerrymandering.

We're looking at any elements of retrogression, meaning if the dial has been turned back.

Because we know as over 400 voter suppression laws that have been put into legislatures across this country last year and over two dozen passed, and we will stand fast on what we see is the sacred right to vote and fairness and openness in all of our processes, redistricting included.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you Mr. Atkins.

- Hello, my name is Audrey Ramsey.

I live off of Signal Mountain Boulevard on Mountain Creek Road, I think that's District 2.

I know my county district, I don't know my city district, sorry.

But anyway, I'd like to say that thank you so very much for giving us this to express our concerns about this redistricting process and the remapping of the districts within the city of Chattanooga.

And I don't have to remind you that we are living in some very contentious times with regards to poverty, violent crimes, gang violence, a poor educational system in certain districts, a lack of resources in our underserved communities and an overall disrespect for one another.

I've been gone for 30 years and now I've been back, so these are my observations.

For some Chattanooga citizens, life here is to live in fear, lack, hatred and separation.

No doubt the results of past legislation, policies and regulations that have shaped our current society.

Today the battle cry calls for conscious leadership.

A leadership that requires an ability to collaborate across the board, regardless of party lines, state and local seats, a conscious leadership that lives up to the creed of our constitution that all men and women are created equal and a leadership that is willing to put in the hard work.

This collaborative effort must demonstrate a willingness to invest in our children regardless of what zip code they live in and to invest in our seniors, invest in our environments, such as the land, air and water, and create and invest in safety measures within our communities with an objective to reduce crime and provide support to those affected by crime.

When you draw your lines, what will that message be?

Will it be one of one Chattanooga, whereby everyone will live in a society that works for everyone?

- [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you, Ms. Ramsey.

- Marie Mont, District 8.

Are three meetings enough to engage nearly the 181,000 citizens that you claim and properly inform constituents of the redistricting process?

Must elected officials who represent the power of the people be told by the law to do what is right and in the best interest of the people?

Is a process that is fair often that we claim what happened in this meeting?

Is it fair if people are talking and we don't know who?

If people presented information and we don't know who?

And who vetted the information that you received in the very first place?

Is there not a clear agenda to put two junior members of the council on the committee and exclude all members from the proper knowledge necessary to inform and engage as public yearns for trust and true democracy in the form of respect to those who are historically negatively impacted by such processes?

One thing that I also want to see, besides just a restarting of the process, is our senior council and our junior council members doing the collaborative work together to explore things such as ranked choice voting that would protect citizens from these ever changing demographics.

We understand as we know, that gentrification has displaced thousands of Black people in our city, that the population changes is making a Wonder bread white Chattanooga.

That is not a one Chattanooga.

And if we are going to have majority-minority districts with fair representation of women, Black people and other individuals of color, and those who are gay and LGBTQIA, we have to ensure that we protect everyone and look at all of what's going on as we make these decisions.

Thank you.

(alarm beeping) - [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you Ms. Mont.

- Good evening, Donald Sander for District 8.

In 10 years, I'll be 78.

So I want to be able to look back and say that this thought process did take place fairly and transparently.

So, and I also do remind you, I'm one of the people who was in the background during the Brown versus City Commission lawsuit concerning the change in the former government.

That's how all of you all got here.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Thank you, sir.

Is there anyone else?

Then Mr.

Chair, I'll close this input session and turn things back over to you.

- All right, our public input session ended at 6:29 and there were no other participants at this time to address the Council.

All right.

Proceeding with our agenda this afternoon.

Could I have a motion on the minutes please?

All right, we have a motion to approve the minutes with a proper second.

Any questions or comments before we vote?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed, no?

So moved.

Madam Clerk now moving to ordinances on first reading 6A please.

- [Madam Clerk] An ordinance amending Chattanooga's City Code Part 2 Chapter 11, Article 20 adding a new section 11-519 entitled Moratorium on the Acceptance of Short-Term Vacation Rental Applications for Non-Owner Occupied Rental Properties which are not the primary residence of the applicant for a period beginning March 22, 2022, up to and including January 9th, 2023.

- Mr. Vice Chair.

- [Councilman Smith] Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

This ordinance was introduced by you and since you are the chair, you're not able to make a motion so I would like to make a motion to approve followed by an amendment, sir.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve.

Do I have a second?

- Second.

- All right.

Mr.

Chair, we have a motion on the floor to approve and you want to make an amendment?

- Yes, sir.

I also have language submitted by you as well.

So I would like to move to amend stated amend by deleting for a period beginning March 22nd and by adding for a period beginning on the effective date of this ordinance up to and including January 9th, 2023.

- All right, we have a motion on the floor to amend.

Do I have a second?

- Second.

