Good afternoon and welcome to the meeting of the Chattanooga City Council 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.

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 three.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into 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.

Before we get too far into our 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.

But we do have a planning and zoning uh 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 include 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 CSAS 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, it's not really please.

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, y'all your faces.

You're like, please no.

Don't worry, we were not gonna put a mic in your face.

Um 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 gonna go ahead at this 3:30 meeting and discuss our agenda for today.

Um, so for our youth council, what we're gonna 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 are 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 Elliott.

Thank you, madam chair.

I was hoping someone could give me a little bit more information on item B evolving uh billing of charges on the records.

What are we doing with that one?

Somebody else is coming to me on this one, and I think it's the same thing, but 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?

One other if you're okay, go ahead.

Item A.

On through street.

Um I didn't know what part of the city this was in.

I don't know if this was in District 9.

It's uh specific to uh it says the street.

It's Graysville Road.

Graysville, okay.

From the Tennessee state line to the intersection.

All right, that makes perfect sense, Madam Chair.

That's all.

Councilman Harvey.

Yeah, sorry, I was just gonna clarify what that was for Councilman Elliott.

But yeah, we decided to uh lower the speed limit there on Graysville Road uh after a speed study was done.

There was some reps and things, and so uh we're going from 40 to 30, so slow it down, people.

All right.

Councilman Hardy will be out there with a gun, uh speed camera.

Okay.

Um, 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 six inches diameter uh DBH shall be removed from the abandoned alley.

Um this is uh 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 when that motion is made.

If that motion is made, yeah.

Okay, 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 is always nice to see the paving list.

Um the paving list is in the back of that document if you want to check it out.

Okay, seeing no other, let's go ahead and take a look at our um our purchase request 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 sole source purchase.

Council, I would like to point out one thing to you.

Um, the very first item, stormwater 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 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, Councilman Elliott, is that a purchase question?

Yes, ma'am.

This for the risk management purchase.

I see this one is roughly costing 3.3 million, but the total budget is three 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 Whizzing out with risk.

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.

Um average cost per claim was uh 390 3,953,000, up 27% over 20 of 20 uh 27 percent over 24, and then one claim a CPD was up uh a 240,000 dollar 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 on 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 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 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 don't do we have that answered, Josh.

I'll step up.

Josh Neal claims and risk analysts for the city of Chattanooga.

Thank you for the question.

Um, regarding that additional the budget when it was submitted in is based off of our going into FY27 budget.

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 three 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 haven't even seen the budget yet.

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 all so much.

Thank you for the question.

Wait, don't go.

Um so I don't have any other lights about that item.

I have a question about that item.

So we have seen our um our risk costs go up, 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 bringing up for another.

Some things like uh checking and making sure we're we got safe drivers out there, checking in VRs.

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 the man handle 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, council.

Do we have any other questions about purchases?

We have uh those two RFPs and the one sole source.

Okay, looks like we're good.

Let's take a look then, please at our uh agenda for next week.

I'm not gonna 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 ordinances 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.

I'm sorry, okay, councilman Harvey.

Thank you.

Sorry for hitting my button late.

Um, I do have a question if somebody can explain.

Let's see.

Item H under planning, the adult-oriented establishment.

Somebody explain that.

Can we let's wait until planning and zoning if we may.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Okay.

We will uh 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 an MOU to establish terms and conditions under which launch pad will install stock and maintain a publicly accessible.

I'm gonna say it wrong, naloxaloon.

That's thank you.

All right, I'm not gonna try it twice.

Newspaper box within Miller Park.

Um, we are expecting to have um Scotty Bowman, who is the leader of launch pad with us March 10th to share with council how that item will work.

Um, Councilman Elliott, you had your light on 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?

All right, looks like we're great.

Thank you, everybody.

I'm gonna go ahead and hand the seat over to um chairwoman of planning and zoning, Jenny Burr.

Speaking of hello.

All right, good afternoon, council members.

Um good afternoon.

Hello.

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.

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 two, there is one in district five, and there is one in district eight.

Outside of those three highlighted items.

It just leaves.

Yeah, is there anything else anybody would like to hear about?

It's not highlighted.

Okay, great.

And then Karen is going to go over some updates to 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.

Appreciate you.

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 go over it, but I do not have new information in the presentation, so I defer to council if there is a need for presentation on the Mercer Street case.

