City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon and welcome to the meeting of the Chattanooga City Council [clears throat] for Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026. To get us started, I'd like to invite Councilman Henderson to lead us in the pledge of allegiance and invocation. 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.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Reading from the book of Proverbs, chapter 3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Amen. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Would you bow with me in a moment of prayer? God, we do ask that you go before us and prepare our way. Amen. Amen.

Um before we get too far into agenda, I'd like to take a minute and welcome our mayor's youth council to our council chambers. You all got lucky because our agenda is relatively short today. Um but we do have a planning and zoning committee meeting that you'll get to um you'll get to enjoy which is some of the heaviest lifting that we do honestly. Uh you know we have some key responsibilities as city council members. That includes setting the budget for the city of Chattanooga uh making decisions about planning and zoning um among other things passing other ordinances. So, we uh welcome you here today and we thank you for your service on the mayor's youth council. I will say my daughter was on the mayor's youth council when she was in high school and found it to be a pretty fun experience. So, I hope you all are enjoying it as well. And I see a CSASS on that shirt and that is where my daughter went to school and my son Elliot is a senior there. Y'all are like, you know, this place. Well, welcome. We're glad you're here. I don't know. Were there any prepared? Did anybody have anything they wanted to say? Did y'all prepare anything? No.

[laughter] your faces. You're like, "Please, no. Don't worry. We were not going to put a mic in your face." Um, no. No. Let's not make them stand. Okay. We're glad you're here. Um, okay. Moving on. Can I get a motion on the minutes, please? Second.

Okay. Minutes will stand without opposition. Um, we are going to go ahead at this 3:30 meeting and discuss our agenda for today. Um, so for our youth council, what we're going to do is we go over the agenda for today. Then we look at our purchases for today. We look at next week's agenda because we're always planning um pretty far out in advance. And then we actually look at a future considerations document. So we're looking at items um as far as sometimes even a month out so that we can get prepared as a council to be ready to vote when the time comes that the item is on our agenda. Um so council, we don't have any items on our final reading today. Um items on first reading. We have some items from our city attorney, Councilman Elliot.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was hoping someone could give me a little bit more information on item B involving the billing of charges on the records. What are we doing with that one? The only reason I asked, somebody else has come to me on this one, and I think it's the same thing that I think it is. I was just trying to check. Uh thank you, Chris Anderson, mayor's office. Um, yes sir. I believe that the person who probably contacted you, it is what he contacted you about. It is the annual rate increase for the maximum uh towing rates for the district records that council uh codified into law a few years ago. Okay. And this is simply the annual increase based on that uh council uh law. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much.

Okay, you good? I have one other if you [clears throat] go ahead. Item A on through street. Um I didn't know what part of the city this was in. I didn't know if this was in district 9. It's uh specific to it says the street. It's Graceville Road. Gravesville. Okay. From the Tennessee state line to the intersection. All right. That makes perfect sense. Thank you, Madam Chair. That's all. Councilman Harvey. Yeah. Sorry. I was just going to clarify what that was for Councilman Elliot. Yeah, we decided to uh lower the speed limit there on Gravesville Road uh after a speed study was done and there were some wrecks and things and so um we're going from 40 to 30. So slow it down people.

Council Har will be out there with a a [laughter] gun speed camera. Okay. Um all right, council moving into um our uh public works items. There is an item um in district 2 item C. This um right-of-way abandonment. I would welcome a motion to approve this item with a condition and I can send this condition to uh the clerk and the attorney. No healthy trees larger than 6 in diameter [clears throat]

uh DBH shall be removed from the abandoned alley. Um this is a goal to be able to add an ADU at the back of a property. We just need a little bit more elbow room there. So, I will I can send those um send those to the attorney and then you all could read them into the record on behalf of the council um when that motion is made. If that motion is made. Yes.

Thank you. Um council, do we have any um any other questions about ordinances on first reading? If not, let's move into resolutions. Please hit your light. If you've got any questions about resolutions, we have um an appointment, economic development, parks and outdoors, and public works.

Um you all have probably already noticed this, but item D, if you click through to that, there is the uh paving list, which it's always nice to see the paving list. Um the paving list is in the back [clears throat] of that document um if you want to check it out. Okay, seeing no other, let's go ahead and take a look at our um our purchase requests for tonight. We have um a handful of purchase requests tonight. We do not have any renewals. We do have two RFP requests, no emergency purchases, and one soul source purchase. Council, I would like to point out one thing to you. Um the very first item, storm water management, it's a renewal. Um the vendor originally requested a price increase of 7% and our staff were able to negotiate that down to 1.1%. So um

you might want to give Debbie a high five to pass on to her team when the time comes. So thank you very much for all you're doing. We appreciate it. And the taxpayers of Chattanooga appreciate it as well. Um all right, Councilman Ellie, is that a purchase question? Yes, ma'am. this for [snorts] the risk management purchase. I see this one is roughly costing 3.3 million, but the total budget is 3 million. Were we getting the rest of the 300,000 for this project? Do we have someone here from risk management that can speak to this?

