Chattanooga City Council Meeting - February 3, 2026
Chattanooga City Council Meeting - February 3, 2026
The Chattanooga City Council convened on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at approximately 20:22 UTC (3:22 p.m. local) to address a range of legislative, planning, and public safety matters. The meeting included reports on emergency food assistance, proposed air pollution control fee increases, a comprehensive update from the Land Development Office (LDO), rezoning cases, and public testimony regarding federal immigration enforcement. Several items were approved, deferred, or scheduled for future discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jessica Cantor Chow (District 8, Oak Grove) expressed concern about ICE presence in the community and requested that the city explore all legal avenues to prevent federal immigration enforcement from operating in Chattanooga. She also urged against the city opting into the 287(g) program that would deputize local police for federal immigration enforcement.
- Sophia (Signal Mountain resident) echoed concerns, asking the council to protect jurisdictions and districts against ICE activity, calling recent federal actions violent and urging the council to act in the community's best interest.
- Blake Wright (District 9) referenced Chief of Police John Chambers’ suggestion to submit FOIA requests regarding increased arrests turned over to ICE. He argued that police oversight is the chief’s responsibility and that the city should redirect public safety dollars to expand public transit, noting that 83-89% of top 25 charges could be addressed with non-police investments. He called for declaring a transportation state of emergency.
- Lauren Hurley (District 7, Alton Park) urged council to continue applying pressure to dissolve the 287(g) contract with ICE, and emphasized that local police are effectively doing ICE’s work by arresting people for minor violations and then transferring them to county jail where ICE can pick them up.
- Jonah Epperson (District 5 or 9) asked for clarification on the 287(g) agreement and requested statistics on how many people have been deported from Chattanooga by ICE.
- Nips (veteran, District 5/6 area) expressed anger and fear over current federal actions, stating she swore an oath to the Constitution and that local compliance with ICE undermines due process. She called on council to oppose ICE intimidation tactics.
Discussion Items
- Food Bank Emergency Funds Report: Melissa Blovens, President and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, reported on the use of $40,000 in emergency funds granted by the council on November 18, 2025, during the federal shutdown and SNAP disruption. She noted a 40% surge in demand over 13 days, and that 60,000 neighbors (including 15,000 children) face food insecurity. Food costs have risen 25% since 2020 and are projected to increase another 3-6% in 2026. The funds enabled extended hours, extra food per cart, and support to local pantries. Council members thanked her and asked about zip-code-level data.
- Air Pollution Control Fee Increase: Ron Drew Miller, Executive Director of the Air Pollution Control Bureau, and Togo Kentrell, Air Monitoring Manager, presented a proposed 25% increase in emission fees for non-part 70 sources and a presumptive minimum for major sources (Part 70), last raised in 2017. The increase aims to keep local jurisdiction and align with EPA recommendations. The board voted to approve the increases on November 10, 2025, after a 30-day public comment period with no comments and a public hearing with no attendees. Fees are lower than other Tennessee agencies because Chattanooga permits on allowable rather than actual emissions. Council members asked about how fees help control air pollution; staff explained permitting, inspections, and monitoring of particulate matter and ozone.
- Planning and Zoning Committee Cases:
- Jenkins Road (District 4): Request to rezone from RN1-6 to TRN2 for a 47-unit townhome development, adjacent to a proposed new park. Approved by Planning Commission with conditions. Councilman Harvey indicated he would add conditions.
- East Brainerd Road (District 4): Rezoning from RN1-6 to CC for a parking lot expansion; staff recommended CTMU zone with condition to combine properties. No opposition. Councilman Harvey requested a landscaping buffer.
- 4412 Dodds Avenue (District 7): Rezoning from RN2 to CC for restaurant/office/food truck; staff recommended CTMU zone. Approval recommended.
- 1810 South Kelly Street (District 8): Rezoning from RN2 to TRN3 for townhouse development; Oak Grove Neighborhood Association supported with conditions (height limit, no front parking, residential only). Councilman Elliott asked to connect with applicant.
- 2212 Bailey Avenue (District 9): Rezoning from RN2 to TRN3 for a quadplex; no opposition. Councilman Elliott requested contact with applicant and neighborhood association.
- Ordinance Amendments: Two amendments were presented: one to the Board of Zoning Appeals to add membership/meeting details and sign appeal powers; another to align flood hazard regulations with FEMA definitions. Questions were raised about council oversight of BZA decisions regarding for-profit group homes.
- Land Development Office (LDO) Update: Darien Gilkinson, Assistant Director of Land Development Services, presented a detailed update on LDO improvements across four pillars: People & Expertise, Process & Technology, Partnerships & Outreach, and Performance & Accountability. Highlights included filling long-standing vacancies (code enforcement fully staffed for first time in over a decade), electronic permit stamping, new permit types, quarterly stakeholder meetings, a centralized performance dashboard, and a cultural shift toward problem-solving. Future plans include additional headcount, moving code enforcement to the downtown office (DRC), and implementing “ball-in-court” tracking metrics in OpenGov. Council members praised the progress and commitment to customer service.