Is that district two?

Is that district?

Yeah.

And actually, I anticipate that back if that can be withdrawal.

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 Agawilla Drive.

And um I'm gonna go into a little bit of detail on this because this has had a robust um public process and public input process.

Um, to help you orient um Agawella Drive 2886 Agwa has a little pin in it.

It's at the intersection of Wilcox, Shallford, North and North Moor.

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.

The applicants requesting a rezoning 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 on the applicant and originally proposed 79 units.

There have been some changes as this case is moved through planning commission and heading to council, so I'll just try to note those as we go along.

The applicant originally proposed three conditions.

I'm gonna read those three because um they do get added on to with additional conditions.

Um maximum of two street cut cuts permitted along Agawilla, no parking allowed between buildings and Agawilla Drive in the northern property line, and maximum building height of 35 feet.

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 single unit homes on lots 6,000 square feet or greater.

The RN3 residential neighborhood zone allows a wide range of uses.

So townhomes, single family tattoos, detached um 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 zone property currently abutting the site.

So that is the the brown zone shaded area 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 New Hope Missionary Baptists, which was equivalency map to R and three.

So staff did note that the request is an extension of an existing zone.

Property to the south is on CC Commercial Corridor, CN Neighborhood Zone, excuse me, CNA commercial neighborhood zone, and then across Agawilla 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 of development here at those the three intersections of those streets.

Um most of the residential properties single family detached residential zone, that RN16 zone.

And then not on the map is a recent zoning case.

Just a couple months ago, Planning Commission, excuse me, City Council approved a rezoning 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 in the 100 year, that lighter blue and 100 year floodplain, and then the darker blue is the 500 year floodplain.

So it's the original site plan.

After a couple meetings, the applicant revised the site plan.

And 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 been reduced to those four, I believe they're calling them cottage homes on the site plan.

The applicant also reduced the number of units.

So I'm going to mention the recommendation of the North Brainerd plan is single family residential development.

It's the dominant use with some exceptions made for townhomes, patio homes, and two family dwellings if density is 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 rezoning request should comply look at density and character to the surrounding development.

As we're kind of we are starting the process for Plan Chattanooga adoption, I'll note that its draft form shows the site of suburban residential, which talks about the some moderate density residential development development, such as small lot houses or attached townhomes may exist and are located on a major street or near a transit route or school.

Staff did note this is sites located in neighborhood node next to commercial, multi-unit residential and institutional landing uses and is served by transit.

So the site plan to fix depicts a residential form that is more closely resembles townhomes rather than massing a 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, parking location, and building height.

Staff recommended adding no more than 79 units and no more than a four attached residential units per mass building.

So again, that zone allows more un 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 apartment complex.

So there was opposition president planning commission.

The um the opposition was interested in keeping the RN16, more meetings with the neighborhood, um, concern about traffic, 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 now the it is down to 67 units, um, and again with the attaching more per mass building and other items to help reinforce this as kind of a transition area between that commercial corridor into the single family detached.

And I'm happy to answer any questions.

Councilman Cl Councilman 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 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 rezoning for property for expansion of an existing use along the East Third Street Corridor.

Erlanger, 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 wanted to rezone 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 the kind of location of the pharmacy, they're using that existing building.

Staff risk um recommended denying the CC zone, that CC commercial corridor zone instead recommended approving that INST zone.

It reinforces the uses along this corridor, which include the new health department adjacent 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 health care corridor.

So the complexity here is that during the review of the proposal and in thinking about the appropriate zone, and the request is for a drive-through pharmacy window, that is not allowed in the INST zone.

So 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 as related to the use and not that specific to the site.

So when we think about an ordinance amendment, we really try to think citywide.

If everyone in the INST zone had this as a permitted use, is that still acceptable?

We do think it is acceptable in one of the upcoming 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 as um pending the approval of the um ordinance amendment here.

I mean Noelle God.

I'm so sorry.

That's okay.

That's okay.

My apologies.

That's okay.

That's okay.

Not about this is in the Great District A.

You know that it is.

Yes, I'm gonna keep my eyes on the Great District A.

Yes.

Um, okay, so I have not heard from this applicant at all.

So no conversation, no contact, no anything.

So before I do anything, they need to sit and have a conversation with me and maybe a conversation with the neighborhood association.

Okay.

