City of Chattanooga

The meeting addressed several key areas including discussion on a Public Works ordinance regarding Maplewood Avenue. In purchasing, inquiries were made about a Traffic Management System, specifically requesting a priority list for smart traffic system management. Discussions for the next week's proposed agenda included an ordinance about speed on through streets and one concerning the Residential Pond Program. Other business covered a Certificate of Compliance for a property on Bonny Oaks Drive, and a planned resolution regarding city-wide litter. During final readings, the Council approved two ordinances related to closing and abandoning portions of rights-of-way on Bonny Oaks Drive and Maplewood Avenue. Furthermore, resolutions were confirmed for appointments to the Passenger Vehicle for Hire and Wrecker Board and the Tree Commission. An Interlocal Agreement authorizing boundary adjustments in the City of Collegedale was also adopted. The Council approved all recommended new purchases, including funding for Sewer Video & Sonar Inspection Services, Software Consultant Services, the Traffic Management System Catalog, and Tennis Lighting Improvements for Rivermont Ballfields.

The City Council agenda for March 3, 2026, included discussion items such as future proposed agenda items, purchasing questions, and a three-week look ahead. Legislative actions involved first readings of ordinances related to amending city codes concerning speed limits on through streets and billing charges for district wreckers. Resolutions addressed the confirmation of an appointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals, authorizing an office lease for Economic Development, accepting a donation for a video board at a sports facility, awarding major contracts for citywide resurfacing and landfill gas flare replacement, creating a strategic plan to address litter, authorizing contract renewals for a pop-up skate park, approving a spend limit increase for in-car camera equipment, confirming reappointments and appointments to the Head Start Governing Board and Beer Board, and authorizing additional legal services for the City Attorney's Office. The agenda for the March 10, 2026 meeting also featured several zoning ordinance amendment discussions, including multiple rezoning requests involving properties on Lawn Street, Agawela Drive, West Shepherd Road, and Bailey Avenue, as well as updates to terminology within the Zoning Ordinance.

The meeting included several key discussions and actions. First reading ordinances covered public works issues concerning Maplewood and Wilcox Boulevard rezoning cases. Resolutions addressed adopting new Rules of Operation for the Council and a resolution concerning the sale and purchase agreement with the Trust for Public Land for property acquisition. A special exceptions permit for a liquor store on Dodds Avenue was discussed and subsequently denied due to high crime rates and potential code violations. Final reading ordinances involved amendments to the Chattanooga City Code related to pollution control fees and several zoning changes across different properties. Additionally, the Council approved several resolutions including funding for a contract with the Trust for Public Land, an amendment regarding a property acquisition from Fifty One Bricks at a Time Properties, LLC, an agreement with Signal Centers, Inc. for workforce development, the appointment of Jonathan Judd to the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals, and contracts for gymnasium renovations and an alleyway expansion agreement. The Council also authorized payment to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning sanitary sewer overflows. The body decided to reconsider a prior zoning case denial (Case No. 2025-0151) and add it to the subsequent agenda.

The main business meeting included a special presentation from the Chattanooga Food Bank regarding community food insecurity statistics and the impact of SNAP disruption. Council postponed the Legislative Committee meeting. The discussion agenda involved first readings of several planning ordinances, with one intended for approval with conditions and another deferred. Resolutions adopted included authorizing awards up to $40,000.00 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area for house construction, and the appointment of two individuals as Special Commissioned Police Officers for the Chattanooga Parking Authority. The Council approved several new technology and service purchases, including software for City Court and Police, and equipment maintenance. The Planning and Zoning Committee met separately to review zoning cases, including the withdrawal of one rezoning proposal, and heard a presentation from the Land Development Office on its mission and 2025 statistics. The business meeting was recessed and later reconvened to handle final readings, resulting in the approval of two rezoning ordinances, and first reading passage with amendments for another. The meeting concluded after reviewing departmental committee reports and recognizing members of the public who wished to address the Council.

The meeting included a special presentation providing a Chattanooga Public Safety Update, which covered CPD data collection, arrest statistics, a three-year analysis of arrest demographics, crime breakdowns, recent state law changes, and CPD's commitment to fair policing through transparency and community programs. The discussion agenda covered first readings of zoning ordinances for Dodds Avenue (Case No. 2026-0001) and Bailey Avenue (Case No. 2026-0008), with the latter being deferred. A resolution regarding the adoption of new Rules of Operation for the Council was also discussed. The Budget & Finance Committee convened separately to review FY26 budget highlights, discuss updated financial policies (including One-Time Revenue, Volatile Revenues, Structurally Balanced Budget, and Fund Balance Reserve Policies), receive a bond issuance update, and hear a preliminary budget research report from Dr. Acuff. Upon reconvening, the Council approved the final reading of an ordinance rezoning property at 3014 Dodds Avenue. Several ordinances passed on first reading, including those concerning air pollution control fees and rezoning for Jenkins Road and East Brainerd Road properties. Two resolutions were adopted regarding appointments to the Passenger Vehicle for Hire Board and the Head Start Governing Board. Other adopted resolutions authorized a renewal agreement with Songbirds Foundation, Inc., a renewal agreement with the American Heart Association, Inc., and acceptance of a donation from Trust for Public Land for Provence Street Park. An Interlocal Agreement with UTC for researching land use impacts on Friar Branch was also adopted. Departmental reports confirmed the approval of several new purchases, including tree planting, garbage truck acquisition, overgrowth abatement services, and bypass pumping equipment rental.