7. Resolutions: c) more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the March 16 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

7. Resolutions:
c) A resolution authorizing the Chief of Police to apply for and accept a grant from the MetLife Foundation for Community-Police Partnership Awards in the amount of $15,000.00 which will be used for training and to purchase uniforms and equipment for Sector Three Bike Patrol.

It’s always nice to see companies and foundations giving out grant money to things that truly help cities and communities.  The Chattanooga Police Department Bike Patrol has been one of the more successful law-enforcement projects over the past decade.

The bike-riding officers patrol the downtown and riverfront areas, providing a visible deterrent to crime and helping both residents and tourists.  In many ways, the bike officers are goodwill ambassadors for the city, and anything that can help them to maintain their training and equipment is worthwhile.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

5. Ordinances more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the March 2 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

5. Ordinances – Final Reading:
a) An ordinance to amend the Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 2, Section 2-553, relative to local preference.

Following several weeks of debate, this proposed ordinance was deferred for several more weeks so that the merits of the proposal could be debated in full.
The ordinance would give preference to local companies in case of a tie in bidding on city contracts.

Aside from the fact that there has never been, according to our own research, such a tie in city history, much of the debate has focused on whether the ordinance would actually benefit or hinder Chattanooga companies when bidding for contracts with other cities, or whether those cities would retaliate against a “Chattanooga first” ordinance.

The last vote on the measure, when it came up for a first reading, was a very close 5-4 vote in favor.  Word is now, though, that council members plan to defer the second reading for another two weeks.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

7. Resolutions: b) more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the February 23 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

7. Resolutions:
b) A resolution authorizing the Administrator of the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with Scenic City Aquatic Club to rent the Warner Park Swimming Pool for purposes of practice, in the amount of $2,000.00.
c) A resolution authorizing the Administrator of the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with Scenic City Aquatic Club to rent the Warner Park Swimming Pool for purposes of the Chattanooga Invitational Swimming Meet, in the amount of $1,500.00.

With all the recent snow and cold weather, swimming may be the furthest thing from people’s minds.  Not so for the folks at Parks and Recreation, who are putting together the Chattanooga Invitational Swimming Meet, one of many small events held in the city throughout the year that help bring in visitors (and their spending money).

The total amount of $3,500 to rent the Warner Park Swimming Pool for both practice and the event itself is seen as a good investment as the revenue from the event, both direct and indirect in the form of hotel rooms, restaurant business, etc., is expected to well exceed the base cost.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

5. Ordinances – more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the February 16 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

5. Ordinances – Final Reading:

b) An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, by removing in their entirety Sections 38-43(4) and 38-524, relative to two-family dwellings in a R-1 Residential Zone.

There has been continual debate during the past several years about what to do with duplex and triplex units that are located within residential areas that have been zoned (or often re-zoned) for single-family dwellings.

A number of property owners have come before the council asking for special exemptions to allow them to keep their multi-family buildings in such zones, but have seen nearly all of them denied.

The council, working with the Planning Commission, has made it clear that duplexes and triplexes are no longer welcome in most residential neighborhoods, and this proposed ordinance is another step in clarifying what has often been a contentious issue.

Another issue that has come up in relation to multiple-family dwellings has been a problem with properties being sold without the buyer being aware that they are no longer in zoning compliance.

Councilmember Sally Robinson has expressed a desire to change the laws to require this disclosure in all real estate transactions in the city, a requirement not currently in place under city ordinances.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

5. Ordinances more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the February 9 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

5. Ordinances – Final Reading:

b) An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 31, Section 31-355(a), to extend the time in which to file a notice of protest concerning the accuracy of water quality fees imposed in 2009 only from March 1, 2010 to June 1, 2010.

Responding to a groundswell of protest from property and business owners throughout the city, angry at the nearly three-fold increase on stormwater fees imposed by the city this year, the council is in the process of extended the time people have to file protests about the fee increase.

The core of the issue, though, has put the city between a financial rock and governmental hard place.

Facing huge costs in bringing the city into compliance with state and federal water quality standards and threatened with substantial fines from higher government levels, the city has been forced to do the one thing all politicians hate to do: raise taxes.

