City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon everyone. We're going to call to order the April 28th meeting of Chattanooga City Council and recognize Vice Chairman Elliot to lead us in our pledge of allegiance and invocation. Please join me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Little gentlemen, Mr. Chair. All right. and welcome to everybody. Um, for anybody who might be new, um, just a reminder as we get started here, please check your cell phones, make sure they're off or silenced. Um, and I'll just give kind of a brief overview of how our meetings run, uh, so everyone knows. Um, we do have a special presentation that we'll do right off the bat here in a few minutes, um, from our risk management department. Um, and then after that, we'll go through and approve our minutes from our last council meeting. Um, from there, we'll look at the agenda for this week's meeting um to answer any questions or concerns, address any concerns anyone might any council members might have. Um, and then we will look at our uh next week's agenda and do the same thing, addressing any questions and and comments as they arise about items on next week's agenda. Um, following that, we'll look at the purchasing items that are on our agenda for tonight. And then, um, finally, the future considerations items. Um, so ordinances or resolutions that are coming up, um, 3 weeks from from now. So, we like to work ahead and make sure we're well prepared. Um, and so we go through that process every week. Um, after we do that, we do have a couple of committees that will be meeting today. Um, we'll have our affordable housing committee, um, led by Councilwoman Dotley. Hopefully, she's on her way. Um, and then the legislative committee, uh, which will be led by Vice Chairman Elliot. Uh from that point, we will um take a a brief recess. Uh during our recess, a lot of times we'll have an attorney client meeting with our city

attorney. Um I'm told that we don't have that need today. So, our recess will um likely be shorter today. Um and then we'll come back and we will vote on all of the items that are on our agenda for this week. Um, after all of that, at the end of our meeting, we do have a period uh for public comment. We're happy to hear from anyone and everyone um who might be here to talk to us about any given issue today. Um so, when we get to the end of our meeting, um I'll just ask for folks to line up at the podium down here up front. Um we'll have our city attorney read the rules for our public comment session and each uh member of the public will have three minutes to talk to us about uh whatever they would like. Um so from there let us start with our presentation from our department of risk management.

Good afternoon council.

Afternoon. Greg Wiznap, city risk officer since December 1, uh, 2025. So, uh, I've been in it for a while and I'm enjoying it. Can't wait for more. Uh, when risk became a standalone department, it gave risk a seat at the table, which is very important for the risk department. You should think of uh of us as a consultant and a risk insurance team that minimize financial losses and physical hazards. We protect and prevent both human and financial losses. The risk team is here to ensure safety of our employees, citizens, and our tourists. Since we have so many of them here in the in the scenic city, the risk team's goal is for everyone to go home the same way they come to work every day. We want to treat them like family members. We want to make sure they go home just like everybody else does. Let's shift our safety programs from being sometimes reactive to proactive. That's one thing I really want to push forward is making sure we move to a proactive environment so we can prevent these injuries and and accidents before they ever happen. It's very important. Uh and some of the tools that I talk about today will make will make an impression on how we're going to be able to do that uh moving forward. uh let the taxpayers dollars do every everything they can to keep uh our trucks, our employees out there on the road instead of ha, you know, instead of having them possibly involved in an accident that would uh keep that truck off the road. So, we want to do everything we can to make sure those things are happening. The rest team pursues subregation. Make sure I keep up with my slide here. Uh subregation aggressively. In 2024, we recovered $243,000.

In 2025, recovered $126,000. And remember, sometimes these accidents are not fully uh developed. So that means recovery from 2025 will still be coming in as we move forward. So sometimes it's 6 months, sometimes it's a year before we recover some of those funds. So we'll see that as we continue on. uh Eiquity and Recovery Solutions is a subregation company that we've uh partnered with to be able to help us recover more and more money uh from from third parties. In 2025, we negotiated lower insurance premiums with a savings of $262,000. So when we go to market with our insurance, we we've got our broker and we sit in there and we talk about he helps us work on all the different types of insurance carriers that are out there and let's just come in with the lowest cost so we can uh save money in that area. For example, one settlement negotiation included a $53,000 auto claim. Uh the demand was $53,000, but we were able to settle it at $45,000, which is it's a fair and consistent process of how we go through uh handling those claims. And they they do my team does a very good job. I think currently COIs are handled by each department. Risk management is proposing to bring them all into one digitized system. Uh you'll hear me talk about digitizing the enterprise. I I I want us to I'd love for us to move more and more closer to using electronic uh programs uh that can that can help us share all this information across the board. The COI is uh basically certificate of insurance. Let me explain that a little bit. Every vendor, every contractor has to have a COI. Uh basically it's a layer of insurance required by each vendor and contractor. So the vendor or the contractor has responsibilities if we incur a liability with possible litigation. So that that helps protect

us as a city, making sure that they have the right coverages and uh items in place before they ever come on our property, before the vendor goes out and serves food at at a at a uh event we may have down downtown. Oh, I'm sorry about got behind my slides. Uh there we go. Uh employee safety and compliance safety upgrades today. Police got key fobs which helped them get in and out of their vehicles quicker. Landfill security. We were made made a big difference out there helping secure the landfill. We have watercraft insurance, drone insurance, IOD policy uh upgrade that was that was passed here a few weeks ago and 28 cameras in our trucks. I really want to talk about these cameras. You'll you'll hear me more talk about them in just a few minutes. Some of the safety upgrades that we are working on that we're proposing are some uh better comfortable seat belts for some of our IOD trucks. For instance, our trash trucks, recycle trucks, the leaf trucks. Uh uh when I rode in them doing a ride along, I found out that the drivers are not as comfortable as they could be and and by putting a safety latch on them, it would keep them comfortable during the day and help them maintain wearing that seat belt all day. Uh, also some of the things we're looking at are fall protection at our Amna Fleet Shop. Uh, manhole cover, mechanical remover. Instead of our guys being out there and picking up those 200lb manholes with with a with a basically a cray crowbar and a shovel, we would come up with a a system that would pick those things up with a magnet, move them out of the way so they would never have to touch them with their hands. Uh, another thing we're looking at, I've been riding with the fire department. There's some areas I think we're we need to look at possibly getting tiller fire trucks to be able to maneuver in some of those areas. We got some really tight spaces. We want to work on a citywide MSDS program. That's a that's our chemicals that we use in all the different areas like for instance in the fleet

maintenance shops. Uh we're we're working on an online safety training vector solutions. That's that's actually on the agenda today. Uh and then NVR monitoring and quarterly safety campaigns. Uh some of the ride alongs we've done is with fire, police, leaf trucks, garbage trucks. What what this does, it helps us improve our safety. We can get out there with the with the employees, find out exactly what they're doing. What can we do to make a difference to make them safer and to keep them uh from getting injured and to and to also prevent uh accidents. Johnson Associates, our TPA, they help us manage our IOD program. The team uh is looking at areas that we can prevent injuries. We're seeing the opportunity in a few areas to help lower the IOD cost, but better than that, we keep our employees injuryfree. Taking care of our employees after an injury is very important to us. We want to make sure they're taken care of just like we would take care of one of our family members after an injury because sometimes it's it's very uh tough on the employee and we want to make sure everything flows properly and they're taken care of. Johnson and Associates have helped us reduce our claims duration, which means less days away from work. The long the quicker you can get an employee back to work, uh, the better because that that means they're they're going to they're going they're going to want to go back to work quickly. Uh, that it's a and that's a big impact due to our light duty program. The light duty program is excellent. We keep PE folks back in in the in their jobs and by offering light duty, it makes a big difference. Uh we're also working on a campus review, a city hall campus review which includes the city annex, uh the council building here, uh the water building, and the city hall. Basically, I'm calling that our our city hall campus. Uh we're working on some safety items to make sure we're all safe in this area. The rest team is also working on a fire extinguisher program. Back to digitizing. uh we want to monitor our fire extinguishers using QR codes

instead of going around and monitoring with a clipboard checking off if they're they're they're ready if they're good for that month or they're are handled annually. We want to digitize that and where a person would walk around with a smartphone basically scanning each one of the fire extinguishers and doing it electronically. Recently we added ADA title six compliance offer to our team. Most everybody knows about ADA and requirements. However, the latest regulation is to change the digital content that goes out to the public, which and we must meet that new federal regulation. I'm sure a lot of you have heard about that. That's one of the the hot topics that are going on right now with that group. Safety audits have taken place in fireh halls, libraries, fleet maintenance shops, community centers, sea parks, pump stations. That was a different one. I've never had never been in a pump station. And when you go down five stories in a pump station, that that's kind of different. But it's we've got to make sure they're safe when they go down there. Uh and also we're doing uh the fire extinguisher audits and and also probably the most important security audit I've done so far. Actually did it yesterday. Making sure our kids are safe in our Head Start programs. If any anything that I talk about today is not more important than keeping those about a thousand kids safe, I want to make that's one thing if you say something that keeps you up at night, that's one thing that could keep me up at night when I think about making sure those kids are safe. And we're going and we're going to make sure that that takes place. These audits can help us make changes uh to our processes and also keep our employees and the public safe. Here is our uh public works department. Uh Joe Merrick does a great job down there. Every morning they get up and do their exercises. This was a video. We had a little trouble getting it to play, but as most seem to do, but anyway, this is great. Uh I've never se It's almost like uh clockwork that they're down there. I've been down there many times

and did the stretching. I was like, "Man, I need to do this more myself." So anyway, uh that's a great program. I guarantee you that's prevented a lot of injuries with our drivers. You know, the number one injury of get of of truck drivers and folks that drive commercial vehicles, getting in and out of the truck. Number one injury for those folks. So, if we can get some stretching with our legs and arms, we'll hopefully prevent some of those things. Fleet liability and claims. We want to make sure our fleet is one of the safest on the roads. We're proposing to add an MVR program to our 15.0 policy. We recently pulled all class AC CDL driver MVRs. We're proposing that all commercial drivers will be required to get DOT physicals to verify they're physically fit to drive the large vehicles that we allow them to drive. The new upgrade in the 16.0 drug and alcohol policy is currently with the ED committee. And then also upgrades with our fleet accident procedures are proposed in that 15.0 as well. Let me go back one. Keep going. Driver oversight. Uh the take-home vehicle program is being upgraded in the 150 policy as well. Uh will include most of the recommendation almost all recommendations that from the audit team. Uh the risk management will be responsible for running MVRs, tracking insurance requirements, and handling all accidents that the take-home vehicle program has. Cameras. Cameras are a vital improve vital tool for us to improve the fleet of our sa the safety of our fleet. I've been dealing with cameras for about the five last five years. And to be in the this where I've been, it's probably the cameras in trucks are the best tool I've ever seen to help a driver with with with maybe possibly uh with the with habits that they may have. Uh it's incredible. You can bring a driver in, do a little

coaching with them. It's amazing what you can do with those cameras. Not only coaching drivers. A lot of people think, well, we're going to use the cameras to say, oh, was that accident preventable or was that accident nonpreventable? The best tool that you can use with those cameras is make is coaching your drivers, helping them become even safer drivers. We are all also uh implementing a metric accidents per million miles. We want to track our accidents with our with our fleet all the way down to the any vehicle, not only commercial vehicles, but all of our vehicles. We want to be able to track that and to be able to set goals using that in the future. We're implementing a citywide online training platform that will be interactive training that is meaningful and impactful for the learner. It will allow us to customize training using videos from our Samsara camera system to uh also using current pictures of our employees and our equipment performing the work. That means when they look at this training, they're going to see their co-workers. They're going to see their truck. They're going to see videos of of the uh of the trucks that that that we have videos from. And it's it's huge to make a big impression on them because it's it's it brings it home to them. They're they're wanting to see that video to see who the person is in the video and to see if their trucks in the video. Starting in May, we're going to have uh quarterly safety campaigns. The first one is going to be uh on heat stress, which is very important to our folks that are out outdoors every day all day. And then also we are proposing to implement a citywide SDS safety data sheet. That's our chemicals that we use. Uh digitize that program and bring it all in under one umbrella. Telematics. Telematics are very important to our fleet. Cameras will allow us to investigate accidents and help us prove we have no liability involved in most cases. It's been proved most of the time in commercial vehicles, it's the other party's fault. A lot of times they think it's the four-wheeler's fault, but a lot of times it's the other party's fault.

So, we we we want to be able to u share that and make sure that's available. Lane change accidents. Uh hard to prove fault on sometimes. It's uh but we'll be able to do that once we get camera systems in the trucks. The camera systems that we're proposing is a full 360 view uh like some of you probably have in your cars that looks forward. It looks to the sides and it looks to the back. Public asset management. We want to pro protect our city property with the insurance and make sure that everything is covered. The risk team is responsible for all insurance coverages for the city. We get the best rates available by by negotiating with our broker Gallagher. Prior to opening of Veringer Park, we were able to secure property insurance in less than two days. We saved $85,000 by negotiating the original uh quote of the premium for that park. This year, we've bundled all insurance policies under the main policy. We've been able to save $34,000 by pulling all that together, just like you would bundle your car and your house and your uh together. We're doing the same thing with all of our city properties. We secure several types of insurance uh for the city which includes terrorism, auto, athletic, crime, drone insurance, out of state auto liability, and even all the way down to our fine arts that are in our art sections and art districts. In 2025 for the citywide insurance, it was a total of $1.5 million. Back again to cameras. I wanted to we had a video. This camera was actually in one of our city fire departments uh pickup trucks as he was drive. This was at the Walmart there near Eastgate. As he was driving down the road headed toward the Walmart, the the car right

there to the to the to the left pulled square. They they ran the stop sign ran right out in front of him. He t-boned him. Uh the video showed it clear. Zero fault of ours. If we didn't have the video, I would have been out at the gas station. I would have been over at the other buildings trying to find video coverage. If we have cameras in our trucks, it's going to save us. It's going to not only save us for for uh liability, but it's going to allow us to help coach drivers as well. I want to make sure I get that point across. Protecting our people and defending our assets. Let's be proactive, not reactive. The risk team requests everyone's help to drive a valued safety culture. The risk team cannot do it alone. It's a city-wide task. We must all work together. We'll be asking for funds to help digitize the risk management enterprise with cameras and trucks, COIs, MSDS sheets, MVR monitoring, digital online safety training, which is on the agenda for today. we can make our city the safest, most efficient municipality in the country with everyone's help. Thank you. And I will share my uh our our organizational chart with the risk team.

