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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Chattanooga City Council Strategic Planning Meeting - January 6, 2026

City Council & City Boards — Tuesday, January 6, 2026

BodyChattanooga, Tennessee

SessionCity Council & City Boards

DateTuesday, January 6, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:17:35

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

3:25

Interesting topic that comes up uh, I guess, periodically here on that end of it.

3:30

We now have five members of the council here, so you can be able to conduct a strategic planning meeting, so that's a good thing.

3:36

And uh, I uh was alerted at least that we were going to have a uh chair, uh Chairwoman Hill was going to be absent, and then also uh Vice Chair Noel is absent.

3:48

And then I went to section eight point three of your charter, which says in the event that someone is uh not here to be the chair or vice chair, then y'all can hold a special election at the beginning of a meeting in order to be able to conduct that to occur.

4:04

That is also uh what is the rules of procedure that y'all have adopted under Robert's rules of procedure.

4:10

And I had to get my uh earmarked section up to be able to find all that, but under uh forty-seven eleven of that rule that allows that to occur.

4:18

And so at this point in time, you can't really uh designate if someone's knowing that they're gonna be absent from a meeting, they can't authorize another person to be the chair in advance of that meeting, but it has to occur at the meeting that that you're in now.

4:33

So at this point in time, if anyone would like to make a motion here for who would be the chair pro tem of this meeting, then we can start.

4:45

I like to make a motion to a point uh understanding as our pro to this meeting and for our council meeting at three thirty thirty.

4:56

Second.

4:58

Motion and a second.

5:00

All in favor?

5:02

All opposed.

5:03

All right.

5:04

All right, we got it going.

5:06

Thank you.

5:06

Castle.

5:07

And uh happy new year.

5:10

Uh we've got a couple of items on the agenda for this afternoon that we may take look at.

5:15

First thing we need to do, I guess, is uh have the approval of the minutes from our last meeting.

5:21

So could I have a motion on the minutes?

5:23

So move.

5:24

Second.

5:24

Okay.

5:25

With no objections, those meetings will stand as recorded.

5:28

Uh couple of uh presentations this afternoon.

5:32

One is our rain smart presentation.

5:35

Uh German, they got you listed, but I think Maria's gone.

5:38

I was gonna take this one.

5:40

Oh, Haley.

5:42

Okay.

5:43

All right, and then we have a passenger rail in the initiative.

5:46

But I don't see Alice, is he still coming?

5:50

Okay, okay.

5:53

All right, okay.

5:54

Perfect.

5:55

So at this time, Hailey, if you'd like to come up and join us uh and give us the rain smart uh program presentation.

6:05

Absolutely.

6:06

Well, firstly, thank you so much for having us.

6:09

We're really excited to tell you more about this environmental initiative that is run through the stormwater division.

6:15

Um it is funded by our stormwater fee.

6:17

My name is Haley Hamblin, and like I say, I work with the stormwater division.

6:21

Um, my title is a water quality specialist, but my main responsibility is managing our Rain Smart Rewards program.

6:28

Okay.

6:29

I'm Isabel, I work for Waterways, and we assist uh China Yuga with the Rand Smart program.

6:34

Um I'm not working for the Waterways for 300 year, and I'm the watershed project coordinator, so I coordinate a lot of programs at Ray Smart Yards one of them.

6:43

So in this presentation, we'll introduce you to the program, kind of tell you why it was created, its impact that we're seeing, as well as some improvements to the program that Isabel and I have made and some tools we've developed in our collaboration with code enforcement.

6:58

Without further ado, um, so what is the point of Rain Smart?

7:03

Um, well, main point is to reduce stormwater runoff and keep pollutants from our waterways.

7:09

So that's protecting the public health and water quality, but also um very important to us is providing education and public um engagement offerings as well.

7:21

So RainSmart is actually mandated by our MS4 permit.

7:26

Um, this permit requires that we have an incentive program.

7:30

It requires that we reduce stormwater runoff with this program, as well as provide you know public education and those incentives.

7:38

Um, but as you'll notice, um, minimizing landscaping related pollutants, such as you know um fertilizers and herbicides and things of that nature from entering our waterways is part of the permanent.