And while the fee increase isn’t a tax in name, it reality it walks, talks and raids the pocketbook like a tax.  Perception is reality in politics, and anything the council can do to help alleviate the political fallout from the strong-arm tactics of the EPA and other governmental agencies will be seen as a good thing.

If the ordinance passes—and it is expected to do easily—this is your chance to protest the latest governmental fee hike.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

5. Ordinances – more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the February 2 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

5. Ordinances – Final Reading:

b) An ordinance adopting a Plan of Services and extending the corporate limits of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by annexing certain territory contiguous to the present corporate limits of said city, being Tax Parcel No. 165-001 located on Aetna Mountain Road in Hamilton County, Tennessee, owned by Black Creek Farms, Inc. d/b/a Aetna Investments, LLC, being more fully described herein. (Public Hearing.)

These two ordinances have been delayed a bit, but are finally coming before the council for a final reading (if the first reading passes, of course).  And while the word “annexation” has not been the most popular phrase used in city government during the past several months, in this case the owners of both parcels came to the city asking to be annexed.

6. Ordinances more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the January 19 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

6. Ordinances – First Reading:

a) An ordinance adopting a Plan of Services and extending the corporate limits of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by annexing certain territory contiguous to the present corporate limits of said city, being Tax Parcel No. 165-001 located on Aetna Mountain Road in Hamilton County, Tennessee, owned by Black Creek Farms, Inc. d/b/a Aetna Investments, LLC, being more fully described herein.

With all the recent talk about the possibility of merging the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County into one unified government, brought on in large part by last year’s controversial annexation moves by the city, many people thought the entire annexation issue was over but for the court battles.

Such is not the case; thus the first public hearing being held on the latest expansion attempt, this being Black Creek Farms.  However, the difference is that in this case, both property owners of the affected area requested to be brought into the city limits.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

5. Ordinances – more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the December 15 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

5. Ordinances – Final Reading:

e) An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 31, Section 31-355(a) to extend the time in which to file a notice of protest concerning the accuracy of water quality fees imposed in 2009 from December 31, 2009 to March 1, 2010.

The city attorney had requested this ordinance, which would allow the many businesses and landowners in Chattanooga to appeal the highly unpopular increase in the storm water fees imposed by the city.

The fee increases, which in many cases are three times higher than last year, were made in response to threatened fines from the Environmental Protection Agency due to Chattanooga being well out of compliance with the Clean Water Act.

The biggest concern over the dramatic increase is that it will create a negative effect on both new and exisiting business and commercial growth in the city at a time of economic difficulties.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

7. Resolutions:

a) A more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the December 8 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

7. Resolutions:

a) A resolution authorizing the Administrator of the Department of Neighborhood Services and Community Development to award $527,828.00 of HOME Investment Partnership Act Funds and program income derived from Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) funded projects to organizations for the purpose of creating affordable, permanent, supportive housing, a list of which is included, and authorizing agreements with the organizations for same.

HOME is the largest Federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Each year it allocates approximately $2 billion among the states and hundreds of localities nationwide.

HOME funds are awarded annually as formula grants to participating jurisdictions. HUD establishes HOME Investment Trust Funds for each grantee, providing a line of credit that the jurisdiction may draw upon as needed.

The program’s flexibility allows states and local governments to use HOME funds for grants, direct loans, loan guarantees or other forms of credit enhancement, or rental assistance or security deposits.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

6. Ordinances – more »]]> Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the December 1 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

6. Ordinances – First Reading:

a) An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 32, Section 32-178 relative to the Standard Street Numbering and Addressing Policy for the City of Chattanooga, and to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 32, Article IX, relative to street names.

This ordinance, which was deferred back on November 17 for more review, deals with how to make street names and numbers in Chattanooga more coherent and easier for emergency services.

Everyone who has ever received the wrong mail can understand that having a street, an avenue, a court, and a trail all with the same name is not only confusing for letter carriers by for police, fire and medical folks as well.

Yet, while changing some street names and renumbering other streets may indeed be necessary, it’s not going to be without some aggravation for the people affected.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp