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

(gavel banging) - We call our Tuesday, March 23rd city council meeting to order.

So we have a public hearing for the Mountain Creek Corridor Study.

Our city attorney will read the rules.

We will have 30 minutes.

We'll allot 30 minutes for this with two minutes each.

So if we can get ready to get that on the clock, that'd be great, and give me just a second.

(gavel banging) Our public hearing starts.

Go ahead, Mr. Attorney.

- All right.

Anybody that wishes to speak in this public hearing involving the Mountain Creek Corridor Study, please come up to the microphone that's provided up front and address the council at this time.

Only talk to them about this particular issue, which is the study for the Mountain Creek Corridor Study today.

So for there anyone that wants to come up and talk about it, please come forward.

- [Raquetta] All right, and we should have two minutes on the clock, all right.

- All right, my name is Brooke Bradley-King, and I reside at the Oxford.

I am a member of the HOA, and I am here this evening standing in for Will Ferrell, who is the president of the HOA at Horse Creek Farms.

He unfortunately has been exposed to COVID and cannot be present.

He has, however, told me everything I need to say.

I would like to thank the RPA and our councilman for all of the support and help they've given us to understand what the study is about and how we can contribute to the future.

We do support having a traffic study done on Mountain Creek because the traffic is really bad, and unfortunately they have attempted to do some things that would point out the number of accidents, which are really important for having a traffic study and being able to implement change.

What we have found is the residents who are involved in automobile accidents choose not to file an accident report to avoid higher insurance premiums.

To date, we've not had anybody that I know of that has been critically injured, but it's coming.

Specifically the road barely handles the volume of the current residence traffic, but becomes very congested between eight o'clock and nine o'clock AM when the Red Bank Elementary School commences and around 15:00 or 17:00, I'm not good with Navy terms, when school ends and people return home from work.

Congestion on Mountain Creek Road is getting ready to get even heavier.

We already know it is a avenue to get from Hixson Pike to Signal Mountain Boulevard.

The problem is gonna happen when the apartments that are on Runyan Drive are completed and the ones that are on Morrison Springs Road are completed.

This road is gonna have a huge amount of traffic running back and forth across it to get to different areas of town.

So we are well aware of what is coming.

(timer beeping) Thank you for the opportunity.

- [Raquetta] Thank you.

- My name is Bob Geier.

I live in 4143 Quarry View, and I am the communicator for the Friends of Mountain Creek.

Our petition for a better outcome for the Quarry has over 5,000 supporters.

We support the intent and conclusions of the Mountain Creek Corridor land use, and I have two points I'd like to talk about.

First of all, section 5.3, the summary of recommendations, concludes the additional rezoning for apartment complexes is not recommended for the corridor, and we applaud that.

To reiterate the basis for why this is the correct recommendation is as follows.

The current actual makeup of the corridor by dwelling type is 63% apartments, 21.6% R1, and 16.5% attached single-family units.

A January 2021 Furman study from NYU cited the results consistent with other cities with other studies available on the internet, and it surveyed 800 cities across the United States.

In the applicable category of 140 surveyed mid-size cities, it states: "The ratio of renters-occupied to owner-occupied is 31 to 60."

Compared to the actual makeup in our city, in our corridor, it's 62-30, 62 to 38.

In other words, it's exactly inverted.

We have about two to one as opposed to what is the average, one to three apartments.

Therefore, the report's conclusion dismissing the need for additional apartments and development is completely appropriate.

Our corridor is disproportionately saturated with apartments to the breaking point of property values.

The corridor study, however, dubiously encourages the development of so-called missing middle.

In fact, R1 has become the missing factor, and therefore plans to increase density at the expense of rural character are not missing at all.

At the heart of the matter for a good portion of the residence is the quarry.

There is no accessible flat green space remaining to many residents of Mountain Creek Road.

If I could for another 15 seconds.

- All, right sir.

- The cited example of a park space adjacent to the Red Bank Elementary School is a hazardous 40-minute, not a 10-minute, walk for many residents, hazardous because many of the streets have deep ditches without sidewalks or even curbs.

The alternative green space is the Walden Parks.

The Walden Ridge Bike Park, when it actually opens, has trails that are not flat and are therefore accessible to only a limited number of users.

And realistically, it is for the benefit of the widespread cycling community and not ours.

The corridor report comes up short in that it recognizes but does not endorse the desire of the community to preserve the Quarry as a public green space that it has been since 1970.

The community values its green space and it values Reads Lake.

Thank you.

- [Raquetta] Thank you.

