May 9, 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
· The Kelly administration hosted the State of the City event on May 5. During this event, they released the One Chattanooga Strategic Framework, which can be found here: cha.city/onechattanooga (this link will download the PDF automatically). This document will guide policy decisions for the administration. This is a great tool not only for understanding the administration’s goals, but also for holding them accountable to those goals.
· On May 3, the city council voted to approve a new district map. The map can be found here. The new district lines are largely similar to the previous lines, but some citizens will be moved into new districts. If you want help finding your new council district number and representative, I am happy to help, or you can contact the city council office directly at Council-Clerk@chattanooga.gov or (423)-643-7170.
· On May 10, the city council will hold the first of two votes on an ordinance to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in all residential zones within the city.
· On May 10, the city council will hold the first of two votes on rezoning cases for the “Mill Town” development.
· On May 10, the city council will vote to confirm the appointment of Michiba Smith to the Board of Sign Appeals.
· On May 10, the city council will vote to lease 301 N. Holtzclaw Avenue (the Chattanooga Zoo) to Friends of the Zoo, Inc. for 50 years at the rate of $1.00 per year.
· The city council is holding a series of focus group meetings to review Short Term Vacation Rental (STVR) regulations. The full schedule can be found here.
· The city council has begun the 2023 budget process. The full schedule can be found here.
MAY 3 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The official meeting minutes can be found here.
The meeting recording can be viewed here.
Ordinances – final reading:
· Passed – final: an ordinance reapportioning and redistricting the nine (9) districts for the city council.
Resolutions:
· Passed: a resolution to enter a 4-year employee health insurance contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield for ~$1.45M per year.
· Passed: a resolution to enter a 4-year employee pharmacy benefit manager contract with Epiphany Rx for ~$600k per year.
· Passed: a resolution to enter a 4-year employee vision insurance contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield for ~$200k per year, paid through employee deductions.
· Passed: a resolution to accept a $99k grant from the National Center for State Courts to hire an eviction diversion program facilitator.
· Passed: a resolution to accept a $200k increase of a previous $800k grant from the State of Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Office of Criminal Justice, for a total of $1M.
· Passed: a resolution to make a ~$44k payment to Disaster Master, Inc. for emergency cleanup of a residential wastewater backup.
· Passed: A resolution to make a ~$104k payment to Xylem Dewatering Solutions for emergency bypass pumping related to a sewer force main leak.
· Passed: a resolution to renew a ~$122k GPS vehicle tracking contract with Samsara Software for one year.
· Passed: a resolution to include NCR corporation as the authorized vendor of merchant services under the ENCO sewer billing services contract.
· Passed: 12 routine purchase agreements.
Other:
· The council was notified of 1 emergency purchase of $100k for environmental cleanup of illegally dumped materials.
· Marie Mott, Anthony Chapman, and Ann Pierre (on behalf of Tommie Brown) all addressed the council to express disappointment with the redistricting process and its impact on minority voting power.
· Jackie Simpson addressed the council by reading the preamble of the U.S. Constitution.
· A man who did not give his name addressed the council to make a complaint about working conditions at the Public Works Department.
MAY 10 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The current agenda can be found here.
Rezoning Requests – first reading:
For the sake of space, I will be listing rezoning cases only by address and applicant. There are often several versions of each rezoning application, which makes it difficult to succinctly summarize what is being requested. If you are interested in leaning more about any of these rezoning cases, I recommend viewing the current city council agenda in the link above. You can contact your city council representative to find out more about any of these cases. I am also happy to do whatever I can to answer questions.
· 100 West Bell Ave – Mark Hopkins
· 702 Manufacturers Road – Beacon Acquisitions
· 912 Birmingham Highway – Randy Chapman
· 2067 Crescent Club Drive – Chattanooga Exteriors, LLC
· 5867, 5871, 5893 Highway 153 – Hixson Investors, LLC
· 6620, 6624, 6628, 6632, 6638, 6640, 6644 Sandswitch Road – ASA Engineering / Allen Jones
· 7002 Hixson Pike – La Bella Associates
· 7432, 7442, 7446 Min Tom Drive – Vinod Javer
· 1115 North Moore Road – Tucker Baptist Church
· 6238 Bonny Oaks Drive – David Gardner
· 1733 Read Avenue – Josh Burr
· 612 North Greenwood Ave – PAK Star Properties / Sohail Aslam
· 900, 910 East Main Street – Modus Build, LLC
· 1497, 1521 Riverside Drive – Justin Dumsday
· 800 block of Arlington Avenue – Jelani Herry
· 805 Gillespie Road – Milton Muhammad
· 1801, 1803, 1805, 1807, 1809 Duncan Avenue – David Fidati / Wise Construction
· 3726, 3805 Grace Avenue – Wallace Fortson
· 1619 Dodds Avenue, 1922 Watkins Street, 2270 East 21st Street, 2050 South Kelley Street,1803, 2111 South Lyerly Street – Collier Construction
· 2318 East Main Street, 1506 South Lyerly Street, 1500, 1700 South Watkins Street, 1619 Dodds Avenue, 2512 East 19th Street – Collier Construction
Other Ordinances – first reading:
· An ordinance to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in all residential zones within the city.
· An ordinance to close and abandon an alley on the 2100 block of East 26th Street.
· An ordinance to close and abandon an alley on the 800 block of Dodds Avenue and the 2700 block of Kirby Avenue.
· An ordinance to close and abandon alleys on the 1800 block of Vance Avenue and the 800 block of South Orchard Knob Avenue.
Resolutions:
· A resolution confirming the appointment of Michiba Smith to the Board of Sign Appeals.
· A resolution to lease 201 North Holtzclaw Avenue (the Chattanooga Zoo) to Friends of the Zoo, Inc. for 50 years for an annual rent of $1.00.
· A resolution to declare 3303 Crestone Circle as surplus property.
· A resolution to accept and distribute ~$3M in HUD block grants.
· A resolution to provide longer day services for 16 children through Hope City Academy for $36k.
· A resolution to appoint Ariel Soriano as a special unarmed police officer for the Land Development Office.
· A resolution to appoint Jamie Evers as a special unarmed police officer for the Land Development Office.
· A resolution approving a permit for a new liquor store at 804 Riverfront Parkway, suite 110.
· A resolution to approve a change in a ~$54k contract with Bliss Properties, LLC for Summit of Softball Complex improvements.
· A resolution to approve a change in a ~$685k contract with Wright Brothers Construction Company for Brannon Avenue Drainage Improvements.
· A resolution to increase On-Call Design and Plan Production contracts with 11 consulting firms by $800k for a total of $1.05M.
· A resolution to renew a geo-environmental consulting and material testing contract with 7 consulting firms for $750k.
· A resolution to renew contracts with Capital Waste Services and Republic Services for landfill services for $125k.
· A resolution to make a ~$44k payment to Tennessee One-Call system for underground utility location services.
· A resolution to enter a $420k contract with CTI Engineers for landfill deficiency recommendations and repairs.