Good afternoon, everyone.

I'll call to order the April 28th meeting of Chattanooga City Council and recognize Vice Chairman Elliott to lead us in our Pledge of Allegiance and invocation.

Please join me.

So they're probably for which it stands.

All right.

And welcome to everybody.

For anybody who might be new, just a reminder as we get started here, please check your cell phones, make sure they're off or silenced.

And I'll just give kind of a brief overview of how our meetings run so everyone knows.

We do have a special presentation that we'll do right off the bat here in a few minutes from our risk management department.

And then after that, we'll go through and approve our minutes from our last council meeting.

From there, we'll look at the agenda for this week's meeting to answer any questions or concerns, address any concerns anyone might, any council members might have.

And then we will look at our next week's agenda and do the same thing, addressing any questions and and comments as they arise about items on next week's agenda.

Following that, we'll look at the purchasing items that are on our agenda for tonight.

And then finally the future considerations items.

So ordinances or resolutions that are coming up three weeks from now.

So we'd like to work ahead and make sure we're well prepared.

And so we go through that process every week.

After we do that, we do have a couple of committees that will be meeting today.

And then the legislative committee, which will be led by Vice Chairman Elliott.

From that point, we will take a brief recess.

During our recess, a lot of times we'll have an attorney client meeting with our city attorney.

After all of that, at the end of our meeting, we do have a period for public comment.

We're happy to hear from anyone and everyone who might be here to talk to us about any given issue today.

So when we get to the end of our meeting, I'll just ask for folks to line up at the podium down here up front.

We'll have our city attorney read the rules for our public comment session, and each member of the public will have three minutes to talk to us about whatever they would like.

So from there, let us start with our presentation from our department of risk management.

Greg Wisnap, uh City Risk Officer since December 1 2025.

So I've been in it for a while and I'm enjoying it.

Can't wait for more.

And some of the tools that I'll talk about today will make will make an impression on how we're going to be able to do that moving forward.

So we want to do everything we can to make sure those things are happening.

The rest team pursues subrogation.

Make sure I keep up with my slide here.

Subrogation aggressively.

In 2024, we recovered 243,000.

In 2025, recovered 126,000.

And remember, sometimes these accidents are not fully developed.

So that means recovery from 2025 will still be coming in as we move forward.

So sometimes it's six months, sometimes it's a year before we recover some of those funds.

So we'll see that as we continue on.

In 2025, we negotiated lower insurance premiums with the savings of 262,000.

So when we go to market with our insurance, we've got our broker, and we sit in there and we talk about he helps us work on all the different types of insurance carriers that are out there and let's just come in with the lowest cost so we can uh save money in that area.

For example, one settlement negotiation included $53,000 auto claim.

The demand was $53,000, but we were able to settle it at $45,000, which is it's a fair and consistent process of how we go through handling those claims.

And they they do uh my team does a very good job, I think.

Currently, COIs are handled by each department.

Risk management is proposing to bring them all into one digitized system.

Uh you'll hear me talk about digitizing the enterprise.

I uh I want us to I'd love for us to move more and more closer to using electronic uh programs uh that can that can help us share all this information across the board.

The COIs uh basically certificate of insurance.

Let me explain that a little bit.

Every vendor, every contractor has to have a COI.

Uh basically it's a layer of insurance required by each vendor and contractor.

So the vendor or the contractor has responsibilities if we incur liability with possible litigation.

So that that helps protect us as a city, making sure that they have the right coverages and uh items in place before they ever come on our property before the vendor goes out and serves food at a pro uh at a uh event we may have down downtown.

Oh, I'm sorry about got behind on my slides.

Uh there we go.

Uh employee safety and compliance.

Safety upgrades today.

Police got key fobs, which helped them get in and out of their vehicles quicker.

Landfill security.

We were made a big difference out there helping secure the landfill.

We have watercraft insurance, drone insurance, IOD policy uh upgrade that was that was passed here a few weeks ago, and 28 cameras in our trucks.

I really want to talk about these cameras.

You'll you're hearing me more talk about them in just a few minutes.

Some of the safety upgrades that we are working on that we're proposing are some uh better comfortable seat belts for some of our IOD trucks, for instance, our trash trucks, recycled trucks, the leaf trucks.

Uh when I rode on them doing a ride along, I found out that the drivers are not as comfortable as they could be, and and by putting a safety latch on them, it would keep them comfortable during the day and help them maintain wearing that seat belt all day.

Also, some of the things we're looking at are fall protection at our Am Nicola fleet shop, uh manhole cover, mechanical remover.

Instead of our guys being out there and picking up those 200-pound manholes with with uh with a basically a cray bar crowbar and a shovel that we would come up with a system that would pick those things up with a magnet, move them out of the way so they would never have to touch them with their hands.

Uh another thing we're looking at.

I've been riding with the fire department.

There's some areas I think we're we need to look at possibly getting tiller uh fire trucks to be able to maneuver in some of those areas.

We got some really tight spaces.

Uh we want to work on a citywide MSDS program.

That's a that's our chemicals that we use in all of our different areas, like for instance in the fleet maintenance shops.

Uh we're we're working on an online safety training vector solutions.

That's that's all actually on the agenda today.

Uh and then the MVR monitoring and quarterly safety campaigns.

Uh some of the ride alongside we've done is with fire, police, leaf trucks, garbage trucks.

What what this does, it helps us improve our safety.

We can get out there with the with the employees, find out exactly what they're doing.

What can we do to make a difference to make them safer and to keep them uh from getting injured?

And to and to also prevent uh accidents.

Johnson Associates, our TPA, they help us manage our IOD program.

The team uh is looking at areas that we can prevent injuries.

We're seeing the opportunity in a few areas to help lower the IOD cost, but better than that, we keep our employees injury free.

Taking care of our employees after an injury is very important to us.

We want to make sure they're taken care of just like we would take care of one of our family members after an injury because sometimes it's it's very uh tough on the employee, and we want to make sure everything flows properly and they're taken care of.

Johnson associates have helped us reduce our claims duration, which means less days away from work.

The long the quicker you can get an employee back to work, uh the better, because that that means they're they're gonna they're gonna they're gonna want to go back to work quickly.

Uh that it's a and that's a big impact due to our light duty program.

The light duty program is excellent.

We keep folks back in in the in their jobs, and by offering light duty, it makes a big difference.

Uh we're also working on a campus review, a city hall campus review, which includes the city annex, uh, the council building here, uh, the water building and the city hall.

Basically, I'm calling that our our city hall campus.

Uh we're working on some safety items to make sure we're all safe in this area.

The risk team is also working on a fire extinguisher program.

Back to digitizing.

Uh we want to monitor our fire extinguishers using QR codes.

Instead of going around and monitoring with a clipboard, checking off if they're they're they're ready if they're good for that month or they're handled annually, we want to digitize that and where a person would walk around with a smartphone, basically scanning each one of the fire extinguishers and doing it electronically.

Recently we added uh ADA Title VI compliance offer to our team.

Most every everybody knows about ADA and requirements.

However, the latest regulation is to change the digital content that goes out to the public, which and we must meet that new federal regulation.

I'm sure a lot of you have heard about that.

That's one of the hot topics that are going on right now with that group.

Safety audits have taken place in fire halls, libraries, fleet maintenance shops, community centers, sea parks, pump stations.

That was a different one.

I've never had never been in a pump station, and when you go down five stories in a pump station, that's kind of different.

But it's we've got to make sure they're safe when they go down there.

Uh and also we're doing uh the fire extinguisher audits and and also probably the most important security audit I've done so far, actually did it yesterday.

Making sure our kids are safe in our head start programs.

If any anything that I talk about today is not more important than keeping those about a thousand kids safe, I want to make I that's one thing.

If you say something that keeps you up at night, that's one thing that could keep me up at night when I think about making sure those kids are safe.

And we're gonna and we're gonna make sure that that takes place.

These audits can help us make changes to our processes and also keep our employees and the public safe.

Here is our uh public works department.

Uh Joe Merrick does a great job down there.

Every morning they get up and do their exercises.

This was a video.

We had a little trouble getting it to play, but as most seem to do.

But anyway, this is great.

Uh I've never seen it's almost like uh clockwork that they're down there.

I've been down there many times and did the stretching.

I was like, man, I need to do this more myself.

So anyway, uh that's a great program.

I guarantee you that's prevented a lot of injuries with our drivers.

You know the number one injury of get of truck drivers and folks that drive commercial vehicles?

Getting in and out of the truck.

Number one injury for those folks.

So if we can get some stretching with our legs and arms, we'll hopefully prevent some of those things.

Fleet liability and claims.

We want to make sure our fleet is one of the safest on the roads.

We're proposing to add an NVR program to our 15.0 policy.

We recently pulled all Class A C DL driver MVRs.