Afternoon, council. Greg Wiznaugh with Risk Group. Uh the the rest of that's just the rest of that budget. The uh the claims the reason why we're asking for the extra half million is uh claims for 2025 we're up 51 total of 51 uh which is a 14% increase

uh over 2024 from that from that budget that we had budgeted. Uh also the claim costs for 2024 were up 647,000 which is a 45% increase over the two 2024 cost. Uh average cost per claim was uh 39 3,953,000 up 27% over 20 of 20 uh 27% over 24. And then one claim a CPD was up uh a $240,000 claim. So that's why we're here asking for the extra money to get us through the end of this uh period.

And I appreciate that. I appreciate all the work that you guys do not looking out the best interest of the city. I think just fine-tuning, are we reallocating some extra dollars elsewhere to make up for the whole cost for this? And if this is an answer you have now, that's okay. We [snorts] can talk about it offline if needed, if we need to figure it out. I'm just curious. It seems like the the annual cost of this is overrunning the budget and I just want to know are we getting this out of contingency [snorts] or is this somewhere else and so uh but we can talk about it offline if that helps. The question is where's the money coming from? Do you know

out of which fund? I don't I did you have that answered Josh Weston? I'll step up. Josh Neil, claims and risk analyst for the city of Chattanooga. Thank you for the good question. Um, regarding that additional, the budget when it was submitted in is based off of our going into FY27 budget. Mhm.

I think that's where that discrepancy is coming from and showing that there is a difference there in those funds and why that's being placed on there. That's actually our budget going into FY27 is the 3 million. I would like to see what the FY26 budget looks like for this one and because the FY27 hasn't been approved yet. Uh so I understand what you're coming from, but council hasn't approved a budget that doesn't exist. We hadn't even seen the budget yet. Um so I'll just be curious what does the FY26 budget look like? And if it is a cost overrun, that's okay. I know we have contingencies for it. I'm just curious because the numbers just didn't add up here.

That makes sense. Totally understandable. All right. Thank you also. Wait, don't go. Um, so don't have any other lights about that item. I have a question about that item. [clears throat] So, we have seen our um our risk costs go up up up up which is why last year in this fiscal budget we decided to create this department. Tell us what you're doing to reverse that trend. Uh, one thing we're working on, several things we're working on. I've got a list of 50 items which are low hanging fruit. Well, don't give us 50. Give me five

that are that that we're working some things like uh checking making sure we're we got safe drivers out there. Checking NVRs. We don't we don't do that. We don't know if our employees that are driving the city vehicles have safe driving records or not. We're doing things like that. I'm looking at trying to figure out ways to prevent our wastewater folks from having to manhandle uh manhole covers. the small things like that that I'm finding as I ride with I've ridden with fire, police, uh wastewater, garbage. I'm looking at all the things that we can do to prevent injuries uh out there every day. And hopefully next time we're up here, you'll be applauding us for saying great. Thank you for saving all that money. Okay. I think it would be wise to get you up here for a presentation um in the next couple months. So, we'll see about that. Okay. Thank you very much.

All right. Thanks. Appreciate it, Greg.

Okay. Okay, council, do we have any other questions about purchases? We have uh those two RFPs and the one soul source. Okay, looks like we're good. Let's take a look then, please, at our agenda for next week. I'm not going to go over the items on final reading, but let's do take a look at ordinances under first reading. I'll point out that we will have quite a few ordinance under first reading, but those are planning items. So, hold any questions you have for planning items because we do have a planning and zoning committee momentarily. Um, so do we have any questions related to the council office, economic development, IT, mayor's office, or the office of the city attorney? Okay, seeing none, let's go ahead and take a look then at our future considerations, please.

Okay, Councilman Harvey, thank you. Sorry for hitting my button late. Um I do have a question if somebody can explain um let's see item H under planning the adult oriented establishment. Somebody explain that for us. Can we let's wait until planning and zoning if we may. Oh I'm so sorry. Okay we will because Karen will come up and she'll walk through that for sure.

Yep. Great question. So under resolutions items A through G. Any questions? council. All right, seeing none, let's take a look at future considerations, please. All right, I'm not seeing any lights. Council, I would like to let you know there is an item under parks. Um, it's anouou to establish terms and conditions under which Launchpad will install, stock, and maintain a publicly accessible Nlock I'm gonna say it wrong. Nlloxx Salone.

That's Thank you. All right. I'm not going to try it twice. Newspaper box within Miller Park. Um, we are expecting to have um Scotty Bowman, who is the leader of Launchpad with us March 10th to share with council how that item will work. Um, and oh, Councilman Elliot, you had your light on, but it's not anymore. You're good. Okay. So, we can expect to be able to have some questions answered about that next week. Anything? [clears throat] All right. Looks like we're great. Thank you, everybody. I'm going to go ahead and hand the seat over to um chairwoman of planning and zoning, Jenny Burs.