Any questions? Yeah, thank you, Greg. I think we do have one from Councilwoman Hill. Greg, thanks for um putting this presentation together for us and giving us an update. So um so we created this department as part of the budget um for this year. So this department was funded. Uh remind me what your total budget is in this department. I don't know that right off the top of my head. I know we were just working on those, but I'll have to get back to you what that is. Kevin Mandy, do you know what the total budget for the risk department is? I don't know what it is off the top of my head.

Weston, do you know what the budget is for this department? Thank you. Um so you you listed several um so the formation of this department has been important to me um as as I've served because what what we see behind the scenes is all the times when the city is uh negotiating injury on duty claims when we are um being sued by people who um have been in accidents that have been at the fault of the city. And when um when Mandy and Mike Anthony brought the idea to us that we needed to create this freestanding risk department, it made a lot of sense to me. Um so I what I'm trying to understand is are are we headed in a meaningful direction? Do we have ROI on this? And um the numbers that you shared um I'm interested to know, Won, do we have that number now?

4.2 million.

So you have $4.2 2 million budget. Um so so far um the examples that you've shared um feel kind of small to me. Um and so I'm hopeful that you have data that can show us some other improvements. Let's see. You said we had with segregation, you had 2024 was $245,000 recouped in damages to the city. 2025 we're at half that right now. Um and we are uh let's see we've got June, July, but we have one month left in our fiscal year and we're half of what we did before we had a risk department. Um we have settled one auto claim for $8,000 less than what they asked for. Um, and we've saved $34,000 on a $ 1.5 million insurance spend. So, when you start talking about um the cameras, the 360, I'm wondering, can you tell us please what kind of um expense you're expecting for the cameras? Um what's the capital investment for that versus the ROI that we can expect to see?

Okay. on on one of the uh questions that you spoke about the uh subregation. Mhm. Remember that that subregation only you final you don't finalize it until the claim comes fully developed. Once the fully developed claim is developed then you go after your segregation of what? Because you have loss of use of vehicle, you've got the cost of the vehicle, different things like that. So remember, it may be six months before we're recouping some of that that just happened in the past few months. So are you saying that it is it is not reasonable to compare fiscal year to fiscal year? No, ma'am.

Okay. So we wouldn't we would expect significant swings from one fiscal year to another on a subregation. Okay.

Yes. And the uh ROI on the cameras. Yeah. Each camera uh roughly is going to be about 200 bucks or so to uh to have it installed and then there's a monthly fee of $265 three I can't remember exactly what that cost is uh to monitor and and it depends on the package that you get because they have several different packages for the monitoring of those vehicles. So, uh, the I I'll say this, the ROI on that is, uh, because of the chance of accidents with large trucks. And I know here in Tennessee, we we cap that at 750,000, but if if we cross the state line, we run into other issues. That's that's why we got to be careful when our vehicles cross that state line because Georgia don't have that cap. So, in order and the reason why I'm saying that is it's really hard to always say you got an ROI, but I can tell you from my past experience with these cameras, it's amazing how many times we've I've been able to say that was a non-preventable accident. And in the past before cameras were around on vehicles, we we the settlements were were in were crazy how much we had to pay out because we really didn't know. It was a it was a it was a dart throw.

That makes sense. So, so, um, how many how many vehicles are you do you want to install cameras on? Currently, I would love to be able to put them on out of the what we've got 24 right now. We actually have about 450 to 500 commercial vehicles in our in our public works department. So, I that's the first round of of of trucks that I would like to get those on and especially the the larger trucks, the commercial vehicles. Okay. So, you said they were $200 to install. what what is the actual cost of the cameras? I don't know that off the top of my head right now. Okay. It'd be great to get I can get that to you

some numbers on what what your expected capital ask is for that. Um with regard to insurance, um do we have um any kind of what's our cyber security coverage? Cyber security is just making sure that anything gets outside of the walls of of DTS which is uh it's very pro it's very well what we've got but as we know hackers are very efficient and very uh good at what they do uh but it it's it's protecting the city information that we like for instance storm water a lot of information that goes into storm water we we don't want that information out to the public so we want to protect that and and use and having insurance to be able to cover anything that could be damaging to the city as far as loss of funds coming into us. That's that would be what it would be for. Is that would that question?

So, it sounds like yes, we do have you're you're comfortable with our cyber security coverage. That's something that we've had quite a lot of conversations with with DTS um and our we were led to believe that that was one of our biggest liabilities. Correct. Would you would you agree or as you think about the city 3 to five years, what what are the the biggest risks that we've got and and how we're preparing for them? I think the biggest risk we have uh as far as current risk of our is our vehicles on the road. Okay. Those vehicles on the road are are that's huge. They're out there with the motoring public.

And is that where you have seen that we've had the greatest liability in terms of cost? Yes. Okay. Okay. Hold on. Let me just check real quick, Mr. Chair. Yeah. I guess I have I have one other question about how we're trending with workers comp claims since risk has been a department. Are we up, down, side, flat?

From the numbers I've looked at, we are up. And sometimes those are really tough to control. Uh for for example, our officers when they're out on the job, they are in very uncontrolled environments and and they they're the they're the number one cost for us on our on our injury uh costs. Uh but that's part of that's kind of like part of doing the business. Uh it's going to happen. We're we're looking at ways we can prevent injuries, but when they're out there in that uncontrolled environment and they're jumping over a bobwire fence chasing after somebody and they they break their leg or or or for instance, they're on a they're on a bicycle in training and they fall and break their hip. Uh you never know what's going to happen.

Okay. All right. Thank you very much. That's all, Mr. Chair. Okay. Any other questions or comments, council? No. All right. Thank you very much, Greg. Thank you. All right. Council, can I get a motion on the minutes from a previous meeting, please?

All right, minutes will stand as published. Um, let's look, council, at our items on tonight's agenda. We do have one ordinance on final reading. We have several on first reading. I do intend to take um items 8A through D as a package. Um and then we have item E which relates to the Southside Cowart neighborhood parking district that we'll take individually. Mr. Chair. Yes. Um so I don't take those as packages of ordinances but also the first three

in district two and I do have a a question related to item C. Absolutely. Trying to get the queue situated here. Okay, we should be good. Okay, there we go.

Okay, thank you. Um, sorry, I was still green, so I thought I was um um Okay, so um related to um public works item C, Jay, um this this is a tricky item um for me and I think I I may need uh some legal opinion as well. So this uh this right ofway um we have a recommendation to deny it and the the rationale uh makes sense on the face of it that it will create landlock parcels. Um the challenge this uh this area of my district is extraordinarily steep. So this is an unopened ride of way that um has been unopened. It's been platted, I think, for 95 years. Um, actually, I think longer than that. Um, 130 years. Um, and for the last 95 years, the owners of 1109 Spears have used the first 100 ft of that ride ofway. So, so it's like we've got this T-shaped thing happening where a driveway on this very steep parcel goes and then there's this unopen ride ofway that then in theory we have these four parcels that have not been landlocked because we've had a ride ofway, but it's a 35% grade and the city doesn't go beyond a 16% or 15% grade, I think.

So, they're actually kind of landlocked, Miss Attorney. Um, and so like here here's an opportunity where if we close it, we open up development for the front side of the street, but legally are we not allowed to create an official landlock situation. I I need some help with that because it's like I've got practical and I've got theoretical happening. I'm not sure. Uh, Councilwoman Hill, off the top of my head, um, it's something that our office can look into and follow up with you about. Jay, do you have any insight on that?

Uh, no ma'am, I didn't see you speaking up with something else on the front end. Heraldo has been helping you here. Uh, if it is not meet the requirements for being a city street because of grade, it could not be an opened up street. That's that's the problem in that regard. So, so gradewise it doesn't. But also, if we take away the right of way, we're creating landlock parcels. And is that is are we legally required to not landlock parcels?

The state law would allow access if there has been access through that by an implied easement under state law on there if they've been having that, but it would not be maintained necessarily by the city either. So, so these lots were conveyed between 1887 and 1891. Yes. They've never had street frontage, water, sewer, utilities, or fire protection, uh, due to the contours that have made them unsuitable for development. Um, I don't want to get us in a Hey, risk department. I don't want to get us in a situation where we're going to end up in a lawsuit over property access. Right.

Yes. But the access is merely theoretical. And that that access uh at least they they can get to their property if there's a possibility of doing that. They can also walk back and forth. The danger is that there is not the ability to provide any type of fire or police to Yeah. There's no way to get to anything that would be built there. Correct. So, I I'm I'm kind of stuck. I I think I may uh Mr. Chair, I think I may need to delay this one more week just to further confer with you, Phil.

Um and Jay, I've I've had a lot of family things happening, so I wasn't able to dig into this the way I usually would have before. Now, um this is just a tricky one. like do you do you say no to to what is available right now for something that since 18 whatever hasn't been buildable um yes okay and I guess we we have some differences now I guess if if we can get access by drone but other than that that's that's a problem here hot air balloon well maybe yes could they get clearance I'm sure that's a whole other situation still difficult to serve that that's the issue within city limits

yeah Oh, I mean we have some other lots in this area that I mean they have to be sprinkled if they're going to be built on because of the topography. Okay. Yeah, I'd like to delay this one week, Mr. Chair. Okay. Sure. Thank you for next we have Councilwoman Dotley.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Uh I do have ordinance um on the first reading uh letter E. We'll be reading the alternate version. Um I did send you all some updates uh I believe yesterday. So I wanted to share those. But before I did that, I did want to acknowledge uh those who are here regarding this ordinance. Uh so the PTA and Battle Academy representatives, would you please stand? They are not in favor of this. Thank you so much, Emily. It's there. Okay. Thank you. And then um business owners as well that are here, could you please stand as well? Thank you so much. And they also are not in favor of it as well. Thank you so much. You can have a se Thank y'all. I just want to acknowledge that y'all did come and we've been I got a lot of emails going and then also the South Coward Neighborhood Association if you would stand please if you're here to represent the neighborhood association. Oh hey Tom and if you ever get an email from Tom Perty that's him in the blue shirt. Uh but also thank you so much neighborhood for coming. Um and I did want to share um publicly the email I sent out is information only to the council yesterday. I try to peruse over it. Uh but pretty much after uh regarding uh Battle Academy, after multiple emails and a conversation with Principal Whan, uh Hamilton County Schools has agreed to cover the costs associated with any additional parking tags as well as up to 20 paid parking spaces for teachers. Additionally, Carter will work with the Battle Academy each year to include a grace period at the start of the school year to ensure all needs are met. There is no intent to ticket parents, te teachers, staff, volunteers or visitors associated with Battle Academy. As far as the PTA is concerned, they are not in favor as I mentioned earlier of this resolution. Um u as they believe these are public streets and should not require neighborhood permits. Is that correct? Right. Okay. Um because I want to make sure I cover every voice here because this is a a a very serious

decision for the neighborhood and for the school. However, they are aware of the protections in place for the school and the alternate version and understand those accommodations. Fort Negley, which is the adjacent neighborhood across the if you're on the south cow side where Battle is, you go across the way and then you have Fort Negley, that's the neighborhood adjacent to it. Um, for context, the adjacent Fort Negley neighborhood currently has the residential parking permits. I am unsure why those permits were not extended to the South Cow community. And then business impact, which I think uh I shared just a portion of a message and Councilwoman Hill asked me about it last week and I just kind of reiterate what I mentioned last week um which I sent out in part to uh the business owners that you see today. Uh I understand the proposal may have some impact on business along the main street corridor. However, parking pressures in the main street and southside area are real. As a frequent visitor to the corridor myself, I have experienced these constraints and have paid for parking on numerous occasions. This is a common condition of a growing and active downtown core, which is what we want. Um, not just in Chattanooga, but in cities across the country, and it requires us to make thoughtful and sometimes difficult policy decisions about how limited space is managed. Um, and I sent that to and so you all that are out there know that I did send this to council yesterday. Um, and I'd be happy to forward it to you all as well. And I just want to say I appreciate it's been a lot of dialogue, but I appreciate you all's active engagement in government affairs. Uh, I appreciate that very much. So, I do have uh for this I do plan to move to approve on the alternate version. Again, council, you know, that's it's all it's on you all, but I just wanted to make you aware of my intentions and the information that was shared with you all. I wanted to make sure I shared it publicly and that you all knew the faces behind that information.

All right, that's it. Thank you so much, C. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Councilman Harvey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh quick question I guess for Jay and I see Mike here. This may be a mic question as well for my um closure of the wide or right of way uh in district 4 on Cedar Street. I couldn't even find that on the map. Where where there's a Cedar Street on 153. Where is this? Cedar Street is in district 4. It is off of Jenkins Road, sir.