We're proposing that all commercial drivers will be required to get DOT physicals to verify they're physically fit to drive the large vehicles that we allow them to drive.

The new upgrade in the 16.0 drug and alcohol policy is currently with the egg committee.

And then also upgrades with our fleet accident procedures are proposed in that 15.0 as well.

Let me go back one.

Keep going.

Driver oversight.

Uh, the take-home vehicle program is being upgraded in the 15-0 policy as well.

Uh, we'll include most of the recommendation, almost all recommendations that from the audit team.

Uh the risk management will be responsible for running MVRs, tracking insurance requirements, and handling all accidents that the take-home vehicle program has.

Cameras.

Cameras are a vital improved tool for us to improve the fleet of our safe the safety of our fleet.

I've been dealing with cameras for about the five last five years, and to be in the this the where I've been, it's probably the cameras in trucks are the best tool I've ever seen to help a driver with with with maybe possibly uh with the with habits that they may have.

Uh it's incredible.

You can bring a driver in, do a little coaching with them.

It's amazing what you can do with those cameras.

Not only coaching drivers.

A lot of people think, well, we're gonna use the cameras to say, oh, was that accident preventable or was that accident non-preventable?

The best tool that you can use with those cameras is make is coaching your drivers, helping them become even safer drivers.

We're all also in uh implementing a metric accident per million miles.

We want to track our accidents with our with our fleet all the way down to the any vehicle, not only commercial vehicles, but all of our vehicles.

We want to be able to track that and to be able to set goals using that in the future.

We're implementing a citywide online training platform that will be interactive training that is meaningful and pactful for the learner.

It will allow us to customize training using videos from our Samsara camera system to uh also using current pictures of our employees and our equipment performing the work.

That means when they look at this training, they're gonna see their co-workers, they're gonna see their truck, they're gonna see videos of of the uh of the trucks that that we have videos from, and it's it's huge to make a big impression on them because it's it's it's it brings it home to them.

They're they're wanting to see that video to see who the person is in the video and to see if their trucks in the video.

Starting in May, we're gonna have uh quarterly safety campaigns.

The first one is going to be uh on heat stress, which is very important to our folks that are outdoors every day, all day.

And then also we're proposing to implement a citywide SDS safety data sheet.

That's our chemicals that we use, uh, digitize that program and bring it all in under one umbrella.

Telematics.

Telematics are very important to our fleet.

Cameras will allow us to investigate accidents and help us prove we have no liability involved in most cases.

It's been proved most of the time in commercial vehicles, it's the other party's fault.

A lot of times they think it's the four-wheelers' fault, but a lot of times it's the other party's fault.

So we we we want to be able to uh share that and make sure that's available.

Lane change accidents, uh hard to prove fault on sometimes.

It's uh, but we'll be able to do that once we get camera systems in the trucks.

The camera systems that we're proposing is a full C 360 view, uh, like some of you probably have in your cars that looks forward, it looks to the sides, and it looks to the back.

Public asset management.

We want to protect our city property with the insurance and make sure that everything is covered.

The risk team is responsible for all insurance coverages for the city.

We get the best rates available by negotiating with our broker Gallagher.

Prior to opening the Verlinger Park, we were able to secure property insurance in less than two days.

We saved 85,000 by negotiating the original uh quote of the premium for that park.

This year we've bundled all insurance policies under the main policy.

We've been able to save 34,000 by pulling all that together, just like you would bundle your car and your house and your uh together.

We're doing the same thing with all of our city properties.

We secure several types of insurance uh for the city, which includes terrorism, auto, athletic crime, drone insurance, out of state auto liability, and even all the way down to our fine arts that are in our art sections and art districts.

In 2025, for the citywide insurance, it was a total of 1.5 million dollars.

Back again to cameras.

I wanted to uh we had a video.

This camera was actually in one of our city fire departments uh pickup trucks.

As he was driving, this was at the Walmart there near Eastgate.

As he was driving down the road, headed toward the Walmart.

The the car right there to the to the to the left pulled square, they ran the stop sign, ran right out in front of him.

He T-boned them.

Uh the video showed it clear, zero fault of ours.

If we didn't have the video, I would have been out at the gas station, I would have been over at the other buildings trying to find video coverage.

If we have cameras in our trucks, it's gonna save us, it's gonna not only save us for for uh liability, but it's gonna allow us to help coach drivers as well.

I want to make sure I get that point across protecting our people and defending our assets.

Let's be proactive, not reactive.

The risk team requests everyone's help to drive a valued safety culture.

The risk team cannot do it alone.

It's a citywide task.

We must all work together.

We'll be asking for funds to help digitize the risk management enterprise with cameras and trucks, COIs, MSDS sheets, MVR monitoring, digital online safety training, which is on the agenda for today.

We can make our city the safest, most efficient municipality in the country with everyone's health.

Thank you.

And I will share my uh our our organizational chart with the risk team.

Any questions?

Yeah, thank you, Greg.

I think we do have one from Councilwoman Hill.

Greg, thanks for um putting this presentation together for us and giving us an update.

So we created this department as part of the budget for this year.

So this department was funded.

Remind me what your total budget is in this department.

I don't know that right off the top of my head.

I know we were just working on those, but I'll have to get back to you what that is.

Kevin, Mandy, do you know what the total budget for the risk department is?

I don't know what it is off the top of my head.

Weston, do you know what the budget is for this department?

Thank you.

Um so you you listed several um so the the formation of this department has been important to me as I've served because what we see behind the scenes is all the times when the city is uh negotiating injury on duty claims, when we are um being sued by people who um have been in accidents that have been at the fault of the city, and when um when Mandy and Mike Anthony brought the idea to us that we needed to create this freestanding risk department, it made a lot of sense to me.

Um so I what I'm trying to understand is are are we headed in a meaningful direction?

Do we have ROI on this?

And um the numbers that you shared, um I I'm interested to know, Weston, do we have that number now?

4.2 million.

So you have 4.2 million dollar budget.

Um, so so far um the examples that you've shared um feel kind of small to me.

Um, and so I'm hopeful that you have data that can show us some other improvements.

Let's see, you said we had with subrogation, you had 2024 was 245,000 recouped in damages to the city 2025.

We're at half that right now, um, and we are uh let's see, we've got June, July, but we have one month left in our fiscal year, and we're half of what we did before we had a risk department.

Um we have settled one auto claim for $8,000 less than what they asked for, um, and we've saved $34,000 on a 1.5 million dollar insurance spend.

So when you start talking about um the cameras, the 360, I'm wondering, can you tell us please what kind of um expense you're expecting for the cameras?

Uh what's the capital investment for that versus the ROI that we can expect to see?

Okay, on one of the uh questions that you spoke about the uh subrogation.

Remember that that subrogation only you final you don't finalize until the claim comes fully developed.

Once the fully developed claim is developed, then you go after your subrogation of what because you have loss of use of vehicle, you've got the cost of the vehicle, different things like that.

So remember, it may be six months before we're recouping some of that that just happened in the past few months.

So are you saying that it is it is not reasonable to compare fiscal year to fiscal year?

No, ma'am.

Okay, so we wouldn't we would expect significant swings from one fiscal year to another on a subrogation.

Okay, yes.

And the uh ROI on the cameras.

Yeah, each camera uh roughly is going to be about 200 bucks or so to uh to have it installed, and then there's a monthly fee of $2.65.

I I can't remember exactly what that cost is uh to monitor, and and it depends on the package that you get because they have several different packages for the monitoring of those vehicles.

So uh the I I'll say this the ROI on that because of uh the chance of accidents with large trucks, and I know here in Tennessee we we we cap that at 750,000, but if we if we cross the state line, we run into the other issues.

That's that's why we've got to be careful when our vehicles cross that state line because Georgia don't have that cap.

So in order and the reason why I'm saying that is you it's really hard to always say you got a ROI, but I can tell you from my past experience with these cameras it's amazing how many times we've I've been able to say that was a non-preventable accident and in the past before cameras were around on vehicles we we the settlements were were in were crazy how much we had to pay out because we really didn't know it was a it was a it was a dark throw.

That makes sense so how many how many vehicles are you do you want to install cameras on?

Currently I would love to be able to put them on a out of the what we've got 24 right now we actually have about 450 to 500 commercial vehicles in our in our public works department so I that's the first round of of trucks that I would like to get those on and especially the the larger trucks the commercial vehicles okay so you said they were 200 to install what what is the actual cost of the cameras I don't know that off the top of my head right now.