Yes, we can. Hello. All right. Good afternoon, council members. Um, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Hello. [laughter] I um I'd like to call to order our planning and zoning committee meeting and ask for approval of the minutes from our last month's meeting. So move.

Okay. Okay, seeing we have a proper motion to approve in a second, the minutes shall stand. Um Karen, if you'd please join us. As Karen's making her work her way up here, you have a summary in your packet today with three items that are highlighted. There are there's one in district [clears throat] 2, there is one in district five, and there is one in district 8. Outside of those three highlighted items, it just leaves. Yeah. Is there anything else anybody would like to hear about that's not highlighted? See those lights? Okay, great. And then Karen is going to go over some updates to um ordinance language which will address the adult oriented establishment. She'll explain where that came about and then the other two that we have that'll be coming up on the agenda next week. All right. So, without further ado, Karen, if you will start with item A, please. Thank you for being here. Thank you. We appreciate you.

Um, this was a I think I've inadvertently highlighted this. This was deferred. We did hear a full presentation. I think at the original planning and zoning committee for this item. Um, I'm happy to um go over it, but I do not have new information in the presentation. So, I'd defer to council if there is a need for a presentation on the Mercer Street case. Uh, Chairwoman Hill, is that district two? Is that that? Okay. All right. So, no need for a presentation on that one.

Okay. Um, so the next case, um, this case did have opposition 3886 Agawella Drive. And um I'm going to go into a little bit of detail on this um because this has had a robust um public process, public input process um to help you orient um Agawa Drive, 2886 Agawella has a little pin in it. So the intersection of Willox Shallford North and North Moore um the airport of course is just off the um screen to the right and Dalewood Middle is shown there. The um applicants requesting Excuse me. See if I've pushed a button inadvertently. [clears throat] The applicant's requesting a resoning from the RN16 residential neighborhood zone to the RN3 residential neighborhood zone. The proposed use is multi-unit residential, which I think might not be the best description um for the use, but that is the um the original proposed use. And the applicant had originally proposed 79 units. There have been some changes as this case has moved through planning commission um and heading to council. So, I'll just try to note those as we go along. The applicant originally proposed three conditions. I'm going to read those three because um they do get added on to with additional conditions. U maximum of two street cuts permitted along Agawa. No parking allowed between buildings in Agawilla Drive in the northern property line. And maximum building height of 35 ft. So, the existing zone is the RN16 residential neighborhood zone, which is kind of that former R1 zone for much of the city of Chattanooga outside the urban area with some exceptions. Um, so single unit homes on lots 6,000 square ft or greater. The RN3 residential neighborhood zone allows a wide range of uses. So, town homes, single family attached, detached, multi-unit

dwellings, and it's um a zone to really kind of allow either the any of those single uses or multiple uses combined. The site's located at the neighborhood node with a mix of uses including um there's some multi-unit, we'll discuss in just a moment, single-unit, residential, commercial, and institutional uses. the site is um the zoning surrounding um the site is also reflective of that mix of uses. Um so again the request is for the RN3 zone and there is RN3 zoned property currently abuing the site. So that is the the brown zone um shaded area [clears throat] um just west of the site. That's Eastward Manor Apartments. There's 98 units of senior housing, one story. Um, pretty low profile and that appears to have been zoned in the 1960s and immediately west of that site is vacant property owned by [snorts] New Hope Missionary Baptist which was equivalency mapped to RN3. So staff did note that the request is an extension of an existing zone. Property to the south is zone CC commercial corridor CN neighborhood zone, excuse me, CN commercial neighborhood zone. And then across Agawila is the um RN16. Zooming out a little bit here. So that's kind of focused on that intersection. Zooming out. This is also a zoning map. The colors are a little bit brighter. Um just to kind of show we have a concentration and node um of development um here at those the three sections of those streets. Um most of the residential property is single family detached residential zone that RN16 zone. And then not on the map is a recent zoning case. Um just a couple months ago, planning commission, excuse me, city council approved a reszoning for a portion of the Yerby concrete site for an industrial use. That just hasn't shown up on our maps yet. Portion of the site is um in the 100year, that lighter blue, the 100year flood plane, and then

