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

(gavel tapped) - Good afternoon, everyone.

Welcome to our Tuesday, May 24th city council agenda session.

Ordinances on final reading, parks and public works.

Madam Clerk, item 5A, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance closing and abandoning an open right-of-way in the 200 block of Delawanna Terrace, as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions.

- Seeing no lights.

I have a motion for approval.

I do hear a second.

Questions, comments before we vote.

All in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

Opposed?

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, item 6A.

Would you please read the planning version number two?

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code, part 2, chapter 38, zoning ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 702 Manufacturers Road, from M-1 manufacturing zone to R-RV-6 river view zone and R-RF-6 riverfront zone, subject to certain conditions.

- Is the applicant present?

I do have an applicant.

Is there any opposition present?

Councilman Henderson.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Could you come up and just verify the conditions for planning version two.

- Okay, there are two conditions describing the area that'll have a condition of five stories.

And we have read those before.

There's additionally some additional conditions, and I'll start with those.

Number one, property owner will cooperate in good faith with the city, including granting fee title or easement rights, to allow an extension of the Riverwalk to cross the property along the shoreline of the river at such time as the city is prepared to construct such extension.

Number two, property owner will cooperate in good faith with the city to allow spaces for public parking, access off the public right of way, Paper Mill Road, if successfully reopened by the city.

And the service parking area to be constructed by the property owner at the property during the initial development of the site.

And three, if the city desires to construct additional public amenities along the river at this site, for example, picnic tables, public art, restrooms, then property owner will engage those discussions with the city in good faith as to location, area needed, etc.

Details for any such additional public amenities must be finalized by the city not later than issuance of a building permit for the primary buildings to be constructed on the site.

Any conveyance of land ownership to the city to occur at such time as the city is prepared to construct such amenities.

- [Councilman Henderson] Thank you, Karen.

Mr.

Chair, I move approval of planning version number two.

- [Councilor] Second.

- I do have a motion to approve planning version number two.

I do hear a second.

Questions, comments before we vote.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, 6B please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code, part II, chapter 38, zoning ordinance, so as to rezone part of a property located at 1115 North Moore Road, from R-1 residential zone to R-3 residential zone, subject to certain conditions.

- Is the applicant present?

I do see an applicant.

And just further note, we did have a public hearing on this last week, but I wanted to also ask if any opposition was present.

Councilman Hester, I believe it's your light.

- Frederick Douglass once said, "If there is no struggle, there's no progress."

Change and progress go hand-in-hand.

With change we must continue to be good stewards in our community as we merge effectively together into that one Chattanooga.

So I want to approve this with an amendment.

And Karen, can you read the amendment?

I want to move to approve first.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Second.

- [Chair] I do have a motion to approve and a second, which puts the item on the floor.

Karen?

- [Karen] The regional planning agency was asked in committee to develop a condition for a berm buffer.

And it's on the slide if we can pull that up, but I'll start reading.

"A landscape buffer shall be installed around the perimeter where abutting R1 residential zone.

The buffer shall consist of a grass-covered earthen berm being six feet in height with a two to one slope with a minimum of three feet in width planted with holly, six feet in height planted on seven foot centers on top of the berm.

This is in addition to the required condition of a Type A landscape buffer.

The berm landscape buffer shall be along the property line with the Type A landscape buffer to the interior of the site."

- [Councilman Hester] I move to approve as amended.

- We have a motion to approve the amendment.

- [Councilman Hester] I motion to approve the amendment.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Second.

- I do have a second.

- Questions, comments before we vote on the amendment?

All in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- The amendment has succeeded.

- [Councilman Hester] Move to approve as amended.

- I'm looking for a motion to approve as amended.

I do hear a second.

Question, comments before we vote.

I do have a light.

Madam Vice-Chair.

- I do just wanna make a statement regarding this particular development.

Any other case, I do try to support my colleagues and what they're doing in their districts.

In this case because of the management company, I just cannot support that management company.

However, I do support affordable housing.

I do support our seniors and all the things that they're trying to do.

And, of course, I always support the faith-based community.

But just the history of Penrose in District 7 is just so horrible that I just can't support that.

So I just wanted to just make sure that was on the record, and I will ask for a roll-call vote, please.

- Yes, ma'am.

Before we vote, I just have Councilman Henderson.

- Yes, sir.

Chief.

Joda.

And I wanna support the amendment and this development.

Here's my concern.

This is senior housing.

And where this senior housing is going, and I know that the mayor's got, that we've got a lot of money set aside for developing affordable housing.

What I wanna make sure is that we address development in a way that addresses the whole being or the well-being of our residents.

And there's a study out that shows that walking just one hour a day, for many of hour seniors, reduces the risk of the big five mortality diseases by 70%.

When I look at this development and ask myself the question, "What is inviting the seniors to go out and walk one hour a day?"