- All right, we have a motion on the floor to amend with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Councilwoman Hill.

- Thank you, chair.

This is a important conversation for us to be having as a City Council, and I appreciate that you've brought it before us.

As I mentioned at agenda meeting, there's some things I wanna say for the record, that I hope will guide our conversation in the future.

Proliferation of short term vacation rentals is causing us to confront some really complex issues that are happening in our community.

And in District 2, we have a shared value for a city that has a strong foundation.

I believe, and economics would prove out, that thriving mixed use neighborhoods are economically resilient.

While neighborhoods that are reliant solely on tourist lodging are economically fragile.

So beyond that, surrendering too much housing stock to become lodging stock will change the fabric of our communities.

And I don't know at this point today, what the healthy ratios are.

We have people at the city who are doing research on that to help us understand best practices.

We're working on ascertaining what this needs to look like in Chattanooga.

But I do know that our housing stock is not sufficient for the residents of Chattanooga.

And what housing is available is increasingly expensive.

When I talked with people in my district, one of the things that we find as a common concern is that 10 years from now, we wanna know the work we do today will help ensure that people who work in Chattanooga will be able to afford to live in Chattanooga.

And that's gonna take some thoughtful policy making on the part of this body.

Consequently, I am in favor of this moratorium, but that said, I do believe in governing with fairness and with compassion.

And I acknowledge fully that there are people right now who are building out non-owner occupied short term vacation rentals with their life savings.

And they deserve some compassion on the part of this body to be able to work through their plans.

And so I appreciate the amendment that Councilman Smith brought.

I would move to table that amendment and offer a different amendment reading amend by deleting for a period beginning March 22nd and by adding for a period beginning one month from the passage of this ordinance up to and including January 9th, 2023.

So for my colleagues the one change there is what I brought up in agenda session, which would be to give people a full month to get their houses in order, quite literally, before we move into this time of intense study of short term vacation rental policy in our city.

Thank you.

- All right.

We have a motion on the floor to table the amendment to bring the effective date of this ordinance.

So we are gonna take a vote first on the motion to table.

If we have a second, that's correct.

Councilman Ledford?

- [Councilman Ledford] Mr. Chairman, we talked about this at our agenda session this afternoon and I do feel some time would be adequate.

So in order for this body to actually put it to a vote, I'm gonna go ahead and second that motion.

- Okay.

All right, we have a motion on the floor to table with a proper second.

Is there any question on the motion that we're about to vote on?

This is a motion to table at this point.

All right.

Madam Clerk, roll call please.

Motion to table.

- Councilwoman Hill?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilman Hester?

- No.

- Councilwoman Berz.

- No.

- Councilwoman Dotley?

- No.

- Councilwoman Noel?

- No.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- No.

- Vice Chairman Smith?

- No.

- Chairman Henderson?

- No.

- That is seven.

- Seven nos.

Okay, seven to two.

The motion to table fails.

Now we will go to the motion to amend to the effective date of this ordinance.

Are there any questions or comments before we vote on the motion to amend to the effective date of this ordinance?

Roll call please.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Noel?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Dotley?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Berz?

- Yes.

- Councilman Hester?

- Yes.

- Councilman Ledford?

- Yes.

- Councilwoman Hill?

- Yes.

- Vice Chairman Smith?

- Yes.

- Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Madam Clerk] It's nine yeses.

- The motion to amend does carry.

- All right, we have a motion on the floor to approve as amended.

Do I have a second?

All right.

We have a proper second.

Are there any questions or comments before we vote on the motion to approve as amended?

Okay, I'm just gonna do an all in favor, aye - [Council members] Aye.

- Any opposed, no?

The motion to approve as amended does carry.

- Hi, my name is Lisa Brown, my husband and I own two permitted short-term vacation rental properties in District 8, where I also serve on the MLK Neighborhood Association Board.

I came today to ask you to table this moratorium until the community has more opportunity to work with you on a solution.

Y'all have seen my face before.

I've been talking to you since 2016 and we worked together to create a great ordinance.

Each time I stand before you, I ask only two considerations in your decision making process.

One, I ask that collectively we use factual information.

And two, I ask that members on each side of this issue are heard.

In regards to factual information, there are only 301 non-owner occupied permits in this city.

Only 137 of those are in residential R1 neighborhoods.

And the zip codes found in the overlay zone, there are well over 40,000 residential properties.

So we are talking about less than 1% when we're talking about non-permitted.

This tells you that the current ordinance is working.

Neighborhoods who do not want non-owner occupied STVRs, can oppose them.

They've come before you seven times and you've rejected them seven times.

The current ordinance we have is working.

Another important fact that I think is critical in this decision making process, there are 405 total STVR permits between non-owner occupied and owner occupied.

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