the darker blue is the 500year flood plane. This is the original [snorts] site plan. Um um after um couple meetings um the applicant revised the site plan um and um the applicant can speak to that during the meeting, but I'll note that there's four cottage homes to the north of the site. Previously, you'll see kind of those attached units along the northern edge with the subdivision. Those have um been reduced to those four, I believe they're calling them cottage homes on the site plan. Um the applicant also reduce the number of units. So I'm going to mention um the recommendation of the North Briner plan is single family residential development um is the dominant use with some exceptions made for town homes, patio homes, and two family dwellings of densities compatible. The plan has other goals including maintaining residential integrity while supporting residential and commercial development, appropriate residential and commercial development, strengthening single family residential development while allowing a diversity of residential uses and talks about resoning request um should um comply um look at density and character to the surrounding development. Um as we're kind of we are start of the process for plan Chattanooga adoption. I'll note that its draft form shows the site of suburban residential which talks about um the some moderate density residential development development such as small lot houses or attached town homes may may exist and are located on a major street or near a transit route or school. staff did note this is um sites located at neighborhood node next to commercial multi-unit residential and institutional land uses and is served by transit. So um the site plan defix depicts a residential form that is more closely resembles town homes rather than massing of kind of a larger apartment style building. So staff recommended a

condition to enforce that form. So staff recommended approval. The applicant had the three conditions regarding curb cuts, um, parking location, and building height. Staff recommended adding no more than 79 units, um, and no more than four attached residential units per mass building. So again, that zone allows more unit more units and allows that larger footprint. This is intending, those conditions are intended to better enforce the form that this is not kind of a suburban um, apartment complex. So there was opposition president planning commission um the um the opposition was interested in keeping the RN16 um more meetings with the neighborhood um concern about traffic's concern about rental property. planning commission did um recommend approval maintaining those uh five conditions that staff recommended and I double check the ordinance and um now the it is down to 67 units um and again with the attaching um per mass building and other items to help reinforce this is kind of a transition area between that commercial corridor into the single family detached

and I'm happy to answer any questions. Councilwoman, Councilwoman Clark, it's in your district. Did you need any more information? No, unless Alan, did you want to add anything? I think we're good.

Okay. I see no other lights on, so no other discussion needed for this one. So, let's move on to item D. Okay, I'll [snorts] be much briefer on this one. Um, this is um 2026. Um yes, the 2026 um 0016 on 1010 East um Third Street. Um this touches briefly on an ordinance amendment. This is a reszoning for property for expansion of an existing use along the East Third Street corridor. Erlanganger and many of those medical properties are zoned inst. The applicant's property is zone CN. Um, and that use does not allow a drive-through pharmacy, but the user um wanted to reszone to allow that use to happen. So, the um INST zone is one of our newer zones. It's intended to accommodate large campuses including healthcare campuses. The requested CC zone is really kind of that older C2 commercial zone, which is really kind of commercial development along corridors. So staff recommended and this is just kind of location of the pharmacy. They're using that existing building. Um staff re um recommended denying the CC zone that CC commercial quarter zone. Instead recommended approving the inst zone. It reinforces the uses along this corridor which include the new health department adjacent to Engle Stadium and the new nursing school at UTC. So it just really kind of reinforces the character of the third street corridor as a healthcare corridor. [snorts] So um the complexity here is that during the review of the proposal and and thinking about the appropriate zone and the request is for a drive-through pharmacy window that is not allowed in the INST zone. So um we looked at um what other um medical campuses and groups were looking at or excuse me other similar

type zones. We felt that an ordinance amendment to allow a drive-through facility as a permitted use is acceptable in the institutional zone. So the last statement is really important. We're we're thinking of that is related to the use and not specific to the site. So when we think about an ordinance amendment, we really try to think citywide. If everyone in the ST zone had this as a permitted use, is that still acceptable? We do think it is acceptable. Um and one of the upcoming um ordinance amendments is for to allow this to happen. So just as a we think it is a good choice. It does happen to apply this zone at planning commission. Uh planning commission had the same uh recommendation. The applicant did say they were um found the INST zone acceptable is um pending the approval of the um ordinance amendment. Vice Chairman, I mean Noel. God, I'm so sorry.

That's okay. [laughter] That's okay. My apologies. That's okay. That's okay. Not a problem. This is in the great district. You know that it is. Yes. I'm going to keep my eyes on the great district 8. Yes. Um Okay. So, I have not heard from this Okay. applicant at all. So, no conversation, no contact, no anything. So, before I do anything, they need to sit and have a [snorts] conversation with me and maybe a conversation with the neighborhood association as well. I I will that's a requirement for anything in the great district. I will follow up with that and I'm sorry I wasn't aware of that. Thank you,

Karen. Just as a um a followup to that. Is this this is the the matter that um the pharmacy that's is it a CVS or a Walgreens or is it a I can't remember if it was a a big pharmacy that's going to locate in that I don't know the user the way the amendment is written is it is a accessory use to the building because one of the things we are trying to reinforce with it that is not this is not intended to be a standalone CVS type pharmacy. It's already in there. They're already in there, aren't they? I think they just I'm not sure. They're actually off.