Okay. Okay. All right. uh can you talk me through with what we're want to do here? Apparently they are requesting to Hold on one second please. And that's on for next week just so we're all following along. Okay. Uh it's on first read today.

Okay. Yeah. So, the applicant is requesting to abandon the 20ft alley at the rear of the property for construction of a new single family home subdivision. The alley is unopened as was originally platted to be the southern half of a future road, but the remaining rideway was never platted or constructed. The western portion of the alley towards Jenin Road was previously abandoned in 2004 and no parcels will be landlocked. So, planning commissioners recommended approval. Public work recommends approval subject to recording of a new plat. And I think that goes in line with the name of the roadway because it's not an official street.

Okay. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. So doesn't even show up on the GS GIS map, which I thought was weird. So Okay. All right. Cool. That's all. Yes, sir. Thank you. You're welcome. Okay. All right. Councilwoman Burs. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm actually going back to the parking ordinance and I don't know if this is question for you Councilwoman Doley or someone else but um just some clarifications about the ordinance. It said that this would go into effect two in two weeks two weeks from the signature. Is that correct? Did I read that correctly?

Yeah. So, it will go is Brent here? Come on, Brent. Come on up with Carter. uh he can give you some better details about that, but two weeks and then kind of the timeline if it passes the timeline of kind of how that goes into in effect. Yes, ma'am. It would take us at least a month to get the signs up. So, I think we were aiming to started at the beginning of the school year would be the plan. Okay. Cuz that just working with the Department of Transportation or public works, it would take us a little while to get everything together. Okay. So we would do we need to change the wording in the ordinance then does it say I thought I saw you got it pulled up

shall take two weeks from and after it's passes not necessarily cuz the two weeks after it passes then they still have what maybe another two to 3 weeks until it's actually started. So it probably wouldn't start till Juneish maybe mid June something to that effect because they still have to get the processes in place. Okay. So then I guess I'm thinking in terms of you think when when schools are starting out that's the best time to reach parents and to activate something new.

I'm just wondering if there's some tweaks that we could make if it gets approved. Are there some tweaks that we could make to um accommodate the school where there will already have a system, you know, beginning of the school year, parents get their packets, new students, new new families get their packets versus you're only get sending this stuff to kids that are going to be there for the summer only. So then they start the process over again for fall. Does that make sense? Yes. So, Carter, I'm just wondering if we can if this gets approved, if there's some timing tweaks we could do to make it easier for the stu students to get the information or the families to get the information because right now it's going to be all over the place. Well, Carter has

we're absolutely open to to whatever we need to do. So, then my next question is does that need I guess I turn to the city attorney who's represented today. Do we need to modify the ordinance in order to reflect that to put a specific date that this will go into effect August whatever the Okay. Yes ma'am. Attorney. Okay. Yes ma'am. We can put in a specific date that it will be effective. I I thought there was initially something about the end of the school. So that g okay so that gives that gives time to work out the kinks if there is

communication issues that the school needs to Okay. So that's the first thing. Um and my my next question is I see how this helps identify the the the battle academy related parking from 6:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. and special events. How will this address parking from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.? I'm not sure. Like are you talking about for the neighborhood? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, they're going to have virtual permits is the way we're going to do it just like we do for wood in Fort Nagley. And how's that how's that governed in in Fort Wood and Fort Negley from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.? It's we enforce it just with our staff. So tell I mean literally tell me how I mean I'm sorry. Yeah.

We literally go through and check and we will have the we'll have the permits loaded and we will know who's who's eligible to park there and who's not. From 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. you will. Okay. All right. Um, and then the next question I have, are they the families going to be using the hang tag that they already use for the school drop off and pickup or is it a a separate tag? I believe count the Councilwoman Dialy I believe uh it's the same. It'll be the same. They only have one tag and it could be drop off, pickup, parking, or volunteering.

Dr. Sharp talked about that going forward. And I apologize, Calvin Dolly. You've been so good to answer all my questions, but as I've been processing this, I've come up with some more. And other people have really been helpful educating me. So, thank you all for allowing me to ask a couple more questions before I make my vote. Um, and the other thing I want to confirm, you said the school system has agreed to pay for the for the passes, any additional that they have to print because they have a print shop. They'll pro be providing those to the school. Yes.

Okay. Um, and only because one of the things in some of my conversations about the some the unintended consequence of at some point putting that burden on the families. Has that come up at some point once it's a this program is approved? If it's approved, is there something in writing from the school system that says that they will provide the parking passes at no expense to the school just for the protection of the families? Yes, it's in uh I I guess I was it's a public document, but Robert Sharp uh actually sent us the email back and told us they would pay for up to 20 spots as well as the any additional parking tax they need and it'll be put into their operating budget so it does not fall into

puts a time doesn't put a time limit on it. They will just add that to their expenses for that school. Right. Okay. All right. Not to the but it wouldn't come from the school. It'll come from the main I guess it's called the main office. Okay. All right. Whatever up there. Thank you everyone for accommodating my questions. That's all. Mr. Chair, thank you B. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Chair Elliot. U Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Oh, I need if you don't mind. Sorry. I I want to use you up. And the reason I'm speaking on this one. I've gotten a ton of emails and calls on this one. So, usually I don't I don't speak on stuff that's not my district, but

I just gotten a lot of folks who's asked about this one. I have a question and I think you answered it and if I missed it or councilly you may be able to shine some light on this. What something that a couple folks have asked me about a compromise of like you know with permits but um having a gap you know it is open and available from like 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Y'all probably mentioned that and just missed it. Yes. It's an alternate version. It is in that. So there will be it will be open for anybody from 6:00 a.m. to for the school. It'll be for the school. Just the school. The school. Yeah. Because the other side Fort Negley also has them on their side. The difference is they don't have a school on their side.

Whereas South Coward does. So the accommodation was made for the school and through the advocacy of their PTA to make sure that at least those accommodations are made. So cuz if it's open to anybody, then it ain't no there's no point in having a permit. So it is open. But for the school itself, for their visitors or whoever they at their, you know, designation, however they want to do it, it'll be for to make the accommodations for the schools to make sure there's no burdens. And then we've also uh and we have a process as to which if they do get a ticket u that will provide something for the school so that they can contact Carter directly to deal with that. But again, the intention is not to ticket the anything with the school. And what do these um placers look like for the teachers?

Um I don't know if you I didn't bring it downstairs. It's a it's a school bus. It's a school bus you hang up in the dash and then it'll have the school year on it. Um I don't Well, I don't have one. Just like you normally have for carline pickup. Yeah, it's like a car line pickup thing. And because this is something that someone toss out as well, this may be a question for you and Carter. What's stopping somebody from I know I got a a couple emails from business owners, right? And some of the employees and I think that was some of the concerns that some of the residents had as well. You have employees who may work in adjacent

um businesses. What's stopping them from creating their own lookalike and just hanging it up there? I think what I know it's funny, but it's also a legit question. It kind of also defeats the purpose as well. If it's just a simple placer, you can just plop up there and say, "Hey, I have mine, too." I don't know. I guess some people are just scandalous like that. But for but generally that that's the place, you know, you get the school has theirs and then for the neighborhood is actually by license plate, right? So, they have to register their license plate and they get the sticker. I don't think it's a sticker, is it? No, it's just a license plate. Kind of how we virtual permit. Oh, okay. Yeah. Like,

um Okay. I I will say this. I've never been crazy about, and I'm saying this to everybody who's here, I've never been crazy about uh designated parking uh on public streets. I'm just going to be honest. Um especially in adjacent areas that have um a lot of commercial energy around it. Um you know, Main Street's just not a place that the residents live uh attend. This is something that people from all across the city go and you know my knee-jerk perspective is you know these residents moved into these homes knowing that parking wasn't available and so now we're kind of in a position where you and I can talk about after I'm free. I see you shaking your head m I'm I'm definitely open to talk about it. We got a few minutes before the vote. Um, but it's we're also taking away public street parking in a hotly commercial corridor. So, that's I'm struggling with this one. I'm not going to lie. I'm not um and I don't comment on this lightly by no means, but this is something that is it's a little sticky one. So, I appreciate it and I'm available to talk to anybody between now and time to vote.

Okay, that's it, Mr. Chairman. All right, Councilman Harvey, thank you. I too am struggling with this. I received a call from uh actually a constituent of mine who was a teacher at the school. Uh and after about an hour conversation, I left the conversation with about 20 more questions about how this is going to work. Um, so, so one of the one of the things I'm trying to wrap my head around is I think at at one point there was also a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. uh tag requirement. Is that for the Yeah, it's for the school. So, they I believe the daycare starts at 6:00 a.m. if I'm not that is that right, Emily? Does the daycare open at 6:00?

Yeah. And then the latest program they would have usually will end by cuz mind you, they get out of school at like 3:00. So the latest program they will have is at 6 p.m. and they have after school care. So they have uh those things. So that's why we want to make sure we covered that and they have uh program the daycare that the daycare is open in the summer as well. So we want to make sure that we cover that time frame for them. Okay. The other concern was uh there's after school events that families go to um and then there's a UTC I think has a daycare there as well. That's it. How is that?

Yeah, that's the same thing we just I mentioned. So the 3 to six covers those after school events. So we had two meetings uh with the administration, school board representative, county commissioner, uh board of education, the PTA representative, and the community members uh about that about kind of what goes on at the school. So the principal told us roughly they have about four events uh each year that's like after hours events and so they usually end no later than 6:00.

So that's why it was the 6:00 p.m. cuz that's what we were informed uh informed of. And then you asked about the school care. Same thing. They'll be there and they're there all they open all year long if I'm not mistaken. So that also uh accommodates them also. Okay. Um Okay. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Okay. That's all for now. Okay. Okay. Thank you.

All right. Council, any other questions or comments about any other items on the agenda for tonight? All right. Looking ahead to next week, uh we do have a planning and zoning committee meeting. Oh, next. Oh. Okay. Vice Chairman Elliot.

I'm sorry. Y'all don't kill me. Um on my planning item for this evening, I have uh the intentions to motion to approve this with conditions. I sent this to Nicole and Phil. I didn't know you were coming. I'm sorry. I would send it to you, but I sent it to Phil and I just want to make sure it's on the record if you don't mind, Mr. Chairman. Uh the conditions are as follows. A privacy fence shall be required along the western property line running the full length of the neighboring home directly across from it. There shall be a 5 to six foot vegetation screen that must be installed along the rear of all of the homes bordering the west property line. The HOA rules shall um prohibit flood lights directly towards any neighboring properties. There shall be a 10 a hold on Karen corrected me on this one. There shall be a minimum of a 10-ft setback on the western property line and the developer shall adjust the neighboring property uh property's driveway so it doesn't directly cross over into the new development. So I just want to make sure that was on the record and I plan on including those conditions with this um ordinance this evening.

Okay, that's it. Sorry about that. All right, no problem. Thank you. So, back to next week. We do have items on final reading that were on first reading this week, including that one in district 4. Sorry about that, Councilman Harvey. We'll look. Um, and we have several items on first reading as well. And then we have some resolutions. Um, for item 9A, you'll notice that there's an alternate version. The only reason for that alternate version is to correct a name change. Um, one of the um, one of the firms there number two, um, was originally Reagan Smith Associates. They've been bought by Pape Dawson. So, there's just a name change to correct that. That's why there's an alternate version there. Let's see. Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I had a question about uh I have two planning items, items B and C. And is Karen here? Okay. I had a question about those particular items, please. Okay. So last month, no, earlier this month when we had our planning meeting for um 20260018, he's supposed to follow up with you all. Um did he ever follow up at all? Um we did follow up and they had scheduled a um I believe it confirmed they had scheduled a presubmitt meeting um because this had gotten pushed out and we gave them the revised date, but I will confirm the outcomes of that that has happened.

Okay. So, I probably defer that one. And then, um, for item C, I just want to make the council aware I may defer that one as well. We have a neighborhood meeting on site Monday. And so, depending on what comes out of that, I may need to amend or defer that one, but I I'll follow up and I'll follow up on the other item to confirm the action from presubmitt. Okay, that works. Thank you, Karen. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, council. Any other questions or comments about items on next week's agenda? All right, let's look at the purchases for this evening. Any questions on the purchases? I will note related to purchases. Um, there was an item on last week, you might recall, we approved the purchase of some chairs for public works and wastewater. And I'm told that there will be a motion on our agenda next week to resend that purchase. So, um I think that will be wellreceived. Yes.

Yes. All right.

Okay. Um so that takes us through to future considerations, which is looking pretty sparse right now, but are there any questions on future considerations? Okay. With that, I will turn over the chair here to Councilwoman Dotley for our affordable housing committee meeting this evening. Okay. All right. Council, I call out afford affordable housing committee meeting to uh order. Can I get approval on the minutes? So move.

Thank you so much. Minute stand without objection. Uh today our housing team will provide updates on three of our programs. So Megan will come up and give that. And while I'm waiting on her, I want to just give a shout out to my first realtor, Sabrina. Hey, good. And to my second realtor, Tamika Brewer, if you could stand in please. Yes, please. Thank you so much. These are amazing realtors and while we're waiting on Megan, I thought I would give them a shout out. So, they are fantastic. First house, second house. So, good to see y'all here. All right, Megan, you take it away.

Thank you, Councilwoman. And good afternoon, council. I'm Megan Miles, the director of housing policy for the city of Chattanooga, and I'm really excited to be here today to provide an update on three new programs that were funded through this year's budget amendment. Um, over the past six months, our team has been really hard at work on designing and launching these programs. And so, I'm here today to just kind of briefly walk you through an update on our progress. I did promise Councilman Dotley a very tight 10-minute presentation. That's right.