Key Outcomes
- Rezoning Approvals:
- 59 Pine Grove Trail (District 8) rezoned from RN1-6 to IL (Industrial Light) with five conditions related to parking, access, and use. (Motion passed unanimously)
- 2802 Curtis Street (District 9) rezoned from RN1-5 to TRN2 with condition that all parking be in rear alley (Brown Alley), no parking on Curtis Street. (Motion passed)
- 3014 Dodds Avenue (District 9) rezoned from IH to CC with conditions: no animal care outdoor area, no gas station, no live entertainment secondary use, no liquor store, no nightclub, no outdoor market, and no drive-through. Applicant agreed. (Motion passed)
- 2003 Wilcox Boulevard (District 9) deferred to February 17, 2026, due to canceled neighborhood association meeting and requirement that applicant be present. (Motion passed)
- Resolutions:
- Approved two resolutions authorizing $40,000 each to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga for construction of affordable homes at 2217 and 2113 Davenport Street. (Passed)
- Approved resolutions appointing Luke Kaiser and William Benford as special commission police officers (unarmed) for the Chattanooga Parking Authority to serve as parking ambassadors. (Passed)
- Purchases: Four purchases approved:
- Courts and justice software subscription and maintenance from Tyler Technologies ($125,424.60).
- Gearbox for UNOX tank system from SPX Flow Technology ($89,873).
- Increase of $50,000 for biosolids data management system services (new annual estimate $250,000).
- Baseline application and community assessment services from Foundations for Families ($55,800) for Early Learning Head Start.
- Committee Reports:
- Budget & Finance Committee will meet next week to cover FY26 budget overview, bond report, and financial policies (with PFM and Dr. ACOF).
- Legislative Committee postponed two weeks to February 17, 2026.
- Future Agenda Items:
- A presentation on immigration enforcement and police data is scheduled for the next council meeting (February 10, 2026) at the 3:30 p.m. special presentation session, requested by Chairwoman Hill to clarify facts and procedures.
- Councilman Harvey announced a new 15.62-acre park for District 4, funded by an $800,000 TDEC grant and $800,000 in matching city funds, with thanks to former Councilman Darren Ledford and parks staff.
- Public Comments Acknowledged: Council members responded to public testimony, with Chairwoman Hill expressing personal concern over federal ICE tactics and affirming Chattanooga’s welcoming character, while noting city authority limits. Councilman Elliott validated fears but reminded that local hands are tied due to state law preemption. Councilman Harvey encouraged attending the next meeting for data clarification and expressed trust in Police Chief John Chambers.
The meeting adjourned after council members acknowledged the public’s engagement.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I'd like to call to order the Chattanooga City Council for Tuesday, February 3rd. Please join me in a pledge of relations and invitation with council members. And to the republic for which we stand. Okay. There are, I see, like a few little seats spattered in. So if you're standing, or if we've got anybody out in the hall that's looking for a seat, know that we do have a handful, and I'm sure everybody would be willing to scooch to the middle. I believe Darren's going to uh set us up for that. Good afternoon, Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, member of councils on November eighteenth of twenty twenty-five. This council voted to grant emergency funds to the Chattanooga area food bank. And as a follow-up to how those funds were utilized for the benefit of our community, I would like to introduce to you, Melissa Blovens, President and CEO. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for a few minutes of your time. I will be very brief. So first and foremost, thank you for your time. Thank you for the commitment in Q4 of 2025 for the investment during the federal shutdown and the snap disruption for many of our neighbors. Even before the shutdown, cuts to federal nutrition programs have impacted our ability to meet the basic human need of food for many of our neighbors and continues to weaken the safety net for families experiencing hunger. Because of your support, um, thank you to you and the mayor. We were able to respond in real time to the highest needs basically overnight. Uh we were able to open our food pantries for later hours and extended distributions. We're able to put extra food on every cart. Um, and we were able to support the local pantries across the Chattanooga footprint in addition to the Foxwood Food Center. We invested uh a 25% of the funding from the city directly into those food pantries across our communities. So what we also know today is food insecurity remains elevated anywhere in a in and across Chattanooga and Hamilton County. 60,000 of our neighbors may not know where their dinner is coming from tonight. Um that includes 15,000 children, so we've got a lot of work to do. Um we know that food costs have gone up 25 percent since 2020. We expect food costs in 2026 to go up again another three to six percent. So that's gonna continue to impact us at the grocery stores as well. So here's what I really want to conclude with is when federal safety nets falter, our local community came together, our local leadership stood up and said, not in our community, we're not letting our neighbors go hungry. Your local leadership matters. We're so grateful for that. Thank you to the city council and the mayor. Your actions during the SNAP disruption demonstrated Chattanooga chooses to be a supportive, responsive community in meeting the needs of those facing hunger. Um and I want you to know you have our commitment. We will continue to be uh the network of community partners and volunteers and supporters to meet the needs of any family facing crisis today or any crisis that our community faces in the future. Um so finally, I just want to thank you for showing up. Many of you came out to volunteer as well. Thank you for showing up and giving a gift of your time. And um, I would invite any of you to come back if you've got any time. Um, City Council plus all those in the audience. We need every volunteer weekend to make sure our neighbors are served with dignity, compassion, and respect. So that is all I have unless there's questions. Councilman Elliott. Thank you, Mal Chair. Do you guys have any numbers of the surge of folks who came for assistance during that time? In the four in the 13 days that SNAP disruption was occurring, we saw 40% surge. Okay. Okay.
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