Chattanooga Pulse

The second phase of annexation by the Chattanooga City Council continued Tuesday night, as councilmembers approved two more additions to the city.  Area 3A, an industrial area off I-24 near Cummings Highway where a large sock factory was once operated, was approved by an 8 to 1 vote.

Council members, however, where not all in agreement on a more residential area, 4B, just east of Hixson Pike.

The area, which encompasses neighborhoods adjacent to Gold Crest, Dahl Springs and Fairview Road, had already been cut far back from the original proposal, but still led to some debate among council members.

Both Peter Murphy and Deborah Scott questioned the economics of the annexation, with Scott saying that it would cost the city nearly three million dollars to provide services to the area, while only receiving less than $100,000 in annual tax revenue.

Mayor Ron Littlefield explained that the area has a lot of as-yet-undeveloped commercial frontage that will only increase annual revenue in the future.

The ordinance ended up pasing by a 6 to 3 vote, with Murphy, Scott and Russell Gilbert all voting against.