Okay it'd be great to get uh I can get that to you some numbers on what what your expected capital ask is for that um with regard to insurance um do we have um any kind of what's our cyber security coverage cybersecurity is just making sure that anything gets outside of the walls of of DTS which is uh it's very protected it's very well what we've got but as we know hackers are very efficient and very good at what they do uh but it it's it's protecting the city information that we like for instance uh stormwater a lot of information that goes in the stormwater we we don't want that information out to the public so we want to protect that and and use it and have an insurance to be able to cover anything that could be damaging to the city as far as loss of funds coming into us that's that would be what it would be for is that would that so it sounds like yes we do have you're you're comfortable with our cyber security coverage that's something that we've had quite a lot of conversations with with DTS and our we were led to believe that that was one of our biggest liabilities correct would you would you agree or as you think about the city three to five years what what are the the biggest risks that we've got and how we're preparing for them I think the biggest risk we have as far as current risk of our is our vehicles on the road okay those vehicles on the road are are that's huge they're out there with the motor in public and is that where you have seen that we've had the greatest liability in terms of cost yes okay okay hold on let me just check real quick Mr.

Chair yeah I guess I have I have one other question about how we're trending with workers comp claims since risk has been a department are we up down side flat from the numbers I've looked at we are up and sometimes those are really tough to control for for example our officers when they're out on the job they are in very uncontrolled environments and and they they're the they're the number one cost for us on our in on our injury uh costs uh but that's part of that's kind of like part of doing the business uh it's gonna happen we're we're looking at ways we can prevent injuries but when they're out there in that uncontrolled environment and they're jumping over a bobwire fence chasing after somebody and they they break their leg or or or for instance they're on a they're on a bicycle in training and they fall and break their hip you never know what's going to happen.

Okay all right thank you very much that's all Mr.

Chair okay any other questions or comments council all right thank you very much Greg thank you all right council can I get a motion on the minutes from our previous meeting please all right minutes will stand as published um let's look council at our items on tonight's agenda we do have one ordinance on final reading we have several on first reading I do intend to take um items 8A through D as a package and then we have item E which relates to the Southside Cowart neighborhood parking district that we'll take individually Mr.

Chair yes um so I don't know that we can take both these packages that I have a first three in district two and I do have a a question related to item C.

Trying to get the queue situated here.

There we go.

Okay, thank you.

Um sorry, I was still green, so I thought I was okay.

So related to public works item C, Jay.

Um this is a tricky item for me, and I think I I may need uh some legal opinion as well.

So this uh this right of way, um, we have a recommendation to deny it, and uh the the rationale uh makes sense on the face of it that it will create landlocked parcels.

Um the challenge, this uh this area of my district is extraordinarily steep.

So this is an unopened right of way that um has been unopened, it's been platted, I think for 95 years.

Um actually I think longer than that, um a hundred and thirty years.

Um, and for the last 95 years, the owners of 1109 spears have used the first 100 feet of that right of way.

So so it's like we've got this T-shaped thing happening where a driveway on this very steep parcel goes, and then there's this unopen right of way that then in theory we have these four parcels that have not been landlocked because we've had a right of way, but it's a 35% grade, and the city doesn't go beyond a 16% or 15% grade, I think.

So they're actually kind of landlocked, Ms.

Attorney.

Um, and so like here's an opportunity where if we close it, we open up development for the front side of the street, but legally are we not allowed to create an official landlock situation.

I I need some help with that because it's like I've got practical and I've got theoretical happening.

I'm quite sure uh counseling in the heel off the top of my head.

Um is something that our office can look into and follow up with you about.

Jay, do you have any insight on that?

Uh no ma'am.

I have to know.

Harold has been helping you here.

Uh uh, if it is not meet the requirements for being a city street because of grade, it could not be an opened up street.

That's that's the problem in that regard.

So so grade-wise, it doesn't, but also if we take away the right of way, we're creating landlocked parcels.

And is that is are we legally required to not land like parcels?

The state law would allow access if there has been access through that by an implied easement under state law on there if they've been having that, but it would not be maintained necessarily by the city either.

So these lots were conveyed between 1887 and 1891.

Yes.

They've never had street frontage, water sewer utilities, or fire protection due to the contours that have made them unsuitable for development.

Um I don't want to get us in a situation hey, risk department.

I don't want to get us in a situation where we're gonna end up in a lawsuit over property access, right?

Yes, but the access is merely theoretical.

And that that access uh at least they they can get to their property if there's a possibility of doing that, they can also walk back and forth.

The danger is that there is not the ability to provide any type of uh fire or police to do that.

Yeah, there's no way to get to anything that would be built there, correct?

So I I'm I'm kind of stuck.

I I think I may uh Mr.

Chair, I think I may need to delay this one more week just to further confer with you, Phil and Jay.

I've I've had a lot of family things happening, so I wasn't able to dig into this the way I usually would have before now.

Um this is just a tricky one.

Like, do you do you say no to to what is available right now for something that since 18 whatever hasn't been buildable?

Um I guess we we have some differences now.

I guess if if we can uh get access by drone, but other than that, that's that's a problem here.

Hot air balloon.

Well, maybe, yeah.

Could they get clearance?

I'm sure that's a whole other situation.

Still difficult to serve.

That that's the issue within city limits.

Yeah, oh I mean, we have some other lots in this area that I mean they have to be sprinkled if they're gonna be built on because of the topography.

Okay, yeah, I'd like to delay this one week, Mr.

Chair.

Sure.

All right, thank you.

Next we have Councilwoman Dotley.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Uh I do have ordinance um on the first reading uh letter E.

We'll be reading the alternate version.

Um, I did send you all some updates, uh, I believe yesterday.

So I wanted to share those, but before I did that, I did want to acknowledge uh those who are here regarding this ordinance.

Uh so the PTA and battle academy representatives, would you please stand?

They are not in favor of this.

Thank you so much, Emily.

It's there.

Okay, thank you.

And then um business owners as well that are here.

Could you please stand as well?

Thank you so much.

And they also are not in favor of it as well.

Thank you so much.

You can have a seat.

Thank y'all.

I just want to acknowledge that y'all did come and we've been I got a lot of emails going in, and also the South Coward Neighborhood Association, if you would stand, please, if you're here to represent the neighborhood association.

Oh, hey Tom.

Uh, if you ever get an email from Tom Purdy, that's him in the blue shirt.

Uh, but also thank you so much, neighborhood, for coming.

Um, and I did want to share um publicly the email I sent out is information only to the council yesterday.

I try to peruse over it.

Uh, but pretty much after uh regarding uh battle academy after multiple emails and a conversation with Principal Whalen, uh Hamilton County Schools has agreed to cover the costs associated with any additional parking tax as well as up to 20 paid parking spaces for teachers.

Additionally, Carter will work with the battle academy each year to include a grace period at the start of the school year to ensure all needs are met.

There is no intent to ticket parents, tech teacher staff, volunteers, or visitors associated with Battle Academy, as far as the PTA is concerned, they are not in favor, as I mentioned earlier, of this resolution.

Um as they believe these are public streets and should not require neighborhood permits.

Is that correct?

Right, okay.

Um, because I want to make sure I cover every voice here because this is a very serious decision for that neighborhood and for the school.

However, they are aware of the protections in place for the school and the alternate version and understand those accommodations.

Fortnegley, which is the adjacent neighborhood across the if you're on the South Coward side where Battle is, you go across the way, and then you have Fortnagley, that's that neighborhood adjacent to it.

Um for context of J the adjacent Fort Negley neighborhood currently has a residential parking permits.

I am unsure why those permits were not extended to the South Cow community.

And then business impact, which I think uh I share just a portion of a message, and Councilwoman Hill asked me about it last week, and I just kind of reiterate what I mentioned last week, um, which I sent out in part to uh the business owners that you see today.

Uh I understand the proposal may have some impact on business along the main street corridor.

However, parking pressures in the main street and south side area are real.

As a frequent visitor to the corridor myself, I have experienced these constraints and have paid for parking on numerous occasions.

This is a common condition of a growing and active downtown court, which is what we want, uh, not just in Chattanooga, but in cities across the country, and it requires us to make thoughtful and sometimes difficult policy decisions about how limited space is managed.

Um and I sent that to and so you all that are out there know that I did send this to council yesterday.

Um, and I'd be happy to forward it to you all as well.

And I just want to say I appreciate it's been a lot of dialogue, but I appreciate you all's active engagement in government affairs.

Uh I appreciate that very much.

So I do have uh for this.

I do plan to move to approve on the alternate version.

Again, council, you know, that's it's all is on you all, but I just wanted to make you aware of my intentions and the information that was shared with you all.

I wanted to make sure I shared it publicly, and that you all knew the faces behind that information.

All right.

That's it.

Thank you so much, Count.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, quick question, I guess for Jay, and I see Mike here.

This may be a mic question as well for my um closure of the wide uh right of uh right of way uh in district four on Cedar Street.

I can even find that on the map.

Where there's a Cedar Street on 153.

Where is this?

Cedar Street is in District 4, it is off of Jenkins Road, sir.

Okay, okay, all right, okay.

Um you talked me through with what we're wanting to do here.

Apparently, they're requesting to hold on one second, please.