- My name's Chris Dooley.

I'm at 729 Shearer Cove Road.

Chip Henderson is my- - Ah.

(council members laughs) - Is my councilman.

Chip Baker is my county councilman, so I have two Chips.

I'm gonna be very, very brief tonight.

You've got a lot of things to do.

Let me summarize what you've already heard.

We support a complete traffic study of Mountain Creek Road.

The traffic is bad, and this study is needed, and there shouldn't be any other construction until that's done because you don't know what effect it's going to have.

We like the corridor study, and it's correct that it recommends further development of apartments are not to be undertaken.

You've heard the density and how it has affected things.

It would have an adverse effect on property values, and we simply don't need apartments along Mountain Creek Road.

The final thing is the Quarry.

It's a sizable, undeveloped, flat, accessible property.

It's perfectly suited to be a prop, to be a park.

Green space is needed here in this area, and the corridor study recognizes this but fails to promote it in it.

So thank you for your time.

- All right, thank you.

All right, anyone else wishing to address the Mountain Creek Corridor Study?

All right, seeing no one else, we'll close the public hearing for that.

All right, can I get approval on the minutes?

- Aye.

- Second.

- I just- - Oh, yes, I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry, Councilman Henderson.

- [Chip] I guess I wanted you to close the public hearing- - Oh okay.

- Before I made any comments, but I did wanna thank those that spoke this afternoon, Brooke and Bob and Chris, and they've been instrumental in helping this plan develop.

It's something that the community has engaged in.

We had at least two different meetings at Red Bank High School where the rooms were packed.

So it is something that is of a great interest to the folks at Mountain Creek, and we've had some...

There are developable pieces of land out there that we've had developers come and look and wanna put apartments there.

And I just, I wanna thank RPA for helping put this study together to give us some guidance on what's appropriate development in the Mountain Creek area.

So, kudos to RPA, and I thank the Mountain Creek community for coming out and really getting engaged in this study.

- Thank you, Madam Chair.

- All right, thank you.

I did get a motion on the minutes.

Can I have a second?

- Second.

- Thank you.

They stand without objection.

Ordinance is under final reading.

Madam Clerk, could you read item A?

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 2701 Benton Avenue from M1 manufacturing zone to R2 residential zone.

- All right, Councilwoman Noel.

- [Marvene] Thank you, Madam Chair.

If you and my council family would allow me to defer one more time until June the 6th.

- All right, is that in the form of a motion?

- [Marvene] In the form of a motion, yes.

- Okay, it's moved- - Second.

- Second.

- All right, it's been moved and seconded.

Any comments of questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madame... Council, if there is no objection, I would like to take items B and C as a group.

All right, Madam Clerk, if you can read items B and C. - [Clerk] Item B, an ordinance closing and abandoning an unopened right of away in the 3500 Block of Brandon Avenue as detailed on the attached map subject to certain conditions.

Item C, an ordinance closing and abandoning an unopened right of way in the 2200 Block of April Street as detailed on the attached maps.

- Okay.

Councilwoman Noel.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- Okay, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Ordinances on the first reading, Madam Clerk, item A.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 7707 Lee Highway from C2 convenience commercial zone to UGC urban residential zone.

- All right, is the applicant present?

Is there opposition present?

Councilwoman Berz.

- Madam chair, I was originally gonna defer this to the 6th, but I'm gonna defer it with your permission, both A and B.

You don't want them read together, right?

We can do it individually.

I would like to defer A to the 13th.

- [Raquetta] All right.

Okay, this in the form of a motion?

- Yes.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- Aye.

- [Raquetta] All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, could you read item B?

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 7717 Lee Highway from R1 residential zone, C2 convenience commercials zone, to UGC urban general commercial zone.

- [Raquetta] All right, is the applicant present?

Is there opposition present?

Councilwoman Berz.

- I would like to defer that to the 13th, please ma'am.

- Second.

- All right.

It's been moved and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, item C. - [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 2844 Eblen Drive from R1 residential zone to M2 light industrial zone subject to certain conditions.

- All right, is the applicant present?

- [Attendee] Yes.

(speaks faintly) - Okay, I see a applicant.

Any opposition present?

All right, Councilwoman Berz.

- I'm gonna need a presentation on this, Madam Chair, and let me tell you why.

And Brian, did Karen give you the opposition material, et cetera?

- [Brian] I was at planning commission with opposition stated.

- All right, so here's the situation I've got.

There was an application made.

I went out to the property.

I could find no sign on the property.

I'm unsure what's being asked for since there was no sign.