Uh, I'm going to try very hard to stick to my word on that. So, I'm going to go through these slides quickly, but of course, I'm here to answer any questions that you may have about any of these programs. Before diving in though, I do want to briefly frame how we approach this work and how we think about program design generally because the first thing I want to say is there's no oneizefitsall or silver bullet solution to our affordable housing crisis. We have to approach it from every angle with every tool in our toolkit and you'll see that reflected in the range of programs that we're discussing today. Second, the need is immense. Our resources are limited. So that requires us to be strategic um using data to target interventions and identifying opportunities to leverage additional funding so that we can stretch every dollar further. And third, this work really depends on collaboration. These programs build upon work that's been done in our communities for years. And so during the design phase for these programs, we convened roundts with partners, with stakeholders who've been doing this work to learn from their experience, ask what works well, and really identify where additional support is needed. Um, and so with that, I'm going to start I'm going to start where we start always, which is with data. Um, and starting with eviction prevention. As housing costs outpace wages, many families are living with no margin for error. So 23% of renters in Chattanooga, which is about 8,600 households, are severely costburdened, which means that they're paying more than half of their income in rent. So that means that a single setback like a medical bill, a car repair, or reduced hours can quickly lead to eviction, and then ultimately end in homelessness. We know that preventing eviction is better for families. It's better for the community, and it's also more cost-effective. but we didn't have a funding source in place that could be used to intervene before an eviction was filed. And so with our eviction prevention initiative, we've taken a three-pronged approach to kind

of looking at this issue. First, we provide legal support through a partnership with legal aid to help level the playing field in eviction court because most landlords have attorneys and most tenants don't. And as you can imagine, that often results in imbalanced outcomes for tenants. We also have created a brand new flexible rental assistance fund designed for early intervention that can support families as they navigate a crisis. And last, we heard that sometimes these things aren't enough. We need additional support. And so we built a coordinated referral process that links families to case management and housing navigation when they need it. That allows us to better address the underlying cause of whatever that crisis was um and to help those families work towards longer term stability. So, we launched this fund in February of this year. Um, since then, we've supported 89 families who might have otherwise fallen into homelessness. Our average assistance amount is about $3,000. Half of those families, just about, had children, and nearly half were actively employed at the moment. The majority of them were dealing with either reduced job hours or a sudden job loss, and many of them were navigating health crisis. We saw that over and over again as we looked through that data. Often these crises are compounding and we see how quickly one thing can lead to another. And so this program is really there to provide that timely support to prevent a short-term crisis from spiraling into long-term homelessness. Next, looking at preservation. Preserving affordable housing is just as important as building new units, and it's also more cost-effective. In Chattanooga, 37% of owner occupied homes are owned by residents who are 65 or older. Older homeowners are more likely to be costburdened. Many live alone on fixed incomes, and they also tend to live in older homes. Over a third of our older homeowners earn less than $35,000

a year. So, for these homeowners, the cost of essential repairs can be out of reach. Over time, deferred maintenance will threaten both safety of the family who lives there and their long-term housing stability. So, through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the critical home repair program provides major home repairs for low-income seniors. This program focuses on repairs that ensure that homes remain warm, safe, and dry. So, things like foundation issues, new roofs, HVAC repairs. It also provides upgrades that allow seniors to age in place safely so that they can remain in their homes. Each project is tailored to the individual homeowners needs so that we can maximize their safety, comfort, and their long-term stability. And to expand the program's reach, city funds are leveraged with philanthropic dollars and federal home loan bank funds, which cover 20 to 30% of those project costs. So far, 27 homes have been rehabbed and 29 more are in process. An additional 20 homes are going to be added to that pipeline next month through a lottery process. So, we are continuing to work with Habitat to scale this program. And we're also exploring ways to integrate additional supports, things like estate planning so that those homeowners can make sure that the generational wealth that they have built can be passed down to their uh families. So, finally, I'm going to talk about a brand new program that was just announced last week that we're really excited about, and that's down payment assistance. And for many years, Chattanooga is a place where if you worked hard, if you earned a decent living, and if you saved up, you could pretty reasonably expect to buy a home. But we know and we see that that's changing. The median home value in Chattanooga has increased 63% since 2019, which is much more than wages have increased. And then when you factor in interest rates, the typical monthly home buyer payment has nearly doubled since

2021. So today, households that are earning even up to 120% of our area median income are struggling to find homes that they can afford. And that means that essential workers like our teachers, like our firefighters, our police officers, our municipal workers are having a hard time finding a place that they can live in the communities that they serve. So often the barrier to home ownership is not the ongoing mortgage payment, but it's that upfront cost, the down payment and the closing costs. This is especially challenging for firsttime buyers and people who don't have access to family wealth. So the city's new down payment assistance program provides up to $15,000 to cover those costs so that more working families can achieve home ownership, put down roots in their community, and begin to build generational wealth. The funding for this is structured as a deferred loan with no interest and no monthly payments. And it only needs to be repaid when the home is sold or refinance with cash. So when there's that cash event, importantly, we really wanted to design this program to layer on top of existing resources. So home buyers can pair our city DPA with up to $6,000 in state funds through a new partnership with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. And I would say that's the first time that they have ever partnered with a municipality on a program like this and they're looking at that to be a model for the rest of the state. There are also a lot of local financial institutions that have fantastic first-time home buyer products and we're inviting them to work with us so that we can lay our DPA with their products as well. So this program is designed for first-time home buyers. We follow the federal definitions on that, which means you can't have owned a home in the last three years, earning 120% of the area median income or below, which is about $92,000 for a twoerson household and about $114,000 for a family of four. Um, it's for families who want to buy a home in the city of Chattanooga and again who

just need help getting over that initial hurdle. the homes do have to be used as the primary residence. So, they can't be rented out um and they can't be used as short-term vacation rentals. And when we were thinking about how to design this program, we really wanted to make it as simple and accessible as possible. So, we don't require buyers to go through a separate application process to the city to get access to these funds. Instead, we are leaning on the expertise in our community starting with our lenders. Um, so home buyers will go through a participating lender just like in a typical home buying process who is going to screen them for the program eligibility and determine the amount of assistance that they need. The lender handles the underwriting and they work with the city to make sure that that home buyer is eligible for the program. Then the assistance is applied at closing. So we are right now in the process of onboarding lenders. We're doing training for them in the middle of May and then we'll post a list of those participating lenders by the end of the month. Um we know people have a lot of questions about this program. Um we've been getting calls all week long. We're really excited about it. Um and so we are also going to be hosting a series of information sessions um to connect residents with this opportunity. We're doing specific sessions for police and fire personnel and for teachers with police and fire. We have THDA coming out to talk about their specific mortgage products as well that can work for those um groups. And so we're really excited about these and we will continue to offer more information sessions in the community throughout the summer. Um we have a website which is chattanooga.gov/dpa. I just found out you can make a short URL for a program which is really exciting for me. Um and we're going to be posting all of our program updates there including that list of participating lenders once they're approved. Um, like I said, we're going to continue to add information sessions. Any new information is going to be on that website. So, keep it bookmarked and continue to check back.

Um, and before I go, I I mentioned at the beginning that this work is grounded in partnership. And I do want to take a moment to recognize and acknowledge some of those partners that are here today. um from the team that's been working on these programs with us to our nonprofit partners to uh lenders and realtors that are in the room who are helping make home ownership possible. So, if you're here, please just give a wave so we can acknowledge you and thank you for the work that you do um and the role that you've done. So, with that, I am happy to answer any questions.

Yeah. So, thank you so much. We do have quite a few questions here today. So yeah, let's get into it. Yes. So we will start with uh vice chair uh vice chair Elliot. No question. I just want to say thank you. Now this is huge. I know there's often times a lot of pressure on your office and y'all get pulled a million one different ways, but this is um has potential to be incredibly impactful uh for a lot of people. And so I just want to say thank you and I hope we can do our part to push our people to take advantage of this as much as possible. So that's it. Just short and sweet. Just thank you.

Thank you, Councilman, and thank you to the council because you're the ones who approved the funding to do this. And so we we need you and appreciate your support on this. All right. Thank you, uh, Vice Chair Elliott. Uh, Councilman Harvey. Uh, thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Megan, for being here. I want to go back to, uh, one of the slides. I think it was on the eviction prevention. program. Um, one of the the points was 44% are actively employed. That leaves 56% who are not actively employed. Can you tell me like what what's going on with those folks? Are they seniors? Are they disabled?

Yeah. So, a lot of those people are when I say actively employed, it means kind of like throughout this process of applying for the funding. Um many of the people who aren't actively employed were recently employed and just experienced a sudden job loss or they were people who um were going through a health crisis and had to give up employment for that reason. So we saw quite a few instances of that. Um there are a handful of people that have come through who are on social security or social security disability as well. Um but the vast majority if they are not actively working while they're going through this process were working very recently and the loss of the job is what caused their financial crisis. Okay.

But that's the good thing about the case management is that they can work with that family and get them connected to additional resources. So it's not just this ends in court um which even avoiding eviction is a fantastic outcome for a client but we also know that there's additional supports that they may need. I'll shout out our office of family empowerment who has a really fantastic program um to help clients and then osh our case managers at the office of homelessness and and supportive housing have also been really fantastic about helping families kind of find those supports that they need.

Okay. Yeah, that was my next question is are we uh providing help for those folks to uh get a job because obviously if it's just a one-time here you go. It's not going to help so much if they don't have a perpetual um you know job to help them. Absolutely. And and again a lot of what we're finding is that um there may be just a sudden health crisis that caused that reduction in hours. We saw quite a few, you might see from this list, pregnancies that resulted in a crisis here and some some of that was reduced hours because someone had a baby.

Um, but yes, we are actively working on that. They're exploring partnerships as well to support people um in in finding jobs. I think there's always um opportunity to be connected to our workforce development who are fortunately fantastic as well and and located in our department. Um but yes, that's that was the number one thing we heard when we were kind of planning for this program and convening our round table of partners is that we really needed those referrals and we needed that um support that went across legal and funding and case management that you couldn't just solve this issue with one of those things.

Do we do we have safeguards in place to require um folks to look for employment if they're not employed? Um, I mean, you know, just frankly, I think it's, uh, it's a little unfair to the the mom of three who's working two jobs and and busting it, um, who arguably deserves it more, uh, than someone who's like, h, I'll look for a job next week, you know?

Yeah. I So, one of the things that our case managers are looking at, and one of the things that's part of this application is this is a a targeted program, and it's really designed to help people that are in that short-term crisis. So they're evaluating can this person be sustainably housed? We don't have the resources to support paying someone's rent for a year. In the past when we had ARPA funding um there was a lot more funding available that could support more extensive back rent and that was in response to to the COVID pandemic when there's a different circumstance. But we know with limited city funds we have to be really targeted in how we approach this. And so, um, our case navigators and our navigators are looking at that process and seeing what's the opportunity here. Is this person going to be able to be sustainably housed after this? And that's part of the factor of can we, you know, support them with this funding or do we need to look for a different resource for them?

Perfect. Okay. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Councilman Harvey. Um, moving on to Councilwoman Burs. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Megan. Yeah. Um, you all have a a big job to do and you've covered a lot of bases. I have a question about the down payment assistant assistance program. Can you go back to the slide um first time home buyers? So, my question is you're offering the education sessions for fire and police personnel. What about other personnel like our other big department? Fire, police, and public works is one of our other big departments. What are the plans to do something for that?

Yeah, that's a great question and I think this is certainly something that's going to be really great for our municipal employees. Um, I'm going to be giving a presentation to the senior cabinet in a couple of weeks to talk about the program and get into more details and then I'm hoping to be able to set up some information sessions as we move forward with different departments as well. So, this is definitely uh we have three listed, but this is going to be an ongoing process. I mean, I'd like to see how if this is a city program, how we can offer it out to our city employees first or even at the same time versus picking out one or two departments because I think it's something that could be beneficial across the board. I imagine in the educators component might be our Head Start

uh workers as well. So, if this is just a draft, great. I'd love to see, you know, where we have something in place that addresses all departments. Yeah, we we'll definitely be doing more throughout the summer. We have some plans to to go into community resource centers as well and and do that. So, totally agree with you. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Councilwoman Bur, Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you very much. Um Megan, I appreciate your ongoing efforts um to to work from all sides on our um affordable housing issues. So, I'm I'm glad to see that for our um some of our demographics, we're seeing some stabilization in rent, which is which is encouraging. Um but it's interesting also to see that as our we get to that more 80 to 100% AMI that they're seeing more rent burden than they did before. So, uh kind of fascinating.

Um you and I have emailed and spoken about some of this. uh the down payment assistance program on the face of it um I think it's um it's uh something that could really help with wealth generation for families. Um but a challenge that I have with any type of down payment assistance program is the length of the of the grant. Um, and the reality that this city did a tax increase to get this $3 million, right? Like it was part of the amendment.

And that $3 million will support 200 families if we divide by 15. And I imagine there's going to be some some overhead costs as well. Um, and we know we need thousands of units of long-term af a affordable housing, right? I mean, we we have families in neighborhoods who bought their house 35 years ago, and that that's a great example of a long-term affordable product, right? Like you get in your house, you pay your mortgage, you stay. Um, but what we've seen with past down payment assistance programs, um, not specifically only through the city, but with other philanthropic efforts in our city in the last 25 years, is that sometimes a down payment assistance loan goes in and it's affordable one time for one person, right? Um, and if it's one person for six years and they happen to buy on the southside and they walk out with a windfall of $125,000, that is a lottery win for their family, right? Um, and as we think about investing city funds, um, it's important that we not set up um, lotteryies where we've got winners and losers if if at all possible. But but most importantly, um as we look to the future, um I'm going to be increasingly insistent that any type of down payment assistance. Um and really I'm going to be looking also at the same for for affordable housing pilots is extending the length of that affordability period. a 10-year affordability period, a 15-year affordability period is just not enough to have these these 200 families are going to benefit. Um, but we now have Invest Chattanooga that is a permanent

affordability product.