And that's on for next week, just so we're all following along.

Uh it's on first read today.

Okay, yeah.

So the applicant is requesting to abandon the 20-foot alley at the rear of the property for construction of a new single-family home subdivision.

The alley is unopened as was originally platted to be the southern half of a future road, but the remaining right-of-way was never platted or constructed.

The western portion of the alley towards Jenkin Road was previously abandoned in 2004, and no parcels will be landlocked.

So planning commissioners recommended approval.

Public work recommends approval subject to recording of a new plat.

And I think that goes in line with the name of the roadway because it's not an official street.

Okay, yes, what I was thinking.

So it's not doesn't even show up on the GS GIS map, which I thought was weird.

So okay, all right, cool.

That's all.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Okay.

All right.

Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I'm actually going back to the parking ordinance, and I don't know if this is question for you, Councilwoman Dotley or someone else, but um just some clarifications about the ordinance.

It said that this would go into effect two in two weeks, two weeks from the signature.

Is that correct?

Did I read that correctly?

Yeah.

So it will go is Brent here.

Come on, Brent.

Come on up.

Wick Carter.

Well, he can give you some better details about that, but two weeks and then kind of the timeline if it passes the timeline of kind of how that goes into effect.

Yes, ma'am.

It would take us at least a month to get the signs up.

So I think we were aiming to start it at the beginning of the school year would be the plan.

Okay, because that's working with the Department of Transportation or public works.

It would take us a little while to get everything together.

Okay, so we would do we need to change the wording in the ordinance then?

Does it say I thought I saw what's you got it pulled up?

Shall take two weeks from and after it's passed, it's not necessarily because the two weeks after it passes, then they still have what maybe another two to three weeks until it's actually started.

So it probably wouldn't start till June-ish, maybe mid-June, something's it out of fit, because they still have to get the price, this is in place.

Okay.

So then I guess I'm thinking in terms of you think when when schools are starting out, that's the best time to reach parents and to activate something new.

I'm just wondering if there's some tweaks that we could make if it gets approved.

Are there some tweaks that we could make to um accommodate the school where they will already have a system?

You know, beginning the school year, parents get their packets, new students, new new families get their packets versus you're only get sending this stuff to kids that are gonna be there for the summer only.

So then they start the process over again for fall.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, so car I'm just wondering if we can if this gets approved, if there's some timing tweaks we could do to make it easier for the student students to get the information or the families to get the information because right now it's gonna be all over the place.

Well, Carter has to whatever we need to do.

So then my next question is does that need, I guess uh turn to the city attorney who's represented today.

Do we need to modify the ordinance in order to reflect that to put a specific date that this will go into effect August, whatever the yes ma'am attorney not?

Okay, yes, yes, ma'am.

We can put in a specific date that it will be effective.

I I thought there was initially something about the end of the school.

So that gives okay.

So that gives that gives time to work out the kinks if there is communication issues that the school needs to be able to do.

Okay, so that's the first thing.

Um, and my my next question is I see how this helps identify the the the battle academy related parking from 6 a.m.

to 6 p.m.

and special events.

How will this address the parking from 6 p.m.

to 6 a.m.?

I'm not sure.

Uh like are you talking about for the neighborhood?

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, they're gonna have virtual permits the way we're gonna do it, just like we do for wood and fortnagly.

And how's that how's that governed in in Port Wood and Fortnagley from 6 a.m.

to 6 p.m.?

It's we enforce it just with our staff.

So tell I mean literally tell me how to do that.

I mean, I mean I'm sorry, yeah, yeah.

We literally go through and check, and we will have the we'll have the permits loaded, and we will know who's who's eligible to park there and who's not.

From 6 p.m.

to 6 a.m.

you will.

Okay.

All right.

Um then the next question I have are they the family's gonna be using the hang tag that they are learning used for the school drop-off and pickup, or is it an a separate tag?

I believe count the councilwoman Dotley, I believe uh it's the same, it'll be the same.

They only have one tag, and it can be drop-off pickup, parking, or volunteer or volume.

Dr.

Sharp talked about that going forward.

And I apologize.

Councilwoman Dotley, you've been so good to answer all my questions, but as I've been processing this, I've come up with some more, and other people have really been helpful educating me.

So thank you all for allowing me to ask a couple more questions before I make my vote.

Um the other thing I want to confirm.

You said the school system has agreed to pay for the for the passes, any additional that they have to print because they have a print shop.

They'll be providing those to the school.

Yes.

Okay.

Um, and only because one of the things in some of my conversations about the some the unintended consequence of at some point putting that burden on the families.

Has that come up at some point once it's uh this program is approved if it's approved.

Is there something in writing from the school system that says that they will provide the parking passes at no expense to the school just for the protection of the families?

Yes, it's in uh uh I I guess I was a public document, but Robert Sharp uh actually sent us the email back and told us they would pay for up to 20 spots as well as the any additional parking tags they need, and it'll be put into their operating budget if it does not follow.

Put a time doesn't put a time limit on it, they will just add that to their expenses for that school.

Right.

Okay, all right.

Not to the but it wouldn't come from the school, it'll come from the main, I guess it's called the main office.

Okay, all right, whatever up there.

Thank you, everyone, for accommodating my questions.

That's all Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Brand.

Thank you for you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair Elliott.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Oh, I need if you don't mind.

Sorry, I don't want to get you up.

And the reason I'm speaking on this one, I've gotten a ton of emails and calls on this one.

So usually I don't I don't speak on stuff that's not my district, but I just gotten a lot of folks who's asked about this one.

I have a question, and I think you answered it, and if I missed it, or councilman Dolly, you may be able to shine some light on this.

What uh something that a couple folks have asked me about a compromise of like you know, with the permits, but um having a gap, you know, it is open and available from like 6 a.m.

to 6 p.m.

Y'all probably mentioned that and just missed it.

Yes, it's an alternate version.

It is in it.

So there will be it will be open for anybody from 6 a.m.

to the school, it'll be for the school just the school.

The school, yeah, because the other side, Fortnagley also has them on their side.

The difference is they don't have a school on their side, whereas South Coward does.

So the accommodation was made for the school and through the advocacy of their PTA to make sure that at least those accommodations are made.

So because if it's open to anybody, then it ain't no it's no point in having a permit.

So it is open, but for the school itself, for their visitors or whoever they at their you know, designation, however they want to do it, it'll be for to make the accommodations for the schools to make sure there's no unintended burden.

And then we've also uh and we have a process as to which if they do get a ticket uh that will provide something for the school so that they can contact Carter directly to deal with that.

But again, the intention is not to ticket the anything with the school.

And what are these um placards look like for the teachers?

Um, I don't know if you I didn't even bring it downstairs.

It's a it's a school bus.

It's a school bus you hang up in the dash, and then it'll have the school year on it.

Um I don't well, I don't have one, just like you normally have for car line.

Yeah, it's car line, yeah, it's like a car line pickup thing.

And because this is something that someone tossed out as well.

This may be a question for you and Cartoon what's stopping somebody from I know I got a couple emails from business owners, right?

And some of the employees, I think that was some of the concerns that some of the residents had as well.

You have employees who may work in adjacent uh businesses.

What's stopping them from creating their own look alike and just hanging it up there?

I think it's funny, but it's also legit question.

It kind of also defeats the purpose as well.

If it's just a simple plaque, you can just plop up there and say, hey, I have mine too.

I don't know.

I guess some people are just scandalous like that.

But for but generally that that's the place, you know, you get the school has theirs, and then for the neighborhood is actually by license plate, right?

So they have to register their license plate.

And they get the sticker.

I don't think it's a sticker, is it?

No, it's just a license plate.

Kind of how we're virtual proof.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, like um.

I I will say this.

I've never been crazy about saying it's everybody who's here.

I've never been crazy about uh designated parking on public streets, I'm just gonna be honest.

Um especially in adjacent areas that have um a lot of commercial energy around it.

Um Main Street's just not a place that the residents let uh attend.

This is something that people from all across the city go.

And you know, my knee-jerk perspective is you know, these residents moved into these homes knowing that parking wasn't available, and so now we're kind of in a position where you and I can talk about after I'm free.

I see you're shaking your head, ma'am.

But I I'm I'm definitely open to talk about it.

We got a few minutes before the vote.

Um, but it's we're also taking away public street parking in a hotly commercial corridor.

So that's I'm struggling with this one.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not um and I don't comment on this lightly by no means, but this is something that is a little sticky one.

So I appreciate it, and I'm available to talk to anybody between now and time to vote.

That's it, Mr.

Chairman.

All right, Councilman Harvey.

Thank you.

I too am struggling with this.

I received a call from uh actually a constituent of mine who's a teacher at the school.

Uh, and after about an hour conversation, I left the conversation with about 20 more questions about how this is gonna work.