Um, but one of our concerns was we are not trying to replicate where someone can come in on one of our kind of institutional campuses and do a standalone um kind of retail CVS. So, it's intended to be an accessory and we did have a discussion with LDO about that concern about the way it was written and I think they feel that it is enforcable to be an accessory use and not a standalone. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions about this item? Okay. I Oh, I apologize. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so the I guess there's three amendments

that fall behind the reasonzoning. I guess my question is more procedural. Would we want to put these three amendments ahead of the resonings? I mean depending on which may or may not I guess what I'm saying is would we want to reszone it to the institution and then consider the amendment or would we rather consider the amendment first so that we know what we have and then consider the reszone. I think it would be a courtesy to the applicant for them to know since they are only here for one thing which is a drive-through pharmacy window to know that that's been added to the zone and I can ask if it is acceptable to council ask the city attorney's office to move this one zoning ordinance below that amendment. So that applicant would have certainty it's been it has been taken care of.

Either that or move all the amendments ahead of the reszones. Yes. So you're saying for the for next week's agenda? Yes. Just move [snorts] the ordinances the reszone. Move the amendment above planning. Okay. On planning above the reszone so that so so that we do have some certainty at least when we consider the institution zone and it's still provided that the applicant has a chance to talk to you before next week's meeting as well. Yeah. the main I'm not saying that the amendments would have necessarily any outcome on the

the decision of the vote, but I'm just saying I think it as Karen said a sort of a courtesy that at least that we would consider the amendment first before we then take on the resone. [snorts] Do you have any input on that relative to changing the order or does that come from you to change the order of the agenda? It would it would come from me. Okay. I'm totally fine with that. Yeah. Okay. Doesn't seem like we have any problem with that as a council. All right. And I'm with I guess I'm asking a question of protocol that

I'm not with any of it until I have a conversation. So, so in a perfect world, let's say you talk to them tomorrow and you're okay with them. If it if it stays on the agenda for next week, then we'll just put approval of that ordinance ahead of the approval of the reszone. So, if you were [snorts] okay with it, not saying you have to be, if you were okay with it going forward with that ordinance would be approved before the reszone came before us. Okay. Just reordering and reordering the Gotcha. Okay. Okay. All right. Yeah, I think that makes sense. Okay, Katherine, can we make do that, please? Yes. Thank you.

I see no other. Was that [clears throat] it? Councilman Henderson? Yeah, that was that. Okay. All right. I see no other lights. Uh, if you'll move on to the ordinances, the language, please. Um, yes. And I'll just note we had one other case, a zoning case in um District 8. applicant and not reached out and I did confirm with him today that he would do so. Thank you. You're welcome. [cough and clears throat]

Okay. So, there's three text amendments. These all um um were um mostly were identified by staff. The first one is an ordinance amendment to revise um terminology from adult use to adultoriented establishment. So the uh prior zoning ordinance [clears throat] used the term adult or establishment. The new zoning ordinance switch to adult use. Bill Knobblet flagged for us that the rest of city code and state law uses the term adult oriented establishment and just ask so that we do not have any ambiguity um that we um change from adult use back to adult oriented establishment. To be very clear, it's a terminology change. only. It doesn't expand, reduce or alter the type of use as permitted. So there is no um change [clears throat] to any standards or any other thing besides just replacing the one term for the other um just to make sure that when we're enforcing state law and other parts of city code and this is the request to fill. the there's um the next item is the institutional zone um to allow the um drive-thru as a permitted use. And so um spoken to that a little bit, but just wanted to remind council that with the new zoning ordinance over time, we found that drive-through facilities can have um there sometimes noise and activity associated with them that we've had conditions over time to address them. The new zoning ordinance [clears throat] has drive-through facilities and accessory use and standards associated with that. This is just a reminder that there are standards in place and these would apply to um the new um the new permitted use in the institutional zone. Also, it's just more of a kind of a reminder that it's in there. And then

the third change has two purposes. This is to the section of kind of the notification section in the zoning ordinance. And it's doing two things. One is aligning with state law. So state law required um notice of city council zoning activity for 15 days for a long time. Um it changed to 21 days. This amendment is just to align with the new state law change. The second item is for posted notice. So um I I believe that um LDO had an applicant post a sign in an alley. And so as part of that, just a reminder, we've always had the section on um where a sign should be posted so it's visible. Um and this the yellow language is adding in so the signs for the formbbased code committee and board of zoning appeals also follows this so people they can kind of enforce that you can't post a sign in an alley. Um and so that is at the request of LDO and that's their existing practice but just to help them [snorts] able to enforce that standard. Thank you, Karen. I see no lights. So, any questions or comments for Karen about these three items or anything else while we have her here? Okay. Uh, thank you, council members. Just as a reminder, the planning the next planning commission meeting is Monday, March 9th. You received a packet from Brian Schultz on uh it was emailed out on February 19th. So, if there's any matters that you know are coming before the planning commission on Monday that I can um help help with or assist um just please let me know.