Um, and or or tool and that's really more for rentals, right? Um, but a lot better deal, a lot better taxpayer bang for the buck to make an investment in an invest Chattanooga property that will be affordable in perpetuity than a 10-year pilot or a 15-year pilot. Um, the same goes for this this uh council. We had a strategic planning where we um heard from um a group that was create or examining the potential of creating a land trust. um the city a community land trust the city has put in twice for um multi-million dollar grants to start a land trust and we haven't won one but this is something that now there's a formation of a board for the Tennessee Valley Community Land Trust and that would allow property to be held in perpetuity affordably. So, if a $15,000 down payment assistance grant went into a home for a first responder, they would have some type of shared equity. They would sell that house, but that house would then seven years from now still be affordable for somebody who was a first responder, right? That to me is a a generation after generation win. You know, I just talked about a street closure in my district that is 135 years old. we need to be thinking that long term. Um, and so, um, Megan, you and I have talked about the fact that this can be stacked into a land trust purchase, and this land trust is just in its very nent phases. I believe, um, Vice Chairman Elliot is on the board for that. So, thank you for your service there, sir. Um, but I think any kind of down payment assistance or any type of subsidy dollar that this city invests, we have got to be tightening up our expectations that it be a longterm

I mean a a permanently affordable tool because when these loans come out in 30 years, if somebody sells it in if somebody sells it in 10 years, $15,000 in 10 years, our gap for housing is going to be

75,000. Well, we're already at we've got a gap of $80,000 on a given day between what the area median family can afford and what the house sells for. Right? So, we've got our new Chad new realtor's numbers. The the gap persists. So, if it's $80,000 now, we're going to be reasonably at $150,000 gap in the next 10 years. and that $15,000 zero interest is going to be like baby money. That's just not gonna get us there, right? Um so please hear that and as encouragement to just squeeze and squeeze. I love that you have worked with THGA to be able to start stacking and I think um it's exciting that we've got area lenders who have products that they bring to the table because even I mean that gap

we're talking 15,000 plus, you know, you're getting to 21,000 but you've still got an 80,000 gap potentially. So, there's there's a lot of space um to get to um when when we're talking about a $340,000 house, what your down payment needs to be. Um so, um thank you. I can't wait till you start bringing me assistance related to permanent affordability for home ownership because that is when we're really going to be able as a council to know we've done something that I think has helped um not just this generation, but two, three, four generations forward. Thank you. That's all, M. Madam Chair.

All right. Thank you so much, Councilwoman Hill. Next, we have Councilwoman No, followed by Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, actually, Megan has already answered my three question. I do want to throw out there that legal aid, um, those that are not familiar with it, most people think that it is incomebased. It is, but, if you're 60 and older, it does not matter about income. So, a lot of times they don't they don't know that, but I have received three phone calls just last week. Um, and I think I did forward those name on to Mrs. Strong for some assistant as far as repairs for their home. So, I'm grateful to see that. And then my only other comment or question to you would be um what are you doing or what do you all have in place cuz when you have a something like this you have a tendency for people to want to come and piggyback on it

to know that they are getting the real deal holy field when they're dealing with us instead of those that are kind of piggyback on those. Is it anything in place for that for the down payment assistance for for the program period? So um there's a let me make sure I understand your question a little bit. So piggybacking on what part of it? Um, you know, when you have a program, you put forth for affordable housing, for whatever, for for financial aid or whatever, you have some people that will come or companies that will come and say, "Hey, we can give you a better deal here or we can do this for you instead of and then they get caught up into something that is not a good

thing to be caught up in." Yeah, I I hear. So from the lender side, we are working with specific participating lenders. And so we have a a pretty strict process there where we're going to be signing participate participation which with each of those lender partners and make sure that they are trained on exactly how we need to administer this program. Okay.

But on the other side, we're also requiring a home buyer education course. And that's something, you know, I would say to any person who's thinking about buying a home generally who's maybe waiting for our list of participating lenders, go take a home buyer education course. They are hugely helpful and walking you through this process, which is really complicated. Um, speak to a housing counselor and talk about your specific situation and they can really help you understand kind of those scams and those um, challenges that come up because you're right, there are often programs that look to take advantage of people And so that education I think is extremely important for anybody who is thinking about buying a home at all with our program or without our program.

Okay. Thank you. Appreciate you, Megan. Great presentation. Thank you. All right. Thank you so much, Councilwoman Noah. We have Councilman Clark followed by Councilman Henderson. Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh Megan, thank you so much for this presentation. Um, I cannot stress enough how important this is for communities of people who are coming into the housing market who have never been firsttime home owners. And I look at an audience, I see Tamika Brewer and Sabrina and I think I saw Tanisha Irvin. They're more than just real estate experts. There are people who I know actively work with developers who help people get into homes. And when I look at this um the cost of 400,000

um or less and I'm thinking to myself, I live in my district is district 5 and we have pretty wonderful homes, but they're over 400,000.

Um and my concern with the cuz I can't do the math in my head. I can only imagine what the down payment would be on what the average cost to live in all three of y'all's districts. you know, this program does not apply to half of our district, half of the people who sit on this council. Are we looking into partnering with some of our real estate experts and builders and saying, "Can you provide a real estate portfolio that is actually affordable to apply this down payment assistance program on?" Because when I see that 400,000, I'm like, half of our real estate market, I think we just got some stats from the greater Chattanooga real estate um greater Chattanooga realators and this is not the average home cost to be a homeowner in Chattanooga. What are we doing to also I know we're working with preferred lenders. Can you, and maybe this is theoretically, but what can we do to continue to work with some of our real estate experts who are to me are just community champions. I can't thank them enough.

But with developers to say, "Hey, get get that price down." So, when we do put this uh percentage on there, it's actually affordable to let them to to have this program in my district. Cuz I'm looking at the average home cost. you know, 425 450 is what it costs to purchase in Washington Hills on Highway 58 in Bonnie Oaks. So, what are we doing? What is that conversation been like?

Yeah, that's a a great question. You're right. We need to think about it from a production side as well. And I'm very grateful to the real estate professionals who are in this room and who have helped advise us as as we work through this program and will continue to be extremely valued partners as we move forward because we know for most people when you're looking for a home, the first place you start is with that real estate professional. It's it's likely not with the lender. And so we are really relying on their expertise, their connections, their relationships both to help get the word about this program out there and help get people connected to those home ownership opportunities and to the developers that you're talking about.

Part of what we're doing is sharing the the data that we're seeing. So I know we've talked to to all of you before about the numbers of like one and two person households in Chattanooga. Um, a lot of people didn't know how many one and two person households we have. And so, a lot of our developers are building those larger family homes when we're actually seeing a 14,000 unit gap of one-bedroom homes. And so, we've been having those conversations with developers who are saying, "We really need these starter homes. Give us a two-bedroom home, 1100 ft,

that's going to naturally be more affordable, that's going to fit in that range and fit under that $400,000 limit. So, those conversations are really important. They're absolutely happening. And, you know, I'll call on our community to continue uh pushing for those homes because we know that we really need them. And I'll say just briefly for the $400,000 limit, that's there for a couple of reasons. One is um that that's what stacks with the THDA loan. So, that's their limitation as well. Um, but two, when we pull the numbers and and kind of we're looking at affordability generally, when we're thinking about affordability at 120% AMI, 400,000 is really kind of that upper limit. We wanted to leave it there so that people, you know, may who maybe have large families who needed a little bit more space could afford a home under this program, but it's really kind of hits the upper limit of what's affordable for a household at 120% AMI.

Awesome. Thank you. Last thing I'll say, we always I mean part of all of these programs is a a focus on data. So I talked about the data that informed the design, but also we are working really hard to collect data and so you know we we take that we look at what's happening and we're happy to tweak things as we go along. So every year we'll be kind of looking at this what's working well if there are places that need some tweaks and we can always make those adjustments. Thank you mayor. Thank you madam chair. Okay. Thank you Councilman Clark. We have Councilman Henderson and then uh Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Megan, looking at the um home repair assistance, do we have a number of homes in Chattanooga that are like 50 years old or older? Do we know what that number is? I don't have it off the top of my head, but I do have it. Um it's a lot. It's a it's a pretty high number, especially if you're looking in our kind of historic river to ridge area. That's where most of the older homes are concentrated, but they're also um across the entire city. So, yes, it is a very large number. I cannot give you it right now, but I'm happy to email it to you later. So, I'm I mean, I'm thinking at some point, are we not going to have to start looking at that as well? I mean, as these homes get

older and uh things start falling apart, is probably our elderly that's living in them. Yeah. Yeah. In in many cases um that I think we're going to have to Can you get us that number? Yeah, easily. I can share it with you. Thank you, Madam Chair. All right. Thank you, Councilman Henderson and Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you. Just something uh that occurred to me as Megan was talking about, you know, if you build a we need two bed houses, 1100 ft, and what any developer will tell you is the cost of land makes that very difficult, right? That's why we end up with edgetoedge 5,000t houses. I think our um our building community would love to be able to serve 60% of the population that they can't right now. Um something that we might want to consider um as council is um looking again at our ADU uh legislation because the reality is, you know, with ADU we we took a great step forward um because we created this potential for a small rental in the back of of a home, but for people who are purchasing um our housing costs have gone up so high to get a down payment on a home plus with an ADU is that is is tough, right? But if we were to ever get comfortable,

with separating those two into individual lots, then we actually have two units of sellable housing. And if you can get comfortable with cutting a 4,000 foot lot into 20, like it's a lot to get comfortable with, don't get me wrong. But if we could get comfortable even with like a um an urban pud, a an a interior city put that that allows us to do more like a cottage court where you've got five very small houses that are on what would typically be one lot but we divide it into to five and they're all sellable

like that's when we start to really be able to get some momentum um and I get it then we're going to talk about parking we're going to talk about we're going to talk about all the all the hard things but um and to your point about the the aging of of homes I think something that's happened over the years is that, you know, homes fall into disrepair and then because of the way zoning works, then a developer's trying to like buy up this parcel and this parcel to finally get something big enough to subdivide as opposed to being able to do infill subdivision of things. So, that's like maybe we we look at that over the next several several months. Um Karen might get hives at RPA to start thinking about something like that. But those are some of the conversations I think we're going to need to have as it relates to the production side of of housing. Thank you. That's all, Madam Chair. I really will stop pushing my line.

Well, that's all right. That's that is a great idea, though. Uh, Councilwoman Hill. I like the idea of the urban pub, the inner city put. I think that'd be great. Um, so, uh, thank you so much, Megan. I don't have any more lights. I do want to just say thank you to, uh, Emily O'Donnell in the eviction previction pro program. Um I had an issue come up about a month ago uh with one of my apartment complexes. Uh a lot of people in the complex had got laid off. Uh and so we're facing eviction and they came out and did an eviction prevention workshop and were able to prevent a lot of evictions. Um so I am uh 100% a advocate for this and I remember councilman not councilman uh chair Davis mentions mentioned this when we were uh doing the amendment. So it's definitely working. Um, and I just wanted to acknowledge that and I acknowledge Coun Chair Davis about that because that's something that is that is has definitely worked. Uh, so with that, I will turn it over to Thank you, Megan. Thank you to all the partners that have come out. Uh, I Stevens, thank you so much for being here. Um, she's with the Office of Family Empowerment. And, uh, with that, I'll turn it over to legislator I promise y'all don't have to clap for me.

All right, welcome to our legislative committee meeting today. Can I have a motion for my minutes? All right, I think y'all wanted me for a second. Well, welcome. We have a special presentation today by um my esteemed colleague from district 4 who is going to be presenting uh an ordinance proposal on landscape architecture. I think a lot of people have been hot and ready for this one. So like little Caesars in the hot seat down here. In the hot seat. All right, council. The floor is yours. You have it. You have it.

Okay. I could sing it for y'all if y'all wanted to. While we wait, we're going to do an attorney switch real quick. Attorney musical chairs. That's right. Harold looks so much better in this video. Next time. Yeah, probably. Until next time.

Didn't mean to keep you up here forever. You ready, sir? Yeah. We're Well, Rick is going to put our There it is. There we go. Good to be here.

Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to present this to council. Again, um this uh really comes off of what we were just talking about in our affordable housing uh committee. You know, when I I think about the future, I've got an eight-month old little girl at home, and I think how in the world will she be able to afford a house when she gets older? Um, and this may be uh this ordinance change may be just a drop in the bucket, but at least it's a drop uh into into helping the affordable housing uh crisis that we've got. Um so in short you may remember council uh the last time we talked about this I believe was in strategic planning uh just a brief history on this um prior to uh two years ago when the last council uh changed the zoning regulations. Um, prior to that, for uh a little over 20 years, uh the the rule for landscape architecture uh was that a uh professional engineer could also submit um landscape architect plans. Um that somehow either got looked over or it got changed nonetheless uh during the zoning uh change uh in the ordinance. Um and so uh what this plan does is it it accomplishes a couple of things. Um one it still obviously includes uh landscape architects u submitting landscape plans in a development but what it also does is it opens it up to professional engineers which by Tennessee state law are allowed to do this if they have competency. Competency was the uh the one of the words that we talked about last time.