Um so one of the one of the things I'm trying to wrap my head around is I think at one point there was also a 6 p.m.

to 6 a.m.

uh tag requirement.

Is that for the correct yeah, it's for the school.

So they I believe the daycare starts at 6 a.m.

If I'm not that is that right, Emily.

Does the daycare open at six?

No.

But yeah, and then the latest program they will have usually will end by because mind you, they get out of school to like three o'clock.

So the latest program they would have is at 6 p.m.

and they have after school care.

So they have uh those things.

So that's why we want to make sure we covered that, and they have uh program the daycare that the daycare is open in the summer as well.

So want to make sure that we cover that time frame for them.

Okay.

The other concern was uh there's after school events that families go to.

Um, and then there's a UTC, I think has a daycare there as well.

That's it.

That was uh yeah, that's the same thing we just I mentioned.

So the three to six covers those after school events.

So we had two meetings uh with the administration, school board representative, county commissioner, uh, board education, the PTA representative and the community members uh about that, about kind of what goes on at the school.

So the principal told us roughly they have about four events uh each year, just like after hours events, and so they usually end no later than six o'clock.

So that's why I was the 6 p.m.

because that's what we were informed uh informed of.

And then you asked about the school care, same thing.

They'll be there, and they're there all they open all year long, if I'm not mistaken.

So that also uh accommodates them also.

Okay.

Um still trying to wrap my head around this.

Okay, that's all for now.

Okay, okay, thank you.

All right, council.

Any other questions or comments about any other items on the agenda for tonight?

All right.

Looking ahead to next week.

Uh we do have a planning and zoning committee meeting.

Oh, thanks.

Oh, vice chairman.

I'm sorry, y'all don't kill me.

Um on my planning item for this evening.

I have um the tensions to motion to approve this with conditions.

I sent this to Nicole and Phil.

I didn't know you were coming.

I'm sorry.

I would send it to you.

But I sent it to Phil, and I just want to make sure it's on the record if you don't mind, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh the conditions are as follows.

A privacy fence shall be required along the western property line running the full length of the neighboring home directly across from it.

There shall be a five to six foot vegetation screen that must be installed along the rear of all of the homes bordering the west property line.

The HOA rules shall um prohibit flood lights directly towards any neighboring properties.

There shall be a 10, a hold on, Karen corrected me on this one.

There shall be a minimum of a 10-foot setback on the Western property line, and the developers shall adjust the neighboring property uh properties driveway so it doesn't directly cross over into the new development.

So I just want to make sure that was on the record, and I plan on including those conditions with this um ordinance this evening.

Okay, that's it.

Sorry about that.

All right, no problem.

Thank you.

So back to next week, we do have items on final reading that were on first reading this week, including that one in District 4.

Sorry about that, Councilman Harvey overlooked that.

Um we have several items on first reading as well.

And then we have some resolutions.

For item 9A, you'll notice that there's an alternate version.

The only reason for that alternate version is to correct a name change.

One of the one of the firms, their number two was originally Reagan Smith Associates.

They've been bought by Pate Dawson, so there's just a name change to correct that.

That's why there's an alternate version there.

Let's see.

Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I had a question about I have two planning items, items B and C in his camera here.

Okay.

I had a question about those particular items, please.

Okay.

So last month, no, earlier this month when we had our planning meeting.

Um 02601A, he's supposed to follow up with you all.

Um, did he ever follow up at all?

Um, we did follow up and they'd scheduled a um, I believe it confirmed that it's scheduled a pre-submittal meeting.

Um because this had gotten pushed out and gave him the revised date, but I will confirm the outcomes of that that that has happened.

Okay, so I'll probably defer that one.

And then for item C, I just want to make the council aware may defer that one as well.

We have a neighborhood meeting on site Monday, and so depending on what comes out of day, I may need to amend or defer that one, but I'll I'll follow up.

And I'll follow up on the other item to confirm the action from pre-submital.

Okay, that works.

Thank you, Karen.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Council, any other questions or comments about items on next week's agenda?

All right, let's look at the purchases for this evening.

Any questions on the purchases?

I will note related to purchases.

Um, there was an item on last week, you might recall we approved the purchase of some chairs for public works and wastewater, and I'm told that there will be a motion on our agenda next week to resend that purchase.

So I think that will be well received.

Yes.

Yes.

All right.

Okay.

Um, so that takes us through to future considerations, which is looking pretty sparse right now.

But are there any questions on future considerations?

Okay.

With that, I will turn over the chair here to Councilwoman Dotley for our affordable housing committee meeting this evening.

Okay.

All right, council, I'll call out for affordable housing committee meeting to order.

Can I get approval on the minutes?

So move.

Thank you so much.

Minute stand without objection.

Uh today, our housing team will provide updates on three of our programs.

So Megan will come up and give that.

And while waiting on her, I want to just give a shout out to my first realtor, Sabrina Hagid.

And to my second realtor to make you a ruler, if you could stay in, please.

Yes, please.

Thank you so much.

These are amazing realtors, and while waiting on Megan, I thought I would give them a shout-out.

So they are fantastic.

First house, second house.

So good to see y'all here.

All right, Megan, you take it away.

Thank you, Councilman, and good afternoon, council.

I'm Megan Miles, the director of housing policy for the city of Chattanooga.

And I'm really excited to be here today to provide an update on three new programs that were funded through this year's budget amendment.

Um, over the past six months, our team has been really hard at work on designing and launching these programs, and so I'm here today to just kind of briefly walk you through an update on our progress.

I did promise Councilwoman Dotley a very tight 10-minute presentation.

Yes, right.

Uh, I'm gonna try very hard to stick to my word on that.

So I'm gonna go through these slides quickly, but of course, I'm here to answer any questions that you may have about any of these programs.

Before diving in though, I do want to briefly frame how we approach this work and how we think about program design generally, because the first thing I want to say is there's no one size fits all or silver bullet solution to our affordable housing crisis.

We have to approach it from every angle with every tool in our toolkit, and you'll see that reflected in the range of programs that we're discussing today.

Second, the need is immense.

Our resources are limited.

So that requires us to be strategic, using data to target interventions and identifying opportunities to leverage additional funding so that we can stretch every dollar further.

And third, this work really depends on collaboration.

These programs build upon work that's been done in our communities for years.

And so during the design phase for these programs, we convened roundtables with partners with stakeholders who've been doing this work to learn from their experience, ask what works well, and really identify where additional support is needed.

And so with that, I'm gonna start.

I'm gonna start where we start always, which is with data, and starting with eviction prevention.

As housing costs outpace wages, many families are living with no margin for error.

So 23% of renters in Chattanooga, which is about 8,600 households, are severely cost burdened, which means that they're paying more than half of their income and rent.

So that means that a single setback like a medical bill, a car repair, or reduced hours can quickly lead to eviction and then ultimately end in homelessness.

We know that preventing eviction is better for families, it's better for the community, and it's also more cost effective.

But we didn't have a funding source in place that could be used to intervene before an eviction was filed.

And so with our eviction prevention initiative, we've taken a three-pronged approach to kind of looking at this issue.

First, we provide legal support through a partnership with legal aid to help level the playing field in eviction court because most landlords have attorneys and most tenants don't.

And as you can imagine, that often results in imbalanced outcomes for tenants.

We also have created a brand new flexible rental assistance fund designed for early intervention that can support families as they navigate a crisis.

And last, we heard that sometimes these things aren't enough.

We need additional support.

And so we built a coordinated referral process that links families to case management and housing navigation when they need it.

That allows us to better address the underlying cause of whatever that crisis was and to help those families work towards longer term stability.

So we launched this fund in February of this year.

Since then, we've supported 89 families who might have otherwise fallen into homelessness.

Our average assistance amount is about $3,000.

Half of those families just about had children, and nearly half were actively employed at the moment.

The majority of them were dealing with either reduced job hours or a sudden job loss, and many of them were navigating health crises.

We saw that over and over again as we looked through that data.

Often these crises are compounding, and we see how quickly one thing can lead to another.

And so this program is really there to provide that timely support to prevent a short-term crisis from spiraling into long-term homelessness.

Next, looking at preservation.

Preserving affordable housing is just as important as building new units, and it's also more cost effective.

In Chattanooga, 37% of owner-occupied homes are owned by residents who are 65 or older.

Older homeowners are more likely to be cost burdened.

Many live alone on fixed incomes, and they also tend to live in older homes.

Over a third of our older homeowners earn less than $35,000 a year.

So for these homeowners, the cost of essential repairs can be out of reach.

Over time, deferred maintenance will threaten both safety of the family who lives there and their long-term housing stability.

So through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the Critical Home Repair Program provides major home repairs for low-income seniors.

This program focuses on repairs that ensure that homes remain warm, safe, and dry.

So things like foundation issues, new roofs, HVAC repairs.