7:51

So um also repairing stream cleanups, repairing plantings, which are mostly done through Isabelle's program, um rain smart yards.

8:00

So these are all things that are listed in the permit that we are required to meet, and Rain Smart helps us do that.

8:08

So we have gray infrastructure, everybody's very familiar with gray infrastructure.

8:13

This takes stormwater from one place and takes it to another.

8:16

Oftentimes it's going straight into the river, or maybe it's going to a mox and bend where it's then treated and released.

8:23

But green infrastructure, on the other hand, its purpose is to infiltrate stormwater where it lands, keeping that water out of our storm system, which is fabulous.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Environmental Protection████████████████████████████████████████████44%

Public Transportation███████████████████████████27%

Economic Development████████8%

Public Engagement██████6%

Procedural████4%

Code Enforcement████4%

Public Works██2%

Intergovernmental Relations██2%

Parks and Recreation██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Chattanooga City Council Strategic Planning Meeting - January 6, 2026

This strategic planning meeting of the Chattanooga City Council convened on January 6, 2026, at approximately 1:57 PM EST. With Chairwoman Hill and Vice Chair Noel absent, the council first elected a chair pro tem before proceeding to approve the previous meeting's minutes. The main agenda items were presentations on the Rain Smart environmental initiative and the Sunbelt Atlantic Passenger Rail Corridor project. The council discussed program compliance, aesthetics, and economic impacts, and recessed before a 3:30 PM regular meeting, with an attorney-client session planned.

Discussion Items

Election of Chair Pro Tem

Councilmember Hill and Vice Chair Noel were absent. Citing Section 8.3 of the city charter and Robert's Rules, the council held a special election and appointed a chair pro tem for the meeting. A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously.

Approval of Minutes

A motion to approve the minutes from the last meeting was made, seconded, and passed without objection.

Rain Smart Program Presentation

Haley Hamblin (Water Quality Specialist, Stormwater Division) and Isabel (Watershed Project Coordinator, Waterways) presented the Rain Smart Rewards program, a stormwater management initiative funded by the stormwater fee. The program is mandated by the MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) permit and aims to reduce runoff, improve water quality, and provide education. Key points:
- Green infrastructure (native plants, rain gardens, rain barrels, stream bank repair) reduces stormwater runoff and pollutants.
- The program has captured over 21,000 gallons of stormwater in a one-inch rain event across 95+ native gardens, saving the city approximately $28,000 in infrastructure costs.
- New maintenance guidelines define clear borders, plant height limits (10 inches near sidewalks), and a compliance process with code enforcement. Homeowners must sign a five-year maintenance agreement.
- The program also offers a stormwater fee discount (25%–75% off) through Waterways' certification.
Councilmember Harvey expressed support for the program but raised concerns about aesthetics and compliance. He noted that some native plantings appear overgrown and urged that the program follow the same overgrowth rules as other residents. He requested data on job creation from the program and suggested that non-compliance guidelines be made public and include permanent expulsion after three violations.
Councilmember Claw (or Plough) asked about the enforcement process and the number of times a property can fall out of compliance before removal. The presenters stated that three violations are the internal threshold but that this has not been publicly communicated. Councilmember Claw recommended including that in published materials.
Councilmember Harvey also asked about the overgrowth code and the definition of noxious weeds, noting that the current ordinance does not define it. The presenters agreed that the code needs revision.
The council encouraged the presenters to clarify compliance rules and to share data on economic impacts.