How do we determine who has competency? Well, um after many hours of talking with Bill Gore at the land development office and his staff, uh we have finally come to what I think is a a a great compromise. Um and so the change that we made in uh the last ordinance that I submitted is um the professional engineers are uh still allowed to prepare landscape plans. Um however, it is at the discretion of the director of land development um if they have the competency to prepare the elements of the landscape plan. Um so so again um a professional engineer u if if the director of LDO um determines that they have the competency to do this then um they have the ultimate uh approval on that. Um and so so how what does that look like? Let's say a professional engineer submits plans and the director of LDL goes eh I don't know about this. um then that person would call and uh per perhaps ask for um some qualifications or past projects uh of experience to uh determine the competency in question for this specific project. Um so again, I feel like this is a good um uh compromise um between what we're we're trying to accomplish. I'll open for questions, Mr. Chairman.

All right. It's lighting up like like a Christmas tree. All right. Council Mahil, can you put that back on the screen, please? Floor is yours. M we're waiting on it to come back.

Well, so um thank you, Councilman Harvey. Um, so for me, I don't I don't know that the question for me was as much about competency as about um is it is it in our city's best interest to um hand landscape planning for this is specifically for uh multi-unit developments of six or more um of 10 houses or more um or I believe four town houses. So um so when we think about uh the fact that as a community we are striving to live up to the ideals of of a city that cherishes our our outdoors that cherishes our natural um resources. Um we right now are saying that a landscape architect who comes at a project from that from that lens um is the best person to work on a project of this size. Um so not as much about do we all understand the slope but do we actually come at this with a perspective around creating a healthy ecosystem. Um, and I know that this has been brought to us as a uh potential cost savings. Can you please tell us the difference in billing for a standard engineering firm to do a one of these multi-unit development over six units versus a landscape architecture firm? What is the actual savings?

I don't know. Okay, that would be awesome that I know that I know our engineers would like to say they're less expensive, but I've yet to see an engineering bill that was inexpensive, right? Yeah. I don't find that they have super low hourly rates compared to other professional organizations. So, that would be helpful for me to know. That's all.

Okay. Yeah. I I think in theory, the idea would be um let's use me as an example. the developer doesn't have to um hire in addition to a professional engineer a landscape architect if they feel that that professional engineer has the competency to do the landscape plans. So I think it knocks off another in addition to I mean assuming that the professional engineer isn't tacking on a landscape cost u to draw these plans but I'm sure they are. I'm sure they're billing it as landscape. Yeah, perhaps they are right. Again, in theory, the idea is you're not having to go out and hiring another person, right, to do another Yeah. thing for you.

But I mean, you're already having to hire any number of other professionals. You got to hire an architect. You've got to hire an engineer. You got, you know, on and on and on. So, um, so is this one important enough to us as a city? I think becomes becomes the question. Um, and is it actually a cost savings or is that just a way to try to get it across the finish line? Um, I I'd like actual hard numbers on that if I could. Sure. Thank you very much. All right. You good, Councilwoman? Yes, sir.

All right. Council Clark, uh, yes. Could you go back to the the screen with the el the competency, please? We're on the last page of that. Okay, perfect. Uh, Councilman Harvey, one, I want to say thank you for bringing this and I do support it in partiality. Um, of course this has caused quite a conversation amongst us non developer engineering type people. We're like what's the big idea with this by allowing an engineer to be a part of the landscape architectural community and doing this. Um, so my question to you is the director review of competency. Um, my issue with that is, and this is not a dig at Bill Gore, and I I'm I'm looking at Bill Gork as we go back and forth through each other. It's quite hilarious. What the landscape the director of land development reviews the competency, but based off what criteria? Based off his competency of it or based off the criteria that is set in place or do you have that has that discussion been had yet?

Yeah, sure. If you'll uh if you'll take a look at uh item two under A. Okay. Um it says that the director may uh require a register to provide a brief statement or qualifications or past project experiences if their competency is in question. So that that would be

so but the the review would be solely based off the at the discretion of the land development. That's correct. director would I have some reservation with giving that much authority into that review and my question is that if we're adding this I'm I'm thinking that there's must be some type of extenduating circumstance why an engineer would say hey I all of a sudden want to do landscape architecture uh plans can we create a application waiver process to where it is reviewed and submitted by a group of individuals in the event an engineer says, "Hey, you know, I want to go outside of the scope of what we typically have done."

Um, instead of putting that authority into one person, my thoughts would be there must be some type of extenduating circumstance that would need to be put into review by a group of individuals. I don't know what board we could defer that to, but to me, this looks more like a waiver process where one could say, "Hey, I'm an engineering. I'm an engineer." Maybe the developer or whoever couldn't find a landscape architect. I like to know why you would want to do this outside of people who already specialize in doing it. And perhaps you could explain that in a waiver process as like an application for review by I don't know you know a committee maybe established by the land development director but that singular authority is is a bit questionable to me not that I question the director but just the purpose of why one would like to come outside of to do that. So that that would be my suggestion, but I do support this, but I' I'd like to know if you'd be open to that waiver application process and review by maybe a committee uh appointed by the land development director.

Yeah, sure. That's that's something I can discuss with uh Bill and the LEO team and and maybe Karen as well. Um but yeah, that's that's something we can we can look into. Sure. Okay. All right. Thank you. Yep. There you go, Council Clark. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Councilwoman,

hey, thank you so much, Mr. share. Uh, so, Councilman Harvey, so I had a couple of questions. So, on this first page, you say, um, either a landscape architect, registered architect, or professional engineer. Now, I did a little research when we were going to look at it earlier, you know, a couple months ago. Um, but all three have to be registered by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. Is that correct? That's correct. So they all get um certified or registered by the same board. They just have different they just have different concentrations. Is that correct? Correct. So they all would have that standard certification. I guess leading to kind of a little bit what Councilman Clark was saying about like what you know kind of what qualifies and things like that. Um so that was a good question. And then uh and does this allow anyone I know it's in here but I just these are questions that I had previously. Uh does this allow individuals without accredited training or lensures to prepare to prepare landscape plans?

No. Uh just those listed here uh are the only ones that are allowed to submit. Okay. And then what internal controls do we have to ensure the project is permitted properly? Is there someone who reviews the plans? Uh do we have someone internal with any of these credentials with what specific? With our land development office. With what credentials? with landscape architect or registered architect or professional engineer. Oh yeah, absolutely. Yeah. U I think Bill, we've got two landscape architects on staff. We do. We have two landscape architects on staff that would also be involved. Yeah.

Okay. Okay. That's great. And then back to you mentioned it kind of earlier. The reasoning for adding this uh back is because when we approved the previous zoning code, this was kind of missed or didn't get added back in. Um, so is that um I guess is that still the reasoning in a sense? We're just kind of going back and correcting this in a sense. That's right. Okay, that's all right. Okay. Well, I too am in support of that, but I would like a copy of this as well. Okay. Um, and uh that's it, Mr. Chair. All right.

Council, thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm going to go back to that last statement about correcting something. I I don't think that's exactly right. Is it, Bill? I mean, I think we intentionally went to an LA in this new uh zoning ordinance that we have. Is that right? I don't I I think it was an intentional move, not something that was overlooked. Come on, sir. Uh that's correct. That was an intentional change. Yeah, that's why. Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that that's my mistake.

We understood that otherwise. Um and So, my question, Councilman Harvey, rather than having um uh this number two under a a direct review, um I'm wondering about splitting the baby in half to where um in certain instances we require an LA and then certain instances that we don't. Uh and and look, I I mean I understand uh when you submit landscaping plan, it either meets the city code or it doesn't.

Right. Correct. But I think that's different than having technical expertise of certain situations like slopes

or if let's say we're doing a project in the city with our parks, would we not rather have a landscape I mean LA as opposed to ju just an engineer doing it? So my question is and I would favor and bill I don't know you tell me if this is possible splitting the baby to where where you have some instances where you just can engineer can submit the landscaping plans but there are some instances where we say you know what because of the technical expertise maybe that's required we we list some aspects that need an LA

rather rather than putting you on the spot and determining who's competent and who's not. Right.

So, uh there's been a few references if I may. Uh so, there is a an architect and engineer board for the state of Tennessee, right? It's an A&E board and they're the ones that determine lensure and competency to its fullest. I'm comfortable with that decision coming to LDO instead of just making it required for all aspects of landscaping. Uh, and I've been in communication with the A&E board about how to do that, how to bring those cases forward with there's when there's questions of competency. I've had discussions with our internal LA staff members about this situation and we've had conversations about what is more prescriptive based on the zone and what is more uh complex for landscaping. That was a good answer, but I'm not sure I understood any of it. Okay. So, I mean, your question is complexity versus not so much when it's required. Um, what uh Councilman Cody's presenting is whether or not the direction is left with the director of the land development office, which is myself.

Yes. Uh so, um we've talked about this at length internally and with Councilman Cody. Uh, so I'm I'm comfortable with that decision based on my understanding of our zoning principles and the the how we operate here in Chattanooga. Well, I guess so. Let me direct my question to you. Are there situations that would be best served by an LA where absolutely where we need technical expertise? Yes.

And that's what I'm getting to. Do we need to reference those situations in this ordinance where there are certain instances where we require an LA and and and let's just say it's a easy peasy just put in some landscaping, we let the engineer handle it. Am I making my question clear? Yes, I Yes, your question's clear. So, I would say that there's uh a litany of of interesting concepts and and situations where that situation should be on a case-byase basis.

Uh depending on how the land is laying out on the property. So, we've got steep slopes, we've got flood plane, uh we've got neighboring communities, we got historic districts, we have so many variables. I don't know that we could introduce some language that covers 100% of all of our instances. So, it would make it more reasonable to be on a determination on a case-by case basis.

So, so perhaps if we change the language a little bit in there to say, you know, u the director of the LDO has the right to determine if an LA is more appropriate It's up. I'm just I'm adding this to our discussion. Well, yeah. And and I appreciate that because to me that's a different conversation than are they competent or not. Okay. Right. I mean competency means yeah I can draw up a landscape plan and meet code.

Right. But do I understand the technical expertise that goes into what needs to be in place in certain situations? Yeah, I I think yes. Obviously, I brought this forth. Um but I I hear your concern. Okay. Yeah. Anything else, Councilman? That's all I have. Okay. All right. If you're good, Councilman Henderson. Yep. Councilwoman Bur. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just I had the a similar question as Councilwoman Dotley. Why did this get changed? And you kind of answered that. Okay.

And there were two answers. So, it was more of an LDO determination that we change it not correct not correcting something when we were going through the zoning changes. Is that correct? Well, so so my understanding from what I was told, I wasn't on council then, so I didn't follow it. I don't know. Um, so I was told a couple different things. Um,

so again, my my intent is to u was to return it back to to how it was because for 20 years, landscape architects had had thrived and done well in Chattanooga. And I think we had I mean we're the scenic city. We remained that way. Um, and so I that was my intent to change it back. But um when I I took into consideration the emails, calls and then you all's um concerns and and objections as well and and felt like uh this was a good compromise u to to bring in LDO and have them ultimately make the decision. Thank you. That that answers my question. Yes, it does. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, ma'am. If there are no other colleagues, I do uh questions. I do have a couple myself. Um, and Councilman, this may be some of these may be better for Bill. So, either one. Um, okay.

My first one, how does this change impact uh your staffing and also your permitting timelines? Will a lot of these reviews be pushed, responsibilities be pushed back on your city reviewers? How would you guys handle that? So right now uh I would say I don't see any impact to our staffing. However, uh there could be timeline concerns depending on the plans that are submitted and the complexity of the plans. Uh I would say uh even before this change there were still LA's submitting when it was a complex uh property that required a lot of uh more specific landscaping types for soil erosion protections. So I suspect that's going to continue. I think we're going to see maybe less LA signed documents on simple projects that come in that are more prescriptive where the landscaping is based purely on how the zoning is currently written. So I I don't know that it's really going to impact our our timeline or staffing at all.

Okay. Have you guys worked through particular standards or criterias for planning plans uh that fit Chattanooga's characteristics whether that's soil topography uh runoff mitigation? Have you guys thought about what that would look like as you guys are looking at reviews? Yeah, that is uh that is reviewed on every plan that comes through. So that that's how we operate currently. And

let me dive a little bit deeper. Is there written criteria for that or is it based on reviewer to reviewer? Because I will say this and I think Bill this probably precedes your time. One of the biggest complaints we heard from our development community for years is that it's a moving target. Every it depends on what uh reviewer you get depends on what that criteria should look like. So, if we're going to be shifting how we look at this, is this is are there going to be written criterias or some type of standard we're going to be looking to hold people to?

I would say that those complaints were from prior to the new zoning that was approved by the prior board. Um, so the current zoning regulations and the information that's provided in there has provided much more clarity uh and opportunity for these things to come through. uh the system much quicker. So, I think we're having much more consistency or in our review that we're looking at now than historically. And please bear with me. I'm not trying to be rude or pushy. I'm just just to clarify, are there written standards already that you guys follow?

There are written standards for our prescriptive areas that are in the zoning currently. It's just in the zoning, but you we don't have anything that looks at planning plans in particular. Do we review that? So there there's lots of variables. So we also have it in our transportation code where we have our uh street tree um program and that aspect that's managed by our uh internal transportation team and LDO as well as our uh our urban forester and their team. So that stuff is written. It is prescriptive. It identifies what's required to be in those zones, the buffer zones, all of those aspects are in there. Once you get out of the prescriptive area and you're within the the private lot, per se, that's being developed into a subdivision. That's where generally speaking, the LA comes in and they do a design that that completes a process throughout that property.