It also provides upgrades that allow seniors to age in place safely so that they can remain in their homes.

Each project is tailored to the individual homeowners' needs so that we can maximize their safety, comfort, and their long-term stability.

And to expand the program's reach, city funds are leveraged with philanthropic dollars and federal home loan bank funds, which cover 20 to 30% of those project costs.

So far, 27 homes have been rehabbed and 29 more are in process.

An additional 20 homes are going to be added to that pipeline next month through a lottery process.

So we are continuing to work with Habitat to scale this program, and we're also exploring ways to integrate additional supports, things like estate planning, so that those homeowners can make sure that the generational wealth that they have built can be passed down to their families.

So finally, I'm gonna talk about a brand new program that was just announced last week that we're really excited about, and that's down payment assistance.

And for many years, Chattanooga was a place where if you worked hard, if you earned a decent living, and if you saved up, you could pretty reasonably expect to buy a home.

But we know and we see that that's changing.

The median home value in Chattanooga has increased 63% since 2019, which is much more than wages have increased.

And then when you factor in interest rates, the typical monthly home buyer payment has nearly doubled since 2021.

So today, households that are earning even up to 120% of our area median income are struggling to find homes that they can afford.

And that means that essential workers like our teachers, like our firefighters, our police officers, our municipal workers are having a hard time finding place that they can live in the communities that they serve.

So often the barrier to homeownership is not the ongoing mortgage payment, but it's that upfront cost, the down payment and the closing costs.

This is especially challenging for first-time buyers and people who don't have access to family wealth.

So the city's new down payment assistance program provides up to $15,000 to cover those costs so that more working families can achieve homeownership, put down roots in their community, and begin to build generational wealth.

The funding for this is structured as a deferred loan with no interest and no monthly payments.

And it only needs to be repaid when the home is sold or refinanced with cash.

So when there's that cash event.

Importantly, we really wanted to design this program to layer on top of existing resources.

So home buyers can pair our city DPA with up to $6,000 in state funds through a new partnership with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

And they're looking at that to be a model for the rest of the state.

There are also a lot of local financial institutions that have fantastic first-time home buyer products, and we're inviting them to work with us so that we can layer our DPA with their products as well.

So this program is designed for first-time homuers.

We follow the federal definitions on that, which means you can't have owned a home in the last three years, earning 120% of the area median income or below, which is about $92,000 for two-person household and about $114,000 for a family of four.

Um, it's for families who want to buy a home in the city of Chattanooga and again who just need help getting over that initial hurdle.

The homes do have to be used as the primary residence, so they can't be rented out and they can't be used as short-term vacation rentals.

And when we were thinking about how to design this program, we really wanted to make it as simple and accessible as possible.

So we don't require buyers to go through a separate application process to the city to get access to these funds.

Instead, we are leaning on the expertise in our community, starting with our lenders.

Um, so home buyers will go through a participating lender just like in a typical home buying process, who is gonna screen them for the program eligibility and determine the amount of assistance that they need.

The lender handles the underwriting and they work with the city to make sure that that home buyer is eligible for the program, then the assistance is applied at closing.

So we are right now in the process of onboarding lenders.

We're doing training for them in the middle of May.

And then we'll post a list of those participating lenders by the end of the month.

Um we know people have a lot of questions about this program.

We've been getting calls all week long.

We're really excited about it.

Um, and so we are also gonna be hosting a series of information sessions to connect residents with this opportunity.

We're doing specific sessions for police and fire personnel and for teachers with police and fire.

We have THDA coming out to talk about their specific mortgage products as well that can work for those groups.

And so we're really excited about these, and we will continue to offer more information sessions in the community throughout the summer.

Um, we have a website which is Chattanooga.gov slash DPA.

I just found out you can make a short URL for a program, which is really exciting for me.

Um, and we're gonna be posting all of our program updates there, including that list of participating lenders once they're approved.

Um, like I said, we're gonna continue to add information sessions.

Any new information is gonna be on that website, so keep it bookmarked and continue to check back.

Um, and before I go, I I mentioned at the beginning that this work is grounded in partnership, and I do want to take a moment to recognize and acknowledge some of those partners that are here today from the team that's been working on these programs with us to our nonprofit partners, to uh lenders and realtors that are in the room who are helping make homeownership possible.

So if you're here, please just give a wave so we can acknowledge you and thank you for the work that you do and the role that you've done.

So, with that, I am happy to answer any questions.

Yes, so thank you so much.

We do have quite a few questions here.

Yay, it's a good yeah.

So we will start with uh vice chair uh Vice Chair Iliade.

No question, I just want to say thank you.

Now, this is huge.

I know there's oftentimes a lot of pressure on your office, and y'all get pulled and you know one different ways, but this is um has potential to be incredibly impactful uh for a lot of people.

And so I just want to say thank you, and I hope we can do our part to push our people to take advantage of this as much as possible.

So that's it.

Just thank you.

Thank you, Councilman, and thank you to the council because you're the ones who approved the funding to do this, and so we we need you and appreciate your support on this.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Uh Vice Chair Elliott, uh Councilman Harvey.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Megan, for being here.

I want to go back to uh one of the slides.

I think it was on the eviction prevention program.

Um one of the the points was 44% are actively employed.

That leaves 56% who are not actively employed.

Can you tell me like what's going on with those folks?

Are they seniors?

Are they disabled?

Yeah, so a lot of those people are when I say actively employed, it means kind of like throughout this process of applying for the funding.

Um many of the people who aren't actively employed were recently employed and just experienced a sudden job loss, or they were people who um were going through a health crisis and had to give up employment for that reason.

So we saw quite a few instances of that.

Um there are a handful of people that have come through who are on social security or social security disability as well.

Um, but the vast majority, if they are not actively working while they're going through this process, we're working very recently, and the loss of the job is what caused their financial crisis.

Okay.

But that's the good thing about the case management is that they can work with that family and get them connected to additional resources.

So it's not just this ends in court, um, which even avoiding eviction is a fantastic outcome for a client, but we also know that there's additional supports that they may need.

I'll shout out our Office of Family Empowerment, who has a really fantastic program to help clients, and then oh, our case managers at the Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing have also been really fantastic about helping families kind of find those supports that they need.

Okay.

Yeah, that was my next question is are we uh providing help for those folks to uh get a job?

Because obviously, if it's just a one-time here you go, it's not gonna help so much if they don't have a perpetual um you know job uh to help to do that.

Yeah, absolutely.

And and again, a lot of what we're finding is that um there may be just a sudden health crisis that cause that reduction in hours.

We saw quite a few, you might see from this list pregnancies that resulted in a crisis here, and some of that was reduced hours because someone had a baby.

Um, but yes, we are actively working on that.

They're exploring partnerships as well to support people in in finding jobs.

I think there's always um opportunities be connected to our workforce development, who are fortunately fantastic as well and and located in our department.

Um, but yes, that's that was the number one thing we heard when we were kind of planning for this program and convening our round table of partners is that we really needed those referrals and we needed that um support that went across legal and funding and case management, that you couldn't just solve this issue with one of those things.

Do we do we have safeguards in place to require um folks to look for employment if they're not employed?

Um I mean, you know, just frankly, I think it's uh it's a little unfair to the the mom of three who's working two jobs and and busting it, um, who arguably deserves it more uh than someone who's like I'll look for a job next week, you know.

Yeah, I so one of the things that our case managers are looking at, and one of the things that's part of this application is this is a targeted program, and it's really designed to help people that are in that short-term crisis.

So they're evaluating can this person be sustainably housed?

We don't have the resources to support paying someone's rent for a year.

In the past, when we had ARPA funding, um, there was a lot more funding available that could support more extensive back rent, and that was in response to to the COVID pandemic when there's a different circumstance.

But we know with limited city funds, we have to be really targeted in how we approach this.

And so our case navigate or case managers and our navigators are looking at that process and seeing what's the opportunity here?

Is this person going to be able to be sustainably housed after this?

And that's part of the factor of can we you know support them with this funding, or do we need to look for a different resource for them?

Okay, thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilman Harvey.

Uh moving on to Councilman members.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Megan.

Um, you all have a big job to do, and you've covered a lot of bases.

I have a question about the down payment assistant persistence program.

Can you go back to the slide?

Um first time home buyers.

So my question is you're offering the education sessions for fire and police personnel.

What about other personnel like our other big department fire police and public works is one of our other big departments?

So are the plans to do something for the Yeah, that's a great question.

And I think this is certainly something that's gonna be really great for our municipal employees.

Um I'm gonna be giving a presentation to the senior cabinet in a couple of weeks to talk about the program and get into more details, and then I'm hoping to be able to set up some information sessions as we move forward with different departments as well.

So this is definitely uh we have three listed, but this is gonna be an ongoing process.

And we'd like to see how if this is a city program, how we can offer it out to our city employees first or even at the same time versus picking out one or two departments, because I think it's something that could be beneficial across the board.