Passenger Rail Initiative Presentation

Ellis Smith presented an update on the Sunbelt Atlantic Passenger Rail Corridor, a four-city consortium (Chattanooga, Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis) led by Chattanooga. The project proposes using existing CSX freight rail lines to add passenger service, primarily by building sidings and double tracks to allow freight trains to yield to passenger trains. Key points:
- The project is in Step 1 (scoping/business plan) and is entering Step 2 (project planning), which will cost approximately $5 million (10% non-federal match).
- The corridor is identified as a Tier 1 priority by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), with an estimated $20 billion economic impact.
- The service would connect Chattanooga to Atlanta (about 2 hours) and Nashville, with potential stops in Dalton, Calhoun, Murfreesboro, etc. Express and local routes are envisioned.
- A compact (Sunbelt Atlantic Rail Compact) is being formed to sustain the effort beyond mayoral term limits.
Councilmember Harvey asked about potential impacts on the Chattanooga Airport; Smith responded that the airport supports the idea, as a station near the airport would feed passengers. Travel time to Atlanta would be about 2 hours, depending on stops. Fares are not yet determined.
Councilmember Harvey also asked about station locations, noting the nostalgia of the Choo Choo but practical considerations near the airport. Smith mentioned that grade crossings are a major factor in speed and cost.
Councilmember Harvey asked what the council can do to help; Smith requested continued encouragement and communication with state legislators about the need for state investment.
The project timeline is funding-dependent. If all funds were available now, completion could be 5–7 years. Step 2 is expected to take 1–2 years.

Key Outcomes

A chair pro tem was elected for the meeting.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
The council received the Rain Smart and Passenger Rail presentations with no formal votes.
Councilmembers directed Rain Smart staff to publish clear compliance and expulsion guidelines and to share economic impact data.
The council will hold an attorney-client session after the recess and before the 3:30 PM regular meeting.
The strategic planning meeting recessed at approximately 3:00 PM, with the regular council meeting scheduled for 3:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Interesting topic that comes up uh, I guess, periodically here on that end of it. We now have five members of the council here, so you can be able to conduct a strategic planning meeting, so that's a good thing. And uh, I uh was alerted at least that we were going to have a uh chair, uh Chairwoman Hill was going to be absent, and then also uh Vice Chair Noel is absent. And then I went to section eight point three of your charter, which says in the event that someone is uh not here to be the chair or vice chair, then y'all can hold a special election at the beginning of a meeting in order to be able to conduct that to occur. That is also uh what is the rules of procedure that y'all have adopted under Robert's rules of procedure. And I had to get my uh earmarked section up to be able to find all that, but under uh forty-seven eleven of that rule that allows that to occur. And so at this point in time, you can't really uh designate if someone's knowing that they're gonna be absent from a meeting, they can't authorize another person to be the chair in advance of that meeting, but it has to occur at the meeting that that you're in now. So at this point in time, if anyone would like to make a motion here for who would be the chair pro tem of this meeting, then we can start. I like to make a motion to a point uh understanding as our pro to this meeting and for our council meeting at three thirty thirty. Second. Motion and a second. All in favor? All opposed. All right. All right, we got it going. Thank you. Castle. And uh happy new year. Uh we've got a couple of items on the agenda for this afternoon that we may take look at. First thing we need to do, I guess, is uh have the approval of the minutes from our last meeting. So could I have a motion on the minutes? So move. Second. Okay. With no objections, those meetings will stand as recorded. Uh couple of uh presentations this afternoon. One is our rain smart presentation. Uh German, they got you listed, but I think Maria's gone. I was gonna take this one. Oh, Haley. Okay. All right, and then we have a passenger rail in the initiative. But I don't see Alice, is he still coming? Okay, okay. All right, okay. Perfect. So at this time, Hailey, if you'd like to come up and join us uh and give us the rain smart uh program presentation. Absolutely. Well, firstly, thank you so much for having us. We're really excited to tell you more about this environmental initiative that is run through the stormwater division. Um it is funded by our stormwater fee. My name is Haley Hamblin, and like I say, I work with the stormwater division. Um, my title is a water quality specialist, but my main responsibility is managing our Rain Smart Rewards program. Okay. I'm Isabel, I work for Waterways, and we assist uh China Yuga with the Rand Smart program. Um I'm not working for the Waterways for 300 year, and I'm the watershed project coordinator, so I coordinate a lot of programs at Ray Smart Yards one of them. So in this presentation, we'll introduce you to the program, kind of tell you why it was created, its impact that we're seeing, as well as some improvements to the program that Isabel and I have made and some tools we've developed in our collaboration with code enforcement. Without further ado, um, so what is the point of Rain Smart? Um, well, main point is to reduce stormwater runoff and keep pollutants from our waterways. So that's protecting the public health and water quality, but also um very important to us is providing education and public um engagement offerings as well.

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