I want to put a pin in that one. I'm going to come back to this one. Okay. So, um, I've gotten quite a few questions and folks reach out to me about this one for a couple months and, you know, some folks sent me some information. One thing that was uh interesting, now this isn't new. There are other municipalities or jurisdictions who who do this, but some of them do provide detailed plant lists to kind of provide some guidance for folks as they're looking to um embark on their landscape designs and their planning plans. What type of thoughts have we put into this on the front end to provide some guidance for folks going into it? Because here's my concern. You know, right now we have professionals who are certified in just landscape architecture who were certified, they went to school, whatever to lock in on this. But now, if we open this up, anybody with an engineering degree could potentially sign off on this. And Bill, I don't want to insult you. So, I'm going to say after you retired and after you're gone as the uh LDO director, what's to say we don't have LDO director says, you know, I know this guy. It's pretty cool. He's been a mechanical engineer for years. He's good. Well, mechanical engineering or chemical engineering or nuclear engineering could be very different scope of practice than a landscape architect. Have we thought about any type of guidance to provide people to make sure we're not causing a slippery slope?

Uh, absolutely. So, those were uh conversations that I've been having internally with our two professional LAS that currently work in LDO and understanding that this may be coming forward and there's going to be a change. Uh, we've already started talking about what our SOP is going to look like, uh, standard operating procedure for those that don't know the acronym. uh so that we can actually define how that is determined. So when we're looking at the plans and we're comparing it to the native species and thriving plants in certain areas and what the accomplishments are supposed to be on those properties uh as well as determining uh levels of competency and how that is going to move forward and it'll be written down in an SOP which gets certified by the administrator of public works and

Okay. So well answer me this. Have you guys given thought to what does it look like if we deny somebody and said where they're not competent? Is there going to be an appeal process? And if so, what does that look like and who do they appeal to? Interesting point. I would say I would say uh potentially the tree commission. Uh so city of Chattanooga has a tree commission that's active. They're all but one position is filled now. they're stood up and and ready to go to hear appeals.

So, what expertise does the tree commission provide that directly overseas landscape architecture? Cuz I'm not a landscape architect and ain't I'm not trying to be funny, but I know it it is a lot more than just planting some flowers that goes into it. So, what does or trees what goes into the who makes up the tree commission and what are their expertise around this? Uh, so I mean Chris Anderson can help with this with who all is on there, but most of the folks on the tree commission are uh either licensed architects or professionals with degrees in the in the industry. Um, I see Chris typing like brother.

Councilman, a majority of the members of the tree commission are required to be tree professionals. This can be landscape architects or other related fields. Uh, three of the seats on the nine member tree commission are contractor, builder, or I'm sorry, contractor, engineer, developer. I would like to hear um any of their breakdowns on that tree commission if that's going to be the appeal process. I would like to get an understanding of what um who has expertise in landscape architecture, right? cuz we could just be bumping this up to an appeal board that has equal to the same um criteria as a person who got denied. You see what I'm saying?

Yes, sir. And you won't have to wait for that because it's on chhattanooga.gov right now. The uh the roster of every board is on there and it will also the list also shows which seat they occupy. I get that. I want to hear their criteria. So, who is a landscape architect? who is a uh contractor. I get that. I've been on the boards and commissions for a while and we can uh the page for a while, but we can talk about that offline. Okay. But I just want to make sure I have understanding if we're going to try to push something through like this and this is going to be the pill board. What does that look like? Okay. I'll send you the list.

Okay. Thank you, sir. Um here's the final thing. Then I'll be quiet. I have all seven miles of Missionary Ridge and all just about most of the neighborhoods that flank it. Um, runoff water is something that is is very problematic for my my my community. Megan, you the work you guys do with Habitat helped one of my elderly residents who lives in Eastale who had runoff water literally ripping the floor up from the bottom of their their home and they were able to repair a good chunk of it, but they still have $30,000 worth of repairs that has to be done. And District 9 is slowly starting to get more growth and development come to it. Um, I I would like to see a little bit more of these lowhanging fruit, some of this criteria. I I need some of this flushed out a little bit more um before I I can be comfortable even entertaining something like this because if not, I feel like, and no pun intended, we could be opening the floodgate for um some unexpected consequences.

Understand that. Yeah, that's it. All right. You have anything else, Councilman? That's all I have unless anybody else has any uh questions or concerns. If all hearts and minds are clear and there's no unreadiness, we will end this now. Um chairman, I do believe we have an attorney client meeting. Recess 6. Recess till 6. We'll see you at 6:00. Thank you. Thank you.

All right, I will call us back to order here. And madame clerk, if you would please read item 7A. in or closing and abandoning the former belt railway right away in the 200 block of North Janaba Avenue deed to the city in 1993 but denying the closure and abandonment of the alley as details on the attached maps to approve.

Second council we do have a motion to approve properly seconded. Are there any questions or comments? Councilwoman No, that was it just to say move to approve. I'm sorry chair. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Ordinance passes. On final reading. Madame clerk. Item 8A, please. An ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopen rideway in the 3800 block of Aelian Drive as detailed on the attached mass subject to certain condition. Second.

Have a motion properly seconded. Um, any questions or comments, council? All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance passes on first reading. Item 8B, please. Madam clerk, an ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened rideway in the 300 block of Stringer Street as detailed on the attached maps. Second. Have a motion and a proper second. Any questions or comments on this item? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Item 8 C, please.

An ordinance closing and abandoning portion of the unopened rideway in the 100 block of TR true Truith Street as detailed on the attached maps. Move to defer until May 5th, 2026. Second. All right, council. We have a motion to defer until May 5th, 2026. Properly seconded. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Ordinance passes or is deferred until May 5th. Item 8D, please, madam clerk. An ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopen ride away of Cedar Street as detailed on the attached maps subject to certain conditions. Move to

approve. Second. You have a motion to approve, properly seconded. Council, any questions or comments on this item? All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance passes on first reading. Item 8E, the alternate version. Please, Madame Clerk. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 24, article, article 14, section 24,507, schedule 7, relative to restricted on street parking areas to create a new southside coward neighborhood parking district. Councilwoman Dartley.

Um, thank you so much. Uh, I'll make a motion to approve. And uh also um if I get a second uh Councilwoman Burrs uh plans to make an amendment. So move to approve. Second. Okay. We do have a motion properly seconded. Okay. And then Councilwoman Burrs had an amendment. Councilwoman Burr is your I'd like to make an amendment, please. I'd like to make a motion to amend section two to be read. Be it further ordained that this ordinance shall take effect on or before July 1st, 2026 with enforcement to begin August 10th, 2026.

We have a motion to amend. Do we have a second? Second. All right. We have a motion and a second on the amendment. All in favor of the amendment. I sorry. Okay. Any opposed? Abstain. Abstain. Okay. And the chair will abstain as well. And so the amendment fails. Um that means we're back on the main motion. Correct, Mr. Attorney? Yes, sir. You're back to the first one.

All right. And so we did have a motion um properly seconded on the alternate version. All in favor? I. Any opposed? No. No. And the chair votes no as well. Um the nos have it and the ordinance fails on first reading. My light's still on. I'd like to make a comment. Oh, sure. Yeah. I an opportunity to make comments. I'm sorry.

Yeah. Um, so that's okay. Um, I just want to say that I think that this ordinance is close to being good and meeting the needs of everybody. So I would I would suggest that at some point maybe the neighborhood and the school and the businesses get together to see if they can come up with another alternative version because I there were things that could be done and think a little bit better. So thank you Mr. Chair. Sure. And Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes. Thank you so much Mr. Chair and thank you council so much uh for my neighborhood. Thank you for all the hard work you put in. Also, thank you to the PTA as well as uh especially Emily uh for advocating for the school. We do still have a lot of work to do in the area. Uh Chief knows uh did walk the area with our fire marshall and so we do have some additional things that we need to do for that as well. So, uh wanted to put that out there is that we still have things that we need to get done. So, with that, thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Yes, appreciate you. Thank you.

All right, Madame Clerk, if you would please read um item F. An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2 chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to reszone 2 unressed properties in the 1,00 block of Shallower Road from RN16 residential neighborhood zone to TR2 traditional residential neighborhood zone subject to certain conditions. All right. And this is planning item 2026-0014 on final reading um or on still on first reading I believe. So, um, just want to see if the applicant is present. Thank you.

Or if there's any opposition present. Okay. And so, you'd make a motion. Move to approve. Okay. Second. Do I have a motion properly seconded? Yes, vice chair.

Uh, I would like to motion to amend with the following conditions as appropriate. Those being a privacy fence is required along the western line running the full length of the home directly across from it. Five to six foot vegetation screens must be installed along the rear of all homes bordering the western property line. The HOA rule shall prohibit a flood lights directly directed toward any property, excuse me, directed toward any neighboring property. There shall be a minimum 10-ft setback on the western property line and the developer shall adjust the neighboring property owners driveway so it doesn't cross over into the new development. Um I have given this to the clerk as well as our city attorney.

I believe it's a minimum 10 foot setback. Correct. Amen. Sir. Yes, sir. All right. We do have a motion properly seconded on the amendment. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. And the amendment passes. Back on the motion. Um the ordinance has amended. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I.

Any opposed? And item passes. On first reading, Madame Clerk, item 9A, please. and resolution approving the acceptance and distribution of fiscal year 2026 2027 community development block grant CDBG and home investment partnership act home funds for from the US department of housing and urban development HUD and program income all totaling approximately 3 million 100 $3,100 as shown more fully described below Move to approve.

Council, we do have a motion properly seconded. Any questions or comments about this item? All in favor? Any opposed?

All right. And resolution passes with one abstension. Um item 9B, please. and resolution authorizing the city of Chattanooga to serve as the government sponsor and pass through entity for the American Battlefield Program grant from the National Park Service to the American Battlefield Trust to purchase a 30 acre parcel known as the Chartan Track at the Wahache Battlefield located in Hamilton County for a grant amount not to exceed $973,527. Second. Do have a motion, a proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor?

Any opposed? Resolution passes. Uh, madame clerk, if you would please read items 9 C through E as a package. Item C, a resolution authorizing the administrative for the Department of Public Works to approve change order number two to contract number R22014201 Summit of softball concession stands ventilation with J. Brennan Construction Inc. to Rocky Face, Georgia for a roof exhaust equipment maintenance platform per the building's inspector's final inspection for an increased amount of $66,9429 for revised contract amount of $499,879.97 with a contingency in the amount of $6,600 for a revised total amount not to exceed $56,479.97. Item D, a resolution authorizing the appointment of Kenneth Maria as a special police officer on armed for the city of Chattanooga Department of Public Works to perform duties expressly limited to the performance of duties in the land development office. Item E, a resolution authorizing the appointment of John Bo as a special police officer unarmed for the city of Chattanooga Department of Public Works to perform duties expressly limited to the performance of the duties in the land development office. to approve.

Second. Do have a motion and a proper second. Any questions or comments about these resolutions, council? All in favor? Any opposed? And the resolutions pass.

Oh, piece by piece. All right. And so we are to purchases now. Have Weston come up. Good evening, council. Evening.

We have four purchases recommended for approval this evening. Uh the first one is Parks and Outdoors is requesting an increase of $23,000 and a fivemonth extension through December 31, 2026 to agreement PA1000698 for grounds maintenance with landscape workshop. The annual amount limit will be $123,000. Item number two is with technology services. They're requesting an increase of $3,375 to agreement PA1000555 to risk manage for risk management software. The new annual amount limit will be $74,565. Item number three is with technology services for a new agreement for wireless services to be used citywide. This will be a three-year agreement with an annual limit of $1 million. The award will go to Verizon Communications utilizing the state of Tennessee contract. And item number four is with the police department. This is a one-time purchase of a vehicle disablement system for police in the amount of $65,17. The award will go to Mobile Spike Technologies as a soul source.

Do a motion, a proper second. Um, any questions or comments, council? All in favor. Any opposed? And the purchases are approved. Thank you, Weston. Go around here for committee reports. We'll start with um Councilman Henderson. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh next Tuesday, May 5th, the administration will present council with our budget books and a brief overview of our 27 budget. if we could do that during uh special presentations. Uh I'll also lay out our budget hearing schedule at that time.

Okay. Thank you, Councilwoman Hill. This was a lunch and learn that we had today with the developers of the Bend. And um because it is related to economic development, I'll go ahead and share that we do expect some exciting announcements um next week and the following week as told to us by the developer Jimmy White. Okay. Thank you, Councilman Harvey. No report. Councilman Clark, uh no report for education innovation. and Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes, we did have affordable housing committee today. We talked about the critical home repair program, eviction prevention, and the down payment assistance program. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. And Councilwoman Burs. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We will have a planning and zoning committee meeting next week and I believe that uh deputy chair I mean deputy chief Darren Leadford will provide us an update on RPA as well. So that's my report. Okay. Thank you.

And Vice Chair Elliott. Thank you chairman. We had our legislative committee meeting today where uh Council Harvey was able to present our landscape uh ordinance and I really appreciate you for taking the time and all your hard work on it. I know it's something you've been working on for quite a while. So I appreciate you for bringing that and that is all Mr. Chairman. Okay, we are now to that part of our meeting where we're happy to hear from members of the public who would like to talk to us at the podium up front here. So, if you would like um to talk with the council, please do line up at the podium while our city attorney reads the rules.