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 follow-up to that, is this this is the the matter that um the pharmacy that's is it a CBS or a Walgreens, or is it a I can't remember if it was a big pharmacy that's gonna 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 as 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 operating.

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 CBS.

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 enforceable to be an accessory use and not a standalone.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions about this item?

Okay, I oh I'm I apologize.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um so the I guess there's three amendments that fall behind the rezoning.

I guess my question is more procedural.

Would we want to put these three amendments ahead of the rezonings?

I mean, depending on which may or may not.

I guess what I'm saying is would we want to rezone 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 rezone?

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-thru 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 rezones.

Yes.

So you're saying for the for next week's agenda yes, just move the ordinances above the rezone.

Move the amendment above planning, okay on planning above the rezone so that 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.

I'm not saying that the amendments will have necessarily any outcome on 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 rezone.

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?

Um it would come from me.

Okay.

Okay.

It doesn't seem like we have any problem with that as a council.

All right.

And I'm with I I guess I'm asking a question of protocol that I'm not able to any of it until I have a conversation.

So we're ordering uh we're going to be able to do that.

So in a perfect world, let's say you talk to them tomorrow and you're okay with them.

If it can if it stays on the agenda for next week, then we'll just put approval of that ordinance ahead of the approval of the rezone.

So if you were okay with it, not saying you have to be if you were okay with it going forward, that ordinance would be approved before the rezone came before us.

Okay.

Just reordering the case.

And if you have it reordering it.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Yeah, I think that makes sense.

Okay.

Catherine, can we make do that, please?

Yes.

Thank you.

I see no other.

Was that it?

Councilman Henderson.

Yeah, that was closed.

Okay.

All right.

I see no other lights.

Uh if we'll move on to the ordinances, the language, please.

Um, yes, and I'll just note we had an one other case, a zoning case in um district eight.

The applicant had not reached out, and I did confirm with him today that he would do so.

He would do that.

Thank you.

Okay.

So there's three text amendments.

He's all um were um mostly were identified by staff.

The first one is an ordinance amendment to revise um terminology from adult use to adult-oriented establishment.

So the uh prior zoning ordinance used the term adult oriented establishment, the new zoning ordinance switched to adult use.

Phil Knoblet flag 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 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 a request of fill.

The there's um the next item is the institutional zone um to allow the um drive-through as a permitted use, and so um spoke into that a little bit, but just wanted to remind council that with the new uh zoning ordinance over time we found that drive-through facilities can have um sometimes noise and activity associated with them, that we've had conditions over time to address them.

The new zoning ordinance has drive-through facilities and accessory use and standard 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 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 form-based 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 able to enforce that standard.

So any questions or comments for Karen about these three items or anything else while we have her here.

Back in session, madam clerk, please read um item A.

In ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 24, Article 14, Section 24502, Schedule 2 speed on third strength.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Do you have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Item B.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 35, Section 3516 Building and Charges for District Records.

Thank you, Council.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Item Cord is closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened right away in the 100 block of lawn street.

It's detailed on the attached maps.

Ready?

Okay, so I'm going to make a motion to approve with conditions from um Madam Chair.

It is in her district.

And I think attorney, you will read those conditions.

Right.

The condition is no healthy trees larger than six inch DBH diameter at breast height shall be removed from the 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?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item D, please.

In orders 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?

Aye.

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 the term beginning on March 4, 2026 and ending on March 3, 2029.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item B.

Your resolution authorizing the administrative for the Department of Economic Development to enter into an office lease with legal aid of East Cennessee Inc.

and substantially the form attached for the use of 454 square feet of office space.

The Dr.

Carol B.

Burr's Family Justice Center at 5705 uptain roll 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 one dollar.

Thank you.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

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 seven-year warranty with the responsibility of miracle leave for lifetime maintenance with the value of $83,000 which represents $35,000 for installation and 48,000 for cost of the board.

Thank you.

Got a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Let's take items D and E as a package, please.

Item D.

A resolution authorizing the administrative for the Department of Public Works to award contract number T 25020201 FY26 Citywide Resurfacing to APAC Atlantic Inc.

DBA tally construction in the amount of 13 million 34,009 dollars and 5451 cents with a contingency in the amount of 465, 901 dollars and 49 cents for a total amount of 13.5 million dollars.