Madam [clears throat] Chair, we do need an attorney client. Okay. Um and so we will recess until 4:45. Okay. We will recess until 4:45. Thank you.

Back in session. Madame clerk, please read um item A. An ordinance to amend Chhattan city code part 2 chapter 24 article 14 section 24502 schedule 2 speed on third street. Thank you council. We have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second. Do I have any questions or comments? All in favor? Opposed? Motion passes. Item B, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, chapter 35, section 35160, building and charges for district records. Second.

Thank you, council. We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Item C, an ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened rideway in the 100 block of Lawn Street is detailed on the attached maps. Ready? Okay. So, I'm going to make a motion to approve with conditions from um Madame Chair. It is in her district and I think attorney you will read those conditions.

Right. The condition is no healthy trees larger than 6 in DBH diameter at breast height shall be removed from the aban abandoned alley. Okay. Motion to approve with conditions. Thank you very much. Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. We've got the applicant present. Can you please acknowledge those conditions and that you Thank you very much. For the record, the applicant has agreed to the conditions. All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Item D, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, chapter 31, section 31314, private property responsibility to include subsection F single family residential pond program. Thank you, council. We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Resolutions. Item A, please. A resolution confirming the appointment of Tim Moore to the board of zoning appeals for district 9 with a term beginning on March 4th, 2026 and ending on March 3, 2029. Motion. Thank you, council. We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor?

I opposed. Motion passes. Item B, a resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Economic Development to enter into an office lease with legal aid of Tennessee, Inc. and substantially the form attached for the use of 454 square ft of office space [laughter] at the Dr. Carol Burs Family Justice Center at 5705 Uptain Road identified as tax map number 157 MA012 with an effective date of July 1, 2026 for the term of four years at the annual rent of $1. Move to approve. Second.

Thank you. We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Item C, a resolution to accept a donation from the Miracle League for the addition of a video board to the scoreboard with a 7-year warranty with the responsibility of Miracle Lee for lifetime maintenance with the value of $83,000, which represents $35,000 for installation and $48,000 for cost of the board. Second. Thank you. We've got a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor?

Opposed? Motion [clears throat] passes. Let's take items D and E as a package, please.

Item D, a resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to award contract number T25020201 FY26 citywide resurfacing to APAC Atlantic Inc. DBA tally construction in the amount of 13,34,985451 with a contingency in the amount of $465,9149 for a total amount of $5 million. Item E, resolution authorizing the administr administrative [clears throat] for the Department of Public Works to award contract number S250004201 Birchwood Landfill Gas Flare Replacement to Advance One Development LLC of Charlotte, North Carolina for8 $844,915 with a contingency in the amount of $85,000 for a total amount of $929,915. Move to approve.

Thank you, council. We have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second. Do we have any questions or comments? All in favor? I oppose. Motion passes. Purchases.

Good evening, council. Hello.

I [snorts] have six purchases recommended for approval this evening. The first one is for public works. This is year three renewal. Piping supply is requesting a 1.1 increase due to the increased cost of materials. The new estimated annual spend will be $50,100. Number two is for risk management. Risk management is requesting an increase of 500,000 to agreement 560756 to cover obligations through March 31st, 2026. The new estimated annual spend will be 3,376,5001. Number three is for parks and outdoor. This is a new blanket agreement for uh bulk mulch. This will be a 4-year agreement not to exceed 70,000 annually. The award will go to Big Woody's tree service as the best bid. Number four is for technology services. This is a new blanket agreement for li library records management software license cloud storage and support. This will be a 5-year agreement not to exceed $98,500 with a $3.5% increase annually. The award will go to Innovative Interfaces as Soul Source. Number five is Wastewater. This is a new blanket agreement for Manho Inspections. This will be a 4-year agreement not to exceed $125,000 annually. The awards will go to HydroClean, Sweeping Corp of America, Performance Contracting, Utility Inspection Services, and Video Industrial Services as the best bids. Number six is for public works. Public works is requesting an increase of 125,000 to agreement PA1000273 due to the increased usage. The new estimated annual spend will be $250,000.

Thank you, Debbie. Council, can I get a motion? Second. Thank you. We've got a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Do we have any questions or comments? All in favor? Opposed? Motion passes. Okay. I have two RFP format recommendations for your approval. Um they're both for human resources. The first one is employee assistance program and work life services for city's eligible employees and their dependent. And the second one is for temporary employment service to support city staffing needs. Thank you, council. Can I get a motion? Move to approve. Thank you. We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second. Any questions or comments? All in favor?