I think those are the kind of things that we have to be considerate of and we have to look at when we start developing this kind of housing.

We have a rec center across the street at Brainerd.

I wonder about the possibilities of putting a health clinic in the rec center.

That would not only be a benefit for this senior housing, but it would be a benefit for the neighborhood and the community as well.

And from what I understand, it's a food desert.

What's the possibilities of turning the rec center into a farmers' market on the Saturdays, maybe once a month or once a week, and trying to come up with some initiatives that really start to address the whole being of a person, and not just providing for the shelter.

We need to provide for the health of these residents.

We need to provide for the well-being of these residents.

So as we move forward in these affordable housing projects, I think these are the kinds of things that we need to look at.

I understand that we wanna keep these units affordable, but affordability is also linked with good health, well-being.

We don't wanna isolate our seniors.

We want them to get out and be able to move around.

And I think those are some of the things that we look at as we move forward into development is developing for the well-being of these residents.

- Thank you, councilman.

Absolutely, so, a couple of things.

One is that we absolutely are interested and want to explore the possibility of using our community spaces as flexibly to expand livability in a community, particularly where we are helping to facilitate and create affordable housing.

Right now, we are Office of Community Health, which is a brand new office that Mayor Kelly created, has health navigators that go to community centers and provide health care services.

And we are gonna continue to expand that, and I look forward to working with each member of this council to do that work.

I think the idea of farmers' market is fantastic, and we're looking at participating at a food policy council to reduce the number of food deserts and food swamps that we have in our community.

This is work that will continue to be prioritized and will be on-going as we get into the work of creating affordable housing in our community.

I'll underscore that nothing can be more important than creating safe, livable and affordable places to live.

So, we're appreciative of the feedback and comments, and we'll definitely take that into consideration as we create more holistic community spaces.

- [Councilman Henderson] Thank you.

- [Chair] Thank you, councilman.

Dr. Berz.

- To follow up on what my colleague said, I very much support the project.

What is written in the proforma that would protect us from, and I agree about Penrose's performance.

What is in the proforma that protects that same sort of neglect from happening again.

- [Joda] So, I think that this is the start of a conversation.

This is simply a zoning request, but I know that these, this particular development will most likely come back before this body whenever they come back and request things like incentives to make this level of affordability possible.

And this administration is committed to holding the developer and the management group accountable.

And you'll see that language included in any incentive the city provides.

I just wanna particularly call out what Councilwoman Dotley quite correctly raised, which is that we need to make sure that developers and property management groups that are creating a level affordability are actually living up to their promises.

And the city and this administration will ensure that language, up to and including claw backs, are included in any incentive.

- So let me get, I guess you're the best one to answer this.

You're right.

This is strictly a zoning matter.

Once we start the ball rolling with the zoning, then a lot of things are gonna come up afterwards, like wanting incentives, wanting all sorts of things.

Do you know in flow-chart version what that is?

- [Joda] So, essentially, and I don't have that all in front of me, after we go through a zoning change, there will likely be a request for a pilot.

And, again, we haven't gotten that quite yet.

At least I'm not aware of that.

In the discussions about what conditions we would attach to that pilot, the administration and this body would have an opportunity to attach conditions that I think that that would be appropriate.

- Okay, thank you.

- Thank you, Dr. Berz.

Seeing no other lights, let me pause for moment.

Councilwoman Coonrod, welcome.

We have a motion on the table to approve the amended version with the berm condition that you see on your screen.

And that has passed our first vote for amendment.

We are now into approving the request as amended.

Just wanted to bring you up to speed.

And there has been a request for a roll-call vote.

Okay.

Does that help you?

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] Yeah.

- Thank you.

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] So go back to the beginning?

- Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, we're glad you're here.

Any other questions or comments?

I do wanna add one thing to what Dr. Berz said.

This is the rezoning portion of this project.

This is not the final conversation.

There's a lot more conversation to be had, a lot more input to be received.

And I wanna make sure that is very clear to everyone who had concerns.

So we do have a motion for the amended version.

Madam Clerk, will you roll-call vote, please?

- [Clerk] Councilman Henderson.

- [Councilman Henderson] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill.

- [Councilwoman Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Smith.

- [Councilman Smith] Yes - [Clerk] Councilman Hester.

- [Councilman Hester] Abstain.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Berz.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Noel.

- [Councilwoman Noel] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Coonrod.

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice-chair Dotley.

- [Vice-chair Dotley] No.

- [Clerk] Chairman Ledford.

- Yes.

- [Clerk] That's the seven yeses.

- Seven yeses, item carries as amended.

Madam Clerk, 6C, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga city code, part 2, chapter 38, zoning ordinance, by adding article 17, accessory dwelling units, sections 38-764 through 38-771.