I imagine in the educators component might be our head start uh workers as well.

So if this is just a draft, great.

I'd love to see, you know, where we have something in place that addresses all departments.

Yeah, we will definitely be doing more throughout the summer.

We have some plans to to go into community resource centers as well and do that.

So totally agree with you.

Okay, thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Okay, thank you, Councilwoman Berth.

Councilwoman Heel.

Thank you very much.

Um Megan, I appreciate your ongoing efforts to work from all sides on our affordable housing issues.

I'm I'm glad to see that for our um some of our demographics, we're seeing some stabilization in rent, which is which is encouraging.

Um, but it's interesting also to see that as our we get to that more 80 to 100% AMI that they're seeing more rent burden than they did before.

So uh kind of fascinating.

Um you and I have emailed and spoken about some of this.

Uh the down payment assistance program, on the face of it, um, I think it's um it's uh something that could really help with wealth generation for families.

Um, but a challenge that I have with any type of down payment assistance program is the length of the of the grant and the reality that this city did a tax increase to get this three million dollars, right?

Like it was part of the amendment.

And that three million dollars will support 200 families if we divide by 15, and I imagine there's gonna be some overhead costs as well.

Um we know we need thousands of units of long-term affordable housing, right?

I mean, we we have families in neighborhoods who bought their house 35 years ago, and that that's a great example of a long-term affordable product, right?

Like you get in your house, you pay your mortgage, you stay.

Um, but what we've seen with past down payment assistance programs, um, not specifically only through the city, but with other philanthropic efforts in our city in the last 25 years, is that sometimes a down payment assistance loan goes in and it's affordable one time for one person, right?

Um and if it's one person for six years and they happen to buy on the south side and they walk out with a windfall of 125,000, that is a lottery win for their family, right?

Um as we think about investing city funds, um it's important that we not set up um lotteries where we've got winners and losers if if at all possible, but but most importantly, um as we look to the future, um, I'm going to be increasingly insistent that any type of down payment assistance, um, and really I'm gonna be looking also at the same for for affordable housing pilots, is extending the length of that affordability period.

A 10-year affordability period, a 15-year affordability period is just not enough to have these 200 families are gonna benefit um, but we now have Invest Chattanooga that is a permanent affordability product and or or tool, and that's really more for rentals, right?

Um but a lot better deal, a lot better taxpayer bang for the buck to make an investment in an invest Chattanooga property that will be affordable in perpetuity than a tenure pilot or a 15-year pilot.

Um the same goes for this this uh council, we had a strategic planning where we um heard from a group that was create or examining the potential of creating a land trust.

Um the city, a community land trust, the city has put in twice for um multi-million dollar grants to start a land trust, and we haven't won one, but this is something that now there's a formation of a board for the Tennessee Valley Community Land Trust, and that would allow property to be held in perpetuity affordably.

So if a $15,000 down payment assistance grant went into a home for a first responder, they would have some type of shared equity.

They would sell that house, but that house would then seven years from now still be affordable for somebody who was a first responder, right?

That to me is a generation after generation win.

You know, I just talked about a street closure in my district that is 135 years old.

We need to be thinking that long term.

Um and so uh Megan, you and I have talked about the fact that this can be stacked into a land trust purchase, and this land trust is just in its very nascent phases.

I believe um Vice Chairman Elliott is on the board for that, so thank you for your service there, sir.

Um but I think any kind of down payment assistance or any type of subsidy dollar that this city invests, we have got to be tightening up our expectations that it be a long term, I mean, a permanently affordable tool because when these loans come out in 30 years, if somebody sells it in, if somebody sells it in 10 years, $15,000 in 10 years, our gap for housing is gonna be 75,000.

Well, we're already at, we've got a gap of $80,000 on a given day between what the area median family can afford and what the house sells for, right?

So we've got our new Chattanooga Realtors numbers, the the gap persists.

So if it's $80,000 now, we're gonna be reasonably at $150,000 gap in the next 10 years.

And that $15,000 zero interest is gonna be like maybe money.

That's just not gonna get us there, right?

Um, so please hear that and as encouragement to just squeeze and squeeze.

I love that you have worked with THGA to be able to start stacking, and I think um it's exciting that we've got area lenders who have products that they bring to the table because even so I mean that gap, we're talking $15,000, but you know, you're getting to $21,000, but you've still got an $80,000 gap potentially.

So there's there's a lot of space to get to when we're talking about a $340,000 house, what your down payment needs to be.

Um thank you.

I can't wait till you start bringing me assistance related to permanent affordability for homeownership, because that is when we're really going to be able as a council to know we've done something that I think has helped not just this generation but two, three, four generations forward.

Thank you.

That's all, Ms.

Madam Chair.

All right, thank you so much.

Councilwoman Hill.

Next we have Councilwoman Noel, followed by Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh actually, Megan has already answered my three questions.

I do want to throw out there that legal aid, um, those that are not familiar with it, most people think that it is income-based.

It is, but if you're 60 and older, it does not matter about income.

So a lot of times they don't they don't know that.

But I have received three phone calls just last week.

Um, and I think I did forward those names on to Mrs.

Strong for some assistance as well as repairs for their home.

So I'm grateful to see that.

And then my only other comment or question to you would be um, what are you doing or what do you all have in place?

Because when you have something like this, you have a tendency for people to want to come and piggyback on it to know that they are getting the real deal, holy fear when they're dealing with us instead of those that are caught and picked back on those.

Is it anything in place for that?

For the down payment assistance?

For for the program period.

So there's a let me make sure I understand your question a little bit.

So piggybacking on what part of it.

Um, you know, when you have a program you put forth for affordable housing for whatever for financial aid or whatever you have, some people that will come or companies that would come and say, hey, we can give you a better deal here, or we could do this for you instead of, and then they get caught up into something that is not a good thing to be caught up in.

Yeah, I hear so from the lender side, we are working with specific participating lenders, and so we have a pretty strict process there where we're gonna be signing participate participation which with each of those lender partners and make sure that they are trained on exactly how we need to administer this program.

And so we have a pretty strict process there where we're gonna be signing participate participation which with each of those lender partners and make sure that they are trained on exactly how we need to administer this program.

But on the other side, we're also requiring a home buyer education course.

And that's something you know, I would say to any person who's thinking about buying a home generally, who's maybe waiting for our list of participating lenders, go take a home buyer education course.

They are hugely helpful in walking you through this process, which is really complicated.

Um speak to a housing counselor and talk about your specific situation, and they can really help you understand kind of those scams and those um challenges that come up because you're right, there are often programs that look to take advantage of people.

And so that education I think is extremely important for anybody who is thinking about buying a home at all with our program or without our program.

Okay, thank you.

Appreciate you, Megan.

Great presentation.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much, Councilwoman Noah.

We have Councilman Clark, followed by Councilman Henderson.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh Megan, thank you so much for this presentation.

Um, I cannot stress enough how important this is for communities of people who are coming into the housing market who have never been first-time home owners.

And I look at an audience, I see Tamikia Brewer and Sabrina, and I think I saw Tanisha Urban, they're more than just real estate experts, they're people who I know actively work with developers who help people get into homes.

And when I look at this um the cost of 400,000 um or less.

And I'm thinking to myself, I live in my district is district five, and we have pretty wonderful homes, but they're over 400,000.

Um, and my concern with the because I can't do the math in my head, I can only imagine what the down payment would be on what the average cost to live in all three of y'all's districts.

You know, this program does not apply to half of our district, half of the people sit on this council.

Are we looking into partnering with some of our real estate experts and builders and saying, can you provide a real estate portfolio that is actually affordable to apply this down payment assistance program on?

Because when I see that 400,000, I'm like half of our real estate market, I think we just got some stats from the greater Chattanooga real estate um greater Chattanooga Realtors, and this is not the average home cost to be a homeowner in Chattanooga.

What are we doing to also?

I know we're working with preferred lenders.

Can you, and maybe this is theoretically, but what can we do to continue to work with some of our real estate experts who are to me are just community champions.

I can't thank them enough.

But with developers to say, hey, get get that price down so when we do put this uh uh percentage on there, it's actually affordable to live to do to have this program in my district because I'm looking at the average home cost, you know, 425, 450 is what it costs to purchase in Washington Hills and Howard 58 and Bonnie Oaks.

So what do we do?

What has that conversation been like?

Yeah, that's a great question.

You're right.

We need to think about it from a production side as well.

And I'm very grateful to the real estate professionals who are in this room and who have helped advise us as as we work through this program and will continue to be extremely valued partners as we move forward because we know for most people when you're looking for a home, the first place you start is with that real estate professional.

It's it's likely not with the lender.

And so we are really relying on their expertise, their connections, their relationships, both to help get the word about this program out there and help get people connected to those homeownership opportunities and to the developers that you're talking about.