Yes, sir. At the end of each council business meeting, the chair will recognize members of the public who wish to address the council. And here's your rules. Each speaker wishing to address the council can only be recognized at the microphone up front for that purpose. Can't have more than three minutes to speak. And you can address the council only upon matters within their legislative and quai judicial authority and not on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies. Do not engage in any vulgar or obscene language or nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others and address the council as a whole and not make comments directed towards individual council members. Lastly, do not engage in any disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting which is prohibited by Tennessee law in some way commits that offense if a person substantially obstructs or interferes with the meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering. Having stated those rules, please go ahead, sir, and give us your name and your district, please.

Hey, John Wasallowski. I am in district 9 in Highland Park. Um, the first thing I want to say in regards to the parking that was not passed, I wonder if we've considered a um, parking benefits district. This is something that's been used where you could switch the neighborhood parking to paid parking. Those funds are then channeled instead of to different entities. It's funneled into that community. So, community members can get on board. Businesses can get on board because it flips parking faster. So, more customers show up. And that money could be used to say fund a park for battle academy or to um maintain sidewalks and things of that nature. Um this is something that's been used quite powerfully and fits in with that type of urban landscape. But what I mainly wanted to talk about was this idea of affordable housing, specifically accessory dwelling units, uh that Jenny Hill brought up. um thinking of that $3 million if we had something like a um payment assistance program for ADUs because a lot of times a homeowner that wants to build a house, if you live in an alley neighborhood like mine, I could build one, but I can't afford it. But if there was like a CDFI, which is um kind of like a communitydriven financial institution locally that could help get me over that hump, in 5 years I could refinance and give that money back. And so that $3 million would be a revolving loan that builds 75 units every five years. So that money never goes away. It keeps coming back into the community. And there are examples of people doing stuff like this. There are interesting um things happening in Southbend, Indiana, where they have these pre-approved plans that are getting housing, ADUs, duplexes built. And there are places like um uh Durham, North Carolina where the the tri city area or the triangle as it's called has a extreme housing crisis, but Durham has been able to curve it through a lot of their housing policies through splitting lots, interesting lot shapes, ADUs and something we've taken a step towards um

uh yes in God's backyard or building on church properties. I would like to see a lot of these programs we started sort of unlocked and not gate kit ke kept to a few different entities. And I think that that's something that we could really do. Seeing the numbers that Megan presented, she did such a good job and um they're working so hard on giving lots of tools. Something we see there is that we are in a literal crisis and a crisis is going to mean pulling out all the stops for everyone. Um with that, I'm going to give you 39 seconds back since it's been a long day. Thank you, John. John, I wish everybody shared your passion for uh improving communities. So, good job. Hello, my name is Joshua David Capellish. I'm an advocate for unsheltered citizens and veterans in southeastern Tennessee. Um, we're somewhere between pity and prosperity. And before I get into my speech, I was riding around with my sons the other night and uh this is kind of a funny joke, but he he said uh it's like there's a different smell every hundred yards, you know? So, it was kind of funny, but um from the mouth of babes, right? So, I'm here today to give a voice for the voiceless, the downtrodden and the forgotten. I began my homeless work in Chattanooga 13 years ago off St. Elmo Avenue, and the joy I get from helping others keeps me going today. For some like me, my my wounds as a veteran are invisible, and my service to others as a chaplain is the medicine for my soul. I love to share the love God has for me with others. The two main commands in the Bible are to love God and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. My grandfather served on a county board for 21 years. I learned about politics at the dinner table and what love for my community looks like in action. Actions speak louder than words. And sometimes in politics we use a lot of words and I would encourage you to disagree or at least agree to agree or

agree to disagree, right? We choose our least worst options sometimes and hopefully our best. But um my hope is that we can see some meaningful and measurable action on building a shelter for our most vulnerable citizens. While I was riding around with my sons, I check on my homeless friends often, but last Saturday I saw seven homeless folks in wheelchairs. And most of the folks out on the streets are of color. And so what we need is strong leadership. And there's a significant amount of disabled people who are not being accommodated. And um based on my research and nationally as well, elderly folks are subjected to a lot of unsheltered situations because their cost of living has increased and social security payments haven't and food and all the expenses as we know have increased. So that's something we need to do as a society. And how can we leave women and wheelchair bound people people the elderly and veterans in the cold rain to suffer without end? Estimates for the number of homeless in Chattanooga range between 9 and4,000 depend on the source. And raising taxes while not providing a critical life-saving shelter is a death sentence for our most vulnerable. And I hope you can lead with love and building a shelter as as if you were the one waiting for it. Um, and I think what we're trying to do is kind of look at the costs of living and uh, balancing the budget out. And you got to have a y'all have a difficult task and u, there's no easy way around it. So, it's a lot of supply and demand. They don't make any more land. Accessory dwelling units are great and um, we need to just be a little bit more innovative or build up, you know. God bless you and thank you for all your work.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Nips. District 4. This is about the homelessness in our city and the fact that we keep blaming people instead of fixing causes. Too often homelessness is treated like an eyesore instead of policy failure. People complain about the tents and street corners but ignore what puts people there in the first place. Unstable wages, raising rent, lack of health care, and barriers to employment. I know this firsthand. After my military service, I experienced homelessness. Finding a job was not simple. Being overqu qualified or a risk as a veteran shuts doors. It does not. It doesn't take much to end up here. One paycheck, one medical bill, one loss. I became a widow and again that alone destabilized everything. Shelters are not an easy solution as people think they are. Beds are limited, hours are restrictive and many people require to conform to religious expectations just to receive help. That's not support. That's conditional survival. For those with disabilities, the system is broken. Many employers refuse basic accommodations. Meanwhile, disability incomes limit nearly impossible to survive. The result, people are trapped and unable to earn enough to live, but punish when they try. Even when even getting back on your feet comes with barriers. Without an ID, you cannot work or secure housing. But getting an ID requires proof of residency, something homeless individuals by definition do not have. It's a cycle that keeps people stuck. Housing itself is inconsistent and unaffordable. Rent fluctuates widely, increases without improvements, and locks people out with bad credit. At the same time, hiring systems filter out applications over minor technicalities, preventing people from getting interviews, especially with this AI problem. And when people fall into addiction or mental health crisis, we ask, why didn't they get help? The answer is simple. They cannot afford it. For me to go through 10 days of detox was $1,000 a day. For me, 8 months inside the mental facility cost over $100,000. That is stuff that people cannot afford. Uh if we actually want to reduce homelessness, we need to focus on

solutions that actually work. Accessible ID programs for those without permanent addresses, public hygiene resources like showers and laundry, fair housing practices that don't rely solely on automated filtering, rent stabilization and accountability for landlords, community food redistribution instead of waste. Homelessness is not a moral failure. It is overall a system failure. If we keep focusing on appearances instead of causes, nothing will change. And 30 seconds also. Thank you.

Hi, Emily Vinland, District 7, um PTA president at Battle Academy. I'd like to thank the entire council for considering the motion about the parking permits, especially um Councilwoman Doley and everything she facilitated with that. Um this this makes a big difference for the community, for the school community. Um, this is something that so many of our parents and families do not have to worry about at the moment now. And it's something that the school does not have to deal with logistically because when it comes to dealing with subs or emergency people that have to come and pick up somebody from the school for whatever reason, those people don't have to worry about potentially getting a ticket. And so, we deeply appreciate it. We are always willing to work with the community and with the neighborhood and potentially come up with a a compromise. I won't be PTA president next year, but I will be at school. Um, I have a three-year-old as well as my third grader. So, I'll be there for a while. So, I will concede my remaining two minutes. So, thank you.

Thank you.

All right. Hello, council. Uh, my name is Jenny and I live in District 7. I'm here to advocate for the residential parking program for Southside Cowart. I know the ordinance didn't pass today, but I'd like to share my thoughts and ask you to be open to reconsidering it in the future. Um, the first point is this program was first proposed to us by the city as they saw Main Street become more developed. Our neighborhood went through a multi-year process to collect enough support for a petition which had 125 signatures when we submitted it to the CPA. This represents more than twothirds of owners in their neighborhood and I personally spoke to a majority of them as I went door to door and at our neighborhood association meetings. Southside Cower is surrounded by uh commercial zoning on all four sides. But I want to call out that this does not mean that we have enough we don't have enough parking for everyone. We have several public parking lots within walking distance and pay parking on and around Main Street is free after 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. However, most visitors end up parking in front of our homes because it's often easier and closer. I believe that development and parking are closely related issues and we need to consider the needs of both businesses and residents, not one at the expense of the other. Many owners have lived in our neighborhood for over 15 years before most businesses opened here. In addition to this program, we have advocated for new businesses like hotels to build enough parking for their guests and employees to alleviate future pressure on parking availability. We also believe the parking program will make the neighborhood safer because there will be less traffic and fewer parked cars along residential streets. And importantly, this program would fund consistent park enforcement of illegal parking which occurs daily today and creates unsafe environments for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, including the students, parents, teachers, and volunteers who go to Battle Academy, and restaurant and business patrons. Cars are frequently parked facing the wrong way, close to, or even blocking intersections and in areas clearly marked as no parking

anytime. This makes it dangerous for people walking through the neighborhood as drivers don't have visibility into who's trying to cross the street. This program would also ensure easier access for emergency vehicles such as firet trucks and ambulances. As for Battle Academy, we feel that the proposed parking tag solution would give the school flexibility and control when it comes to managing parking access and at no additional cost burden to families. We don't want to make it difficult for anyone to visit the school. The parking tags provide a clear system to allow the CPA to enforce parking without impacting school and daycare needs and ensures there is enough street parking in the first place for parents, teachers, and volunteers to visit Battle Academy. It's unfortunate that this ordinance did not pass today, but I want to thank Councilman Councilwoman Burrs for encouraging us to continue working on a better version with the school and local businesses. And I especially want to thank Rakita uh for supporting our neighborhood and helping us navigate these difficult conversations. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, council. My name is Graham Hartness. Um I'm a resident of District 9 in Oldtown Brainard. Um, I'm a graduate landscape architect and I currently serve on the executive committee of the Tennessee chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Um, in this role, I help connect our local landscape architecture community with chapter leadership and support a stronger, more engaged profession um, and better serve the communities and environments that we shape. I'm here today regarding the proposed amendment to um, section 3861, the landscape ordinance. I want to begin with something very simple but very important. These plans are not decorative documents. They influence how storm water moves through a site, how trees survive over time, how heat is mitigated, how pedestrians safely and comfortably move through spaces, and how these landscapes perform years after installation is complete. These plans directly affect public safety, environmental health, maintenance costs, and the long-term quality of development in our city. As landscape landscape architects, we're specifically trained and licensed to work on these living systems. Soil, water, vegetation, grading, ecology, and the built environment all put together. That training exists for a reason. Lensure establishes accountability, technical competency, which was a big part part of the conversation today, and responsibility for the work being put into the ground in the city that we love. Importantly, that experience already exists here locally. Chattanooga has a strong and growing community of licensed landscape architects who deeply care about the city and the environments that we shape. We work collaborative collaboratively every day with engineers, architects, planners, contractors, and public agencies. Good projects depend on interdisciplinary collaboration. But collaboration works when each discipline um each profession rather leads within its area of expertise and responsibility. Chattanooga has made commitments, major commitments around sustainability, resilience, tree canopy coverage, walkability, and quality of life in recent years. Um, those goals do not

happen accidentally. They require thoughtful, technically sound landscape design and long-term environmental thinking. I believe Chattanooga has an opportunity to continue raising the bar for the quality of its built environment, not lowering it. So, respectfully, I ask you guys, council, um, to carefully consider the long-term implications of this amendment and, uh, the value that licensed landscape architects bring to our city. Thank you for your time and your service to the city. Thank you.

Good evening. Yeah, it is good evening. I hope think I may be last. I'm not sure. Uh, my name is Joe Sawyer. Uh, reside in district two. Uh I am a landscape architect. Um actually next week it'll be 40 years since I got my bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and I've been licensed for 36. Uh within that time frame I've done a little bit of everything. Third part of the first third of my career I was actually the design lead project manager for all the site design hardscape and landscape for our very own Koolage Park. Latter part of the career I changed firms came into the final design and construction administration and construction observation for all the improvements on the riverw walk in and around Erlinger Park. So I've got a good career. I've had fun. I am close to the end of my career and Graham you just heard from is early in his career and he is the future of landscape architecture. Uh, in the middle of my career though, I was self-employed. I was here. I just moved back to Chattanooga. Um, some of the things that have come up regarding this amendment was a landscape architect can be difficult to work with, can be difficult to contract with, can be too expensive. I was on my own. I worked with several civil engineering firms, uh, some of which have been very involved in the bringing up of this amendment and had no issues. If there was a problem that I did not work on a project, it was because they deemed I was too expensive and I do value the work that I do. Currently, with the last two firms I've been with, this has also come up. A senior landscape architect and a senior civil engineer are the same, same unit, same hourly wage, same billing. And in the case of Chattanooga, we have probably a dozen

multidiscipline firms. And those are the firms I was with. And so contracting with a landscape architect separate is not does not have to be the case. Multi-disipline firms have all the disciplines under one roof. You contract with that firm, you get them all if you choose to have them all. So with that, we do a lot. We take a lot of pride in what we do. We have a passion for our profession that civil engineers and architects, they have been left out of this conversation, but they are in the uh in the suggested amendment don't have. They're just looking to turn a buck. I'm sorry. They're looking to make a job, get a fee, take care of a client. So with that, thank you.

Thank you, council. Appears we've completed all the business. No, no, no. Let me stand up. How you before us this evening? Can I get a motion? Motion to journ. Properly seconded. All in favor? We are joured.