So that's the first.

The yellow sign is notice to the world.

So I'm unsure what I'm looking at, and that's number one.

Number two, there were a number of oppositions.

I spoke to the applicant and said if these oppositions were no longer valid, then I'd need something in writing, and I've received nothing.

So we can either go forward, or, sir, I'll need something from you.

Otherwise we can either defer or deny.

What's your pleasure?

- Good evening, council.

Jim Zonik with 84 Lumber.

As staff had asked, as (indistinct) had asked, we did meet with the neighbors.

I met with the neighbors on Friday, and we walked the property and addressed as we talked about the drainage ditch.

That was the concern.

And we presented on Friday afternoon/evening, I presented the solution.

It's a very simple fix.

We just have not heard back from the neighbor, but it's a very simple solution.

- Then let's defer, and once I get in writing from them that everything's okay, I can't ignore it, then we can go forward.

- Okay.

- So I'm gonna defer to the 6th.

- [Jim] Okay.

- Okay, thank you.

Madam Chair, I move that we defer to the 6th.

- All right.

- And would you please make sure the sign is up, the yellow sign?

- Yes.

- Yeah, by law it's supposed to be up.

- Okay.

- And it's a not.

- Okay.

- Okay?

Thank you.

- [Raquetta] All right, got a motion?

Can... - Yes, yes, ma'am.

- All right, I have a motion.

- Can I- - Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, item D. - [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 5910 Shaw Avenue in an unaddressed property in the 5900 block of Shaw Avenue from R1 residential zone to N1 manufacturing zone and M3 warehouse and wholesale zone.

- Okay, is the applicant present?

Is there opposition present?

- [Attendee] Yes.

- All right, opposition's present.

Councilwoman Berz.

- [Carol] The applicant has asked to withdraw.

- All right, is that in the form of a motion?

- [Carol] Yes ma'am, it is.

- All right, it's been moved and properly second to withdraw.

Any comments or questions?

(attendee speaks faintly) All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, item E. - [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 1013 South Greenwood Avenue from R1 residential zone to UGC urban general commercial zone subject to certain conditions.

- All right, Councilwoman Noel.

- Yes.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I have visited this property four times, and I have spoken with the developer or the owner of the property probably eight times.

I am requesting...

I did speak with the neighbors to the left, to the right, and the front, behind, and there is some issues there.

So I would like for this to be deferred until August the 1st.

- [Raquetta] All right, is that in the form of a motion?

- That is in the form of a motion.

- All right.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second to deference of August the 1st.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

Resolutions.

Council, if there are no objections, I would like to take items A, B, and C as a group.

All right, Madam Clerk.

- [Clerk] Item A, resolution authorizing an administrator for the Department of Parks and Outdoors to accept an award from the American Rescue Plan and coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds for the purpose of the installation of a swing set at the Hill City Park Playground located at 18 Trewhitt Street in the amount of $11,830.39.

Item B, a resolution authorizing the city of Chattanooga to allocate $25,000 from the American Rescue Plan, coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds to the Chattanooga Kiwanis Youth Foundation for the creation of a universally inclusive playground at the Jack Benson Heritage Park through the Harvesting Inclusive Play Initiative.

Item C, a resolution authorizing the city of Chattanooga to allocate $15,000 from the American Rescue Plan, coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds to the Olivet Baptist Church for the purposes of supporting their efforts to end the cycle of incarceration through the Second Chance Recidivism Program.

All right, Councilman Henderson followed by Councilman Ledford.

- [Chip] Move approval.

- [Darrin] Second, Madam Chair.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion carries.

All right, Madam Clerk, item D. - [Clerk] A resolution approving a partnership subcontract with the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence in the submission of a domestic violence prevention enhancement and leadership through alliances Delta Grant for a period of five years for an amount not to exceed $750,000.

- And Councilwoman Berz.

- [Carol] Move to approve.

- [Council Member] Second.

- It's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- Aye.

All opposed?

Motion passes.

Council, if there is no objection, we'll take items E through J as a group.

All right, Madam Clerk.

- [Clerk] Item E, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of JW Cole to the Beer and Wrecker Board for a term beginning on May 24th, 2023 and ending on May 23rd, 2026.

Item F, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's reappointment of David Hudson to the Stormwater Regulations Board for a term beginning on June 2nd, 2023 and ending on June 1st, 2026.

Item G, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's reappointment of James Beshears to the Stormwater Regulations Board for a term beginning on May 7th, 2023 and ending on May 6th, 2026.