I opposed. Motion passes. Okay. I have one so source to um report. This is for storm water management division of public works. The nature center will distribute 1,000 native trees free to city residents and city requested properties and projects. The program recipients will receive educational material that explains the benefits of native tree planting for water quality. A summary report will be provided once 10,000 trees have been distributed or by the end of the program term on June 30th, 2026. This source purchase is in the amount of $29,199. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Okay, council, we have reached the portion of our meeting where we will do committee reports. Uh, Councilman Elliot, Councilwoman Dotley. Um, yes. Thank you so much. Uh, for committee reports, we will have our budget working, not budget working session, I'm sorry. Uh, the report from Chris Auff. I told you all we would do a working session on that one. So that will be Tuesday, March 31st at 9:8 from 9 to 11:00 a.m. and we'll discuss uh that research proposal he brought in as well as give a few updates about the finance policies. Thank you very much. Okay. Thank you, Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We had a planning and zoning committee meeting today with a few presentations from Karen Renick with RPA. Um, as a reminder, we have the planning commission meeting on or I'll be attending the planning commission meeting on February 19th. Excuse me. Gosh, [laughter] I'm just going backwards today. Let me just let me back up and pull back forward again. Okay, the planning commission meeting will be March 19th. For those of you that are interested, as a reminder, you do have an email in your box from Brian Schultz with the cases from your districts that will be on the agenda. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Thank you, Councilman Davis.

Yes. So, uh, yesterday we had a a very productive meeting of our homelessness working group that was well attended. So, well attended. Um, we started out in the conference room. We had to move into here. We had so many so many folks show up. So, um I think it was a good um some good information shared and good discussion had and um on Councilman Harvey's recommendation, we're going to try to meet monthly and get into some um some policy proposals um and and some solutions now that we've received information on what the needs are. So, looking forward to that moving forward. Thank you very [snorts] much, Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Madam Chair. no report uh specifically, but I uh do want to uh just remind the administration I'd like to get together and schedule a uh education session on 311. So, I'll be reaching out and uh if we can schedule that, that'd be great. Councilman Clark. Uh Madam Chair, no report, but I am cancelling the community development committee [clears throat] meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, March the 10th. Okay. I think next Tuesday is the 10th, right? Yes. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. [snorts] Um I'd like to add that if uh administration could please take a look at when would be appropriate to do a riskmanagement department presentation. Um we founded that department at the beginning of this fiscal year. So let's take a look at the progress that they've made before we head into budget. Um and also just as a community announcement, the Hixon Pike um safety uh road safety improvement survey is open through March 6th. All are welcome to take the survey and provide your input. Um and I will say that our staff have done a tremendous job supporting the people of District 2 with their community work um in that. So, a big big thank you um to Mandy, to Jay, to Greg Harold, um to the team that's built the survey. It's just been a terrific um experience and I feel like we're just continuing to set the bar higher for community engagement. So, thank you very much.

Where can we find that, man? Um I will be sending out an email tomorrow. You will probably get it and there will be a link in the email, but I don't remember the name of the link. Something like slash survey, but I don't know. uh it'll be in the email. Um okay, I think that that is all for council. We do have um one item of other business. There is a donation to be announced if someone you left me. Vice Chairwoman Null.

Oh, let me tell y'all y'all rag dog [laughter] me today. Yes. My apologies. That's okay. So, I don't really have a report, but I do want to say thank you to Shay McGawin for the BEC awards. Um, those she recognized all the black um individuals that have did amazing things for our city and I was one of them. So, [applause] yes, thank you for that. And, um, it was it was very very good. Mayor Kelly was there ready for GQ cover magazine ready. He was there ready. Um, it's okay. Yes. Yes. Lawrence.

Lawrence. Lawrence was there. Um, let me see who else was there. That was Monica. Monica was there. Who else? Am I list Am I missing somebody? Um, but anyway, it was a really, really Who? Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. Oh my gosh. Yes. And Dylan was really dressed really, really, really, really sharp. But Cararissa was there as well. So, it was a really good um event. very very talented young adults that put on a very very um good show. And uh that youth group that did the gospel,

they turned it out cuz if y'all have been there, if you ain't a member of a church, you probably would have joined before you left out because it was just that good. So, thank you to Shay McGawing and her amazing team uh for what she does for the city as a whole. Thank you. Thank you. Um, so we do need to acknowledge a donation of vehicle shells. Is there someone that's going to read that into the record for us?

Good afternoon, Terry, fire chief, Chattanooga Fire. Just wanted to read into the record that Volkswagen is donating three vehicle shells to the Chattanooga Fire Department uh to be placed over at our training division for training. So, thank you for that. Terrific. Thank you. Somebody gets to cut the doors off those.