Part of what we're doing is sharing the the data that we're seeing.

So I know we've talked to you to all of you before about the numbers of like one and two-person households in Chattanooga.

Um a lot of people didn't know how many one and two-person households we have, and so a lot of our developers are building those larger family homes when we're actually seeing a 14,000 unit gap of one bedroom homes.

And so we've been having those conversations with developers who are saying, we really need these starter homes.

Give us a two-bedroom home, 1,100 square foot that's gonna be naturally be more affordable that's gonna fit in that range and fit under that 400,000 limit.

So those conversations are really important, they're absolutely happening.

And uh, you know, I'll call on our community continue uh pushing for those homes because we know that we really need them.

And I'll say just briefly for the 400,000 dollar limit, that's there for a couple of reasons.

One is um that that's what stacks with the THDA loan, so that's their limitation as well.

Um, but two, when we pull the numbers and and kind of we're looking at affordability generally when we were thinking about affordability at 120% AMI.

400,000 is really kind of that upper limit.

We wanted to leave it there so that people you know maybe who maybe have large families who needed a little bit more space could afford a home under this program, but it's really kind of hits the upper limit of what's affordable for a household at 120% AMI.

Awesome, thank you.

Last thing I'll say, we always I mean, part of all of these programs is uh it's focus on data.

So I talked about the data that informed the design, but also we are working really hard to collect data, and so you know, we we take that, we look at what's happening, and we're happy to tweak things as we go along.

So every year we'll be kind of looking at this, what's working well, if there are places that need some tweaks, and we can always make those adjustments.

Thank you, Megan.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Okay, thank you, Councilman Clark.

We have Councilman Henderson and then uh councilwoman heal.

Thank you, madam chair.

Megan, looking at the um home repair assistance, do we have a number of homes in Chattanooga that are like 50 years old or older?

Do we know what that number is?

I don't have it off the top of my head, but I do have it.

Um it's a lot, it's a it's a pretty high number, especially if you're looking in our kind of historic river to ridge area, that's where most of the older homes are concentrated, but they're also um across the entire city.

So, yes, it is a very large number.

I cannot give you it right now, but I'm happy to email it to you later.

So I'm I mean, I'm thinking at some point, or we're not gonna have to start looking at that as well.

I mean, as these homes get older and uh things start falling apart, it's probably our elderly that's living in them in many cases.

Um I think we're gonna have to can you get us that number?

Yeah, easily.

I can share it with you later.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

All right, thank you, Councilman Henderson and Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you.

Just something uh it occurred to me as Megan was talking about, you know, if you build a uh we need two bed houses, 1100 square feet, and what any developer will tell you is the cost of land makes that very difficult, right?

Uh that's why we end up with edge to edge 5,000 square foot houses.

I think our um our building community would love to be able to serve 60% of the population that they can't right now.

Um something that we might want to consider um as council is um looking again at our ADU uh legislation because the reality is you know, with ADU, we we took a great step forward because we created this potential for a small rental in the back of a home.

But for people who are purchasing um our housing costs have gone up so high to get a down payment on a home plus it with an ADU is that is is tough, right?

But if we were to ever get comfortable with separating those two end individual lots, then we actually have two units of sellable housing.

And if you can get comfortable with cutting uh through 4,000 square foot lot and a two thousand, like it's a lot to get comfortable with, don't get me wrong.

But if we could get comfortable, even with like a um an urban PUD, uh an interior city PUD that allows us to do uh more like a cottage court where you've got five very small houses that are on what would typically be one lot, but we divide it into to five and they're all sellable.

Like that's when we start to really be able to get some momentum.

Um I get it.

Then we're gonna talk about parking, we're gonna talk about we're gonna talk about all the all the hard things, but um and to your point about the the aging of of homes, I think something that's happened over the years is that you know, homes fall into disrepair, and then because of the way zoning works, then a developer's trying to like buy up this parcel and this parcel to finally get something big enough to subdivide as opposed to being able to do infill subdivision of things.

So that's like maybe we we look at that over the next several several months.

Um Karen might get hives at RPA to start thinking about something like that.

But those are some of the conversations I think we're gonna need to have as it relates to the production side of housing.

Thank you.

That's all, madam chair.

I really will stop pushing my line.

All right, this that is a great idea though, uh, Councilwoman Hugh.

I like the idea of the urban pub, the inner city put.

I think that'd be great.

Um, so uh thank you so much, Megan.

I don't have any more likes.

I do want to just say thank you to uh Emily O'Donnell and the eviction previous program.

Um I had an issue come up about a month ago uh with one of my apartment complexes.

Uh a lot of people in the complex had got laid off.

Uh and so we're crazy an eviction issue.

They came out in the eviction prevention workshop and were able to prevent a lot of evictions.

So I am 100% a advocate for this, and I remember councilman, not councilman, uh Chair Davis mentions mentioned this when we were uh doing the amendment.

So it's definitely working.

Um and I just wanted to acknowledge that and I acknowledge council um Chair Davis about that because that's something that is that is has definitely words.

So with that, I will turn it over to thank you, Megan.

Thank you to all the partners that have come out.

Uh I need Stevens, thank you so much for being here.

Um she's with the Office of Family Empowerment.

And uh with that, I turn it over to legislative.

I promise y'all don't have to clap for me.

All right, welcome to our legislative committee meeting today.

Can I have a motion on our minutes?

All right, I think y'all wanted me for a second.

Well, welcome.

We have a special presentation today by um my esteemed colleague from District 4 who is going to be presenting uh an ordinance proposal on landscape architecture.

I think a lot of people have been hiding ready for this one.

So Caesars in the hot seat down here.

In the hot seat.

All right.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

You all have it?

Okay.

I couldn't sing it for y'all if you don't wanted to while we wait.

We're gonna do an attorney switch real quick.

Harold looks so much better than Phil.

Next time.

Yeah, problems until next time.

I can mean to keep you up here forever.

You ready, sir?

Yeah, we're well uh Rick is gonna put our there it is.

There we go.

All right.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman, for the opportunity to present this to council again.

Um this uh really comes off of uh what we were just talking about in our affordable housing uh committee.

You know, when I I think about the future, I've got an eight-month-old little girl at home, and I think how in the world will she be able to afford a house when she gets older.

Um and this may be uh this ordinance change may be just a drop in the bucket, but at least it's a drop uh into into helping the affordable housing uh crisis that we've got.

Um so uh in short, you may remember council uh the last time we talked about this, I believe was in strategic planning.

Um just a brief history on this.

Um prior to uh two years ago when the Laos Council uh changed the zoning regulations.

Um prior to that, for uh a little over 20 years, uh the the rule for landscape architecture uh was that a uh professional engineer could also submit um landscape architect plans that somehow either got looked over or it got changed nonetheless uh during the zoning uh change uh in the ordinance.

Um and so uh what this plan does is it it accomplishes uh a couple of things.

Um one, it still obviously includes uh landscape architects uh submitting landscape plans in a development, but what it also does is it opens it up to professional engineers, which by Tennessee state law are allowed to do this if they have competency.

Competency was the uh the one of the words that we talked about last time.

How do we determine who has competency?

Well, um after uh many hours of uh talking with Bill Gore at the land development office and his staff, uh we have finally come to what I think is a uh a great compromise.

Um so the change that we made in uh the last ordinance that I submitted is um the professional engineers are uh still allowed to prepare landscape plans.

Um however, it is at the discretion of the director of land development um if they have the competency to prepare the elements of the landscape plan.

Um so so again, um a professional engineer uh if the director of LDO um determines that they have the competency to do this, then um they have the ultimate uh approval on that.

Um so how what does that look like?

Let's say a professional engineer submits plans and um the director of LDO goes, uh I don't know about this.

Um then that person would call and uh per sap perhaps ask for um some qualifications or past projects uh of experience to uh determine the competency in question for the specific project.

Um so again, I feel like this is a good um uh compromise um between what we're we're trying to accomplish.

I'll open for questions, Mr.

Chairman.

All right, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

Uh Council Mill.

Can you put that back on the screen, please?

Floor is yours, ma'am.

Oh, we're waiting on it to come in.

Well, so um thank you, Councilman Harvey.

Um so for me, I don't I don't know that the question for me was as much about competency as about um is it is it in our city's best interest to um handscape planning for this is specifically for uh multi-unit developments of six or more of ten houses or more, um, or I believe four townhouses.

So uh so when we think about uh the fact that as a community we are striving to live up to the ideals of of a city that cherishes our our outdoors that cherishes our natural um resources, um we right now are saying that a landscape architect who comes at a project from that from that lens is the best person to work on a project of this size.

Um so not as much about do we all understand the slope, but do we actually come at this with a perspective around creating a healthy ecosystem?

Um and I know that this has been brought to us as a uh potential cost savings.

Can you