Item H, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's reappointment of Anna Massey to the Stormwater Regulations Board for a term beginning on June 17th, 2023 and ending on June 16, 2026.

Item I, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of John Coffelt to the Stormwater Regulations Board for a term beginning on May 7th, 2023 and ending on May 6th, 2026.

Item J, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Mike Price to the Stormwater Regulations Board for a term beginning on May 24th, 2023 and ending on May 23, 2026.

- All right, Councilman Ledford.

- [Darrin] Move to approve, Madam Chair.

- Thank you.

- Second.

- Okay, it's been motion and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Item K, Madam Clerk.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the Office of Community Health to apply for, and if awarded, accept the Community-Based Violence and Prevention Initiative CVIPI Grant from the Office of Justice Programs for the purpose of preventing and reducing violent crime in communities by supporting comprehensive evidence-based violence intervention and prevention programs for a grant period beginning no earlier than September 1st, 2023 for an amount not to exceed $2 million.

- Okay, Councilwoman Berz.

- [Carol] Move approval.

- Okay.

- Second.

- All right, got a motion and a second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Item L, please.

- [Clerk] A resolution renaming the pavilion located in Triangle Park at 4412 Mayfair Avenue to the Melinda Hickey Memorial Pavilion.

- All right, Councilwoman Berz.

- [Carol] Move approval.

- Second.

- All right.

Got a motion and a second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Planning item M. - [Clerk] A resolution approving a new special exceptions permit for a new liquor store located at 5450 Highway 153, Suite 178-182.

- All right, Councilman Smith.

- [Ken] Thank you, ma'am.

The applicant has requested a withdraw of this item, so I move to withdraw.

- Second.

- All right, we had a motion and a second to withdraw.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

(council member whispers) Item N. - [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the city of Chattanooga to apply for, and if awarded, accept a charging and fueling infrastructure grant from the United States Department of Transportation to fund strategic deployment of electric-vehicle charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure for an amount not to exceed $3 million with the city's contribution not to exceed $600,000.

- All right, Councilman Ledford.

- [Darrin] Move to approve.

- Okay.

All right, I got a motion and a second.

- Second.

- No second yet.

- Second?

Councilwoman Coonrod second.

- Oh, she did?

- Mm-hm, yes.

- [Council Member] Didn't hear, sorry.

- All right, comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Item O on the public works.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the administrator of the Department of Public Works to execute the consent of assign, consent to assignment of all purchase orders for vendor number 872461KS, Ware and Associates, LLC, to Athena Engineering and Environmental, LLC, relative to the following purchase orders: on-call blanket contracts for geo-environmental consulting and construction materials testing services, contract number E21002301, purchase agreement number 554084, and purchase order numbers 110140 and 113681.

- Councilman Hester?

- [Isiah] Move to approve.

- Second.

- I got a motion and a second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Item P under wastewater.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Wastewater to award the professional services on-call blanket contract for support of wastewater capital improvements program for ISS contract number W2205101 for a five-year term with no options to renew for the 18 consulting firms that submitted qualifications in the six different categories per the qualification package listed: ACOM Technical Services, Inc., Allen and Hoshall, Inc., Arduro Group, Inc., Forest Design Solutions, Inc. Brown and Caldwell, Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. Carollo Engineerings, Inc., CDM Smith, Concert Engineers, LLC, CTI Engineers, Inc., Gresham Smith, Hazen and Sawyer, HDR Engineering Inc., Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Lamar Dunn and Associates, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. WK Dixon and Company, Inc., and WSP USA Environment and Infrastructure, Inc. in the amount of $12 million annually.

- All right.

- Move to approve.

- Okay.

Okay, got a motion and a second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

- Hi, I'm Steven Russell.

I live in district three.

I am an employee of the city of Chattanooga in the wastewater department at the Moccasin Bend Environmental Campus.

And as a union steward and an elected leader, as elected leader, as recording secretary, for this Chattanooga Chapter of SEIU Local 205, I'm speaking ahead of all of the budget discussions for this year.

I'd also like to thank the city council, the mayor's office, and the mayor and human resources for really the tireless efforts that everyone's made to, you know, hearing our voices and (laughs) sometimes heated discussions about all the issues that we've had, but, you know, really working hard to go forward and improving pay and working conditions for city employees.

Last year, last fiscal year, Moccasin Bend, we were used as a test study for a step plan that was implemented really, with, I think with great success in placing employees at appropriate pay levels.

And it's been very much appreciated.

And as with that success, I also, of course, support the implementation of a step plan for all employees, so.

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