All right. If we have anyone here who would like to address the council, we've now reached that point in our meeting where we are happy to recognize people who are here to speak. If you'd like to speak, go ahead and line up behind the podium and listen while our attorney reads the rules. At the end of each council business meeting, the chairperson will recognize members of the public who wish to address the council. The following procedural rules apply. Each speaker wishing to address the council shall only be recognized only at the microphone provided for that purpose. No person shall have more than three minutes to speak. The speaker may address council only upon matters within the legislative and quasi judicial authority of the council. The speaker may not address the council on matters which are not under the authority of the council and which are regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies. The speaker shall not be permitted to use any vulgar or obscene language, nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate the others. The speaker should address the council as a whole and not make comments directed towards individual council members. The chair shall not commit disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting, which is prohibited by Tennessee law. A person commits an offense if the person substantially obstructs or interferes with the meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent a or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

You may begin to address the council. Please state your name and your

uh chair council. Um my representative is um councilman Davis. My name is BJ Keepers. Did 42 years in United States military. I am now living in Chattanooga. I am fully retired. Have um trying to fill my slate with volunteering and charity opportunities. [gasps] Uh I was going to recognize the students as well. Well, I'm not sure if any of the high school kids were still here, but that's awesome. Um, may I first beg for 5 seconds of silence to for our United States service members and civilians who are in harm's way overseas. Thank you. Now, what I'd really like to talk to in a context of legal, moral, and ethical, if there is a charitable group that you all are giving money to, is there a reasonable expectation for them to have public u outward facing? In other words, should they be giving you a an annual report? Should they be giving you their financials? Should they be operating by their bylaws? Should they be having publicly noticed meetings instead of closed meetings once a quarter? Should they have election of officers per their bylaws instead of the same six people kind of getting rerun and rerun and rerun? The point here is that I'd really like this group if it's permissible to ask this committee, this council, if they will have an audit for

a group that is a charity group that they are providing money to. Is this the right forum for that? Um, so this is not a back and forth typically. Um, but you're certainly welcome to make your request and we'll hear it.

Then I I certainly make a request and and Councilman Davis is already a little bit more aware of some of the particulars that are going on and which group this is, but uh they have been receiving monies from the city and the county for a long time. They are not responsive to updating to change to do the right things for a charitable organization. This group does tend to be a little bit self arandizing and would like to make sure that I'm not asking to stop the monies going to this charitable organization. I'm asking for simple accountability for this organization.

Um, thank you very much. Um, so it sounds like you have spoken with your representative. We also have um our chief financial officer in the back. His name um is Weston. So if you'll stay after the meeting and chat with him, I will he can talk with you about the accountability of monies that um are uh allocated. Thank you, chair. I appreciate Hello, council. I have um some photos to hand out if you don't mind passing them around.

My name is Hopeni. I recently moved to Oak Grove in District 8 and I'm a mom with five kids. Uh I wanted to show you all some sidewalks in my neighborhood because to be honest, my neighbors and I in Oak Grove do not feel safe or able to walk or ride bikes to the wonderful parks or businesses nearby. My street doesn't have any sidewalks even though there are a bunch of families who live on it and cars go pretty quickly um over to 23rd Street through my street. And um we're a very short walk from the community of Fer Place, which I can see almost from my house. Um and their sidewalks are pretty perfect. Um so it just there there's some inequity in my neighborhood and I wanted to speak up on behalf of my neighbors and my own family. Um sidewalks are not cosmetic or a luxury. They are proven safety infrastructure. Uh one of my neighbors said she reported a sidewalk in front of her house and um was told it'll take a couple years before the city can get to it. And I don't feel like that has to be the only option. Um I'm so grateful for, for example, we have the beautiful Lindbrook Park in our neighborhood, but there's no way for my kids and I to get it without risking um get to it without risking getting hit by a car, even though it's only a third of a mile away or less. Um so I just plead for some kind of solution to that in the neighborhood of Oak Grove. We also don't have a library or as far as I know, a community center. Um, last week or two weeks ago, I went to Hoboken, New Jersey, which I don't know if you guys have heard of, um, what they've been able to accomplish there, but they haven't had a traffic fatality since 2017. And, um, the main things they've done to enforce safety, cuz I was walking around like I did a walk audit there to see like how did they pull this off cuz it seems unbelievable. Um, the some of the main things they did were daylighting at intersections, which John Wizowski has been doing in Highland Park, and also um, a citywide speed limit of 20 mph. So, I was happy to hear earlier about lowering speed limits because that has a life-saving impact and it's worked in Hoboken and um

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, has almost 700,000 people who live in it and they just achieved zero traffic fatalities. So, it's possible in larger cities too and that's very exciting cuz we care about humans being alive. Um, and so they adopted like a policy called vision zero and Knoxville has done the same and I would love to see Chattanooga make that like a real priority. Um, so if there's any way that I could help mobilize groups to maybe do walk audits and show uh where we need safe sidewalks or any sidewalks or safer intersections, I would love to help to that end. Um, just a mom who wants to be able to walk my kids to the park. So, thank you so much for everything you guys do. Appreciate you. Thank you.

Okay. Is there anyone else who is here and would like to address the council? [snorts] All right, council. I don't see anybody else. We have a motion on the floor to adjurnn with a proper second. Who have any questions or comments before we adjurnn? Hit your light. All in favor of adjourning. I we are adjourned. Thank you.