- Councilwoman Hill.

- [Councilwoman Hill] Move to approve.

- Thank you.

I do have a motion to approve and a second.

I see a light.

Councilwoman Coonrod.

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] Mistake.

- Thank you.

- [Councilwoman Hill] Move to substitute the current version with (indistinct) - [Councilwoman Coonrod] Second.

- We have a motion to replace the item on the agenda with item, will you read that again for the record, please.

- [Councilwoman Hill] ADU ordinance amendment alternate version 19-4.

- Madam Clerk, you have that copy?

Madam Attorney, you have that copy.

- [Madam Attorney] Yes.

- I'm getting confirmation.

Questions or comments before we vote on the replacement.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

- The motion to replace- - [Councilwoman Hill] Move to approve the substituted version.

- Move to approve the substituted version.

- [Councilor Smith] Second.

- I do have a second.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Substituted version carries.

Thank you, Councilwoman Hill.

Madam Clerk, 7A, under economic development.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a first agreement to exercise option to renew with Street Grace, Inc., in substantially the form attached, for the period through April 30, 2024, and to enter into a first amendment to office lease, in substantially the form attached, for the use of 106 square feet of office space at the Family Justice Center located at 5705 Uptain Road, identified as tax map number 157M-A-012, for the rent of one dollar annually.

- Dr. Berz.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Move approval, thank you.

- I have a motion to approve.

I have a second.

Questions, comments before we vote?

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

Opposed?

Item carries.

Madam Clerk, item 7B please.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the interim administrator for the Department of Economic Development to enter into an agreement with the artist team Wowhaus, Scott Constable and Ene Osteraas-Constable, in substantially the form attached, for the East Lake Park Interactive and Functional Artistic Seating Project, in the amount of $150,000.

- Madam Vice-chair.

- [Councilwoman Dotley] Move to approve.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Second.

- I have a motion to approve.

I have a second.

Questions, comments before we vote.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

Opposed?

Item carries.

Madam Clerk, under Mayor's office, will you please read C and D. - [Clerk] Item C, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Kenny Smith for the Board of Electrical Examiners, with a four-year term, expiration of May 24, 2026.

Item D, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Angie To for the Chattanooga Public Art Commission.

- Councilwoman Coonrod?

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] Motion to approve.

- I have a motion to approve.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Second.

- I do hear a second.

We are voting on... Dr. Berz, is that an old light or new light?

- [Councilwoman Berz] Old.

It was, you turned it off before I had a chance.

- Did I, I turned you off?

All right.

You know I would never do that on purpose.

We are voting on items C and D. We have a motion to approve.

We do have a second.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Items carry.

Under police, item E, please.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the chief of police to enter into an agreement for animal control services between the City of Chattanooga and the Animal Care Trust, McKamey Animal Center, for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027, for an amount not to exceed $10,619,300.

- Councilman Henderson.

- [Councilman Henderson] Move to approve.

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] Second.

I do have a motion to approve.

I do have a second.

Questions, comments before we vote.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Item carries.

Madam Clerk, parks and public works, item F, please.

- [Clerk] A resolution authorizing the administrator for the department of public works to approve change order number one with Tricon, Inc., of Cleveland, TN, for contract no.

Y-17-005-201, East Lake YFD Center renovations, to increase the amount of $407,822.65 due to a supply chain cost increases, subgrade remediation, unforeseen structural modifications, and electrical service revisions, with a contingency amount of $260,000, for a revised contact amount of $4,093,572.65, for a total contract amount of $4,353,572.65.

- Madam Vice-chair Dotley.

- [Vice-chair Dotley] Move to approve.

- [Councilwoman Noel] Second.

I have a motion to approve.

I do have a second.

Questions, comments before we vote.

All those in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Item carries.

We now move to purchases for this evening.

Mr. Goldberg, are you presenting.

I believe we have eight items and two RFP requests on tonight's agenda.

- [Mr. Goldberg] Yes, Mr. Chairman, thank you.

First, we have a purchase from the waste resources division of public works, second and final renewal of contract for liquid oxygen with Matheson Tri-Gas, LLC, and Airgas.

Matheson submitted a 5% price increase at the time of renewal.

The combined annual amount is not to exceed 150,000.

Second, city-wide services division of public works, new blanket contract for common brick and pavers.

One bid was received.

The solicitation was re-advertised and did not yield any additional bids.

The award goes to Acme Brick and Tile.

This will be a four-year contract with the annual amount not to exceed 35,000.

Next from city-wide services division of public works, second and final renewal of contract for tree planting services.

Davis Kee Outdoor submitted a 34% price increase at the time of renewal with an annual amount not to exceed 40,000.

Fourth, from parks and outdoors, purchase of fence padding for Frost Stadium.

Two bids were received, and the award goes to River City Athletic Fields as the best bid meeting specifications.