Item E resolution authorizing the administrative administrative for the Department of Public Works to award contract number S2504201 Birchwood Landfield Gas Flare Replacement to Advanced One Development LLC or Charlotte, North Carolina for 80 844,915 with the 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?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Purchases.

Good evening, Council.

Hello.

I 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 the 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 3,376,501.

Number three is for parks and outdoor.

This is a new blanket agreement for uh bulk muck mulch.

This will be a four-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 library records management software license, cloud storage and support.

This will be a five-year agreement not to exceed $98,500 with a 3.5% increase annually.

The award will go to innovative interfaces as sole source.

Number five is wastewater.

This is a new blanket agreement for Manho inspections.

This will be a four-year agreement not to exceed $125,000 annually.

The awards will go to Hydro Clean, Sweeping Corp of America, performance contracting, utility inspection services, and video industrial services as the best bids.

Number six is for public works.

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 uh 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 cities eligible employees and their dependents.

And the second one is for temporary employment service to support city staffing needs.

Thank you.

Council, can I get a motion?

Thank you.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Okay, I have one sole source to um report.

This is for stormwater 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 $1,000 trees have been distributed or by the end of the program term on June 30th, 2026.

This so 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 Elliott.

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 A.

Cough.

I told you I will do a working session on that one.

So that will be Tuesday, March 31st at 9 8 from 9 to 11 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 Rennett 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.

I'm just going backwards today.

Let me just let me back up and pull back forward again.

Okay.

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.

Yeah, so uh yesterday we had a very productive meeting of our um homelessness working group that was 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 I think it was a good um, some good information shared and good discussion had and um on councilman Harvey's recommendation.

We're gonna try to meet monthly and get into some policy proposals um and and some solutions now that we've received uh information on what the needs are.

So looking forward to that moving forward.

Thank you very 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 counseling the community development committee meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, March the 10th.

Okay.

I think next Tuesday is the 10th, right?

Yes.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Um I'd like to add that if uh administration could please take a look at when would be appropriate to do a risk management department presentation.

Um we've 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 Hicks and 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 I will say that our staff have done a tremendous job supporting the people of District 2 with their community work in that.

So a big big thank you 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?

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, 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 somebody left me.

Vice Chairwoman Noel.

Let me tell y'all, y'all rag dogging.

Darling meeting 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 McGowan 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 more.

So, yeah, thank you for that.

And um, it was it was very, very good.

Mayor Kelly was there, rated 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 listening?

Am I missing somebody?

Um, but anyway, it was a really really who my gosh, yes.

Dylan was really dressed, really, really, really, really sharp.

But Carissa was there as well.

So it was a really good um event.

Very, very talented young adults that put on a very um good show, and uh that youth group that did the gospel they turn it out because if y'all have been there, if you ain't a member of the church, you probably would have joined before you left out because it was just that good.

So thank you to Shay McGowan 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?

We don't have that.

Good afternoon, Terry Nolan's fire to 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 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 the 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 speakers 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's 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 representative is um council Davis.

My name is BJ Keepers.

Did 42 years in the United States military?

I am now living in Chattanooga.

I am fully retired, have uh trying to fill my slate with volunteering and charity opportunities.

Uh I was gonna recognize the students as 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 five 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 outward facing?

In other words, should they be giving you 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.

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.

Uh this group does tend to be a little bit self-aggrandizing and would like to make sure that I'm not asking to stop the monies going to this charitable organization, but 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 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 it.

Thank you very much.

Hello, council.

I have um some photos to hand out if you don't mind passing them out.

My name is Hopenchi.

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 over to 23rd Street through my street.

And um we're a very short walk from the community of Fergur Place, which I can see almost from my house, um, and their sidewalks are pretty perfect.

Um, so it just 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 Lynbrook 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, because I was walking around, like I did a walk audit there to see like how did they pull this off because it seems unbelievable.

Um some of the main things they did were daylighting at intersections, which John John Wazelowski has been doing in Highland Park, and also um a citywide speed limit of 20 miles per hour.

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 fatality.

So it's possible in larger cities too, and that's very exciting because 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 steal.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Okay, is there anyone else who is here and would like to address the council?

All right, council.

I don't see anybody else.

We have a motion on the floor to adjourn with the proper second.

If you have any questions or comments before we adjourn, hit your light.

All in favor of adjourning?

Aye.

Aye.

We are adjourned.

Thank you.