The amount is 46,200.

Next from parks maintenance division of public works, purchase of two Kubota RTVs for a total of $29,988.44.

This purchase utilizes sourceable contract 031121-SCG.

The aggregate Kubota RTV purchases citywide totals $87,986.40 year to date.

Sixth, from facilities division of public works, new blanket contract for fire protection equipment and servicing.

One bid was received.

The solicitation was re-advertised.

It did not yield additional bids.

The award goes to Fire Protection Inc.

This will be a four-year contract with the annual amount not exceed 110,000.

Seventh, from police.

We have a purchase of Airworx Go-Command Mission-Ready kits.

This grant-funded purchase is a sole-source procurement.

The vendor is Airworx Unmanned Solutions, and the amount is $149,997.

And finally from fire, we have the purchase of a full-body harness.

This purchase utilizes sourceable contract 04220.

The vendor is Municipal Emergency Services, and the amount is $31,724.

- I do have a motion to approve.

I do hear a second.

Questions, comments before we vote on purchases this evening.

All in favor, say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

- Opposed?

Thank you.

And Brent, we have two RFPs.

- [Mr. Goldberg] Yes, sir.

Both are from the police department.

The first one is a request to issue an RFP for police department organizational evaluation consulting services.

Competence, qualifications and approach are more important than price in making the purchase determination, and there is more than one approach and solution.

Therefore, proposals are needed to make a purchase decision.

The second one is a request to issue an RFP for consulting services related to the establishment and development of a police foundation, which would be separate 501(c)(3) organization that exists to support the Chattanooga Police Department.

Competence, qualifications and approach are more important than price in making the purchase determination, and there is more than one solution available.

Proposals are needed to make purchase decision.

We are not requesting to issue any awards at this time, only requesting to issue RFPs.

- Thank you, Brent.

Councilman Henderson, I see your light.

- [Councilman Henderson] Move to approve (indistinct).

- I have a motion to approve.

- [Councilwoman Berz] Second.

- I do have a second, and we did cover these extensively in our 3:30 session.

All those in favor say "Aye."

- [Councilors] Aye.

Opposed?

Items carry.

[Mr. Goldberg] - Thank you.

- Thank you.

We will now move into committee reports.

And Councilwoman Coonrod?

- [Councilwoman Coonrod] No report.

- No report.

Councilwoman Noel.

- [Councilwoman Noel] No report.

- Dr Berz.

(indistinct) That's you.

You wanna hit your light for me?

We got some ground to cover here.

- So, reporting for budget and finance, we finished our second and final departmental education session today.

It was a public session, and we completed that today.

Here's the schedule from here on out.

Next week, we have our public input session.

It starts at 6:00.

Right now it's scheduled for an hour.

Speakers will have two minutes each to speak.

And then following that, we will start at 2:00 on the following Tuesday, which I believe is, what, the seventh?

- [Chair Ledford] Yes, ma'am.

- At 2:00 at our strategic planning meeting, we will start our deliberations.

Again, that is also in public, and we'll be doing it in this room.

Right now, first reading is scheduled for that night.

However we have the freedom to move it if need be.

And then the second reading for the following week, again, we have the freedom to move it if need be.

Thank you Mr.

Chair.

- [Chair Ledford] Thank you, Dr. Berz, for you hard work on this.

- Madam Vice-chair Dotley?

- [Councilor Dotley] No reports.

- Councilman Henderson.

- [Councilman Henderson] Mr.

Chair.

- Yes, sir.

- [Councilman Henderson] I have nothing to report.

- Very good, sir.

(participants chuckle) Could you do that with a little more energy next time.

Councilwoman Hill.

- [Councilwoman Hill] No.

- Councilman Smith?

- [Councilman Smith] No report, Mr.

Chair.

- All right, Councilman Hester.

- [Councilman Hester] No reporting.

- Very good.

Thank you all.

Recognitions of persons wishing to address the council this evening.

Is there anyone who would like to address the council this evening.

If you would make your way to the podium.

And while we do that, Madam Attorney, will you please read our- - [Attorney] Rules.

- Rules, please.

- [Attorney] Yes.

Each speaker wishing to address the council should be recognized at this podium.

Please limit your comments to those issues within the legislative and quasi-judicial authority of the council.

And you'll be limited to three minutes unless the council approves more time.

- All right, Mr.

I.T., if we can get three minutes.

Evening, Miss Janice.

- [Janice Gooden] Good evening.

Janice Gooden, District 8.

I had not planned on speaking, but I just feel compelled to just make a brief statement.

As we're talking about affordable housing and seniors, especially, that's close to my heart because I worked in long-term care, as well as acute care, as a social worker.

And that's a difficult thing, to not have housing for seniors.

So it's a definite need.

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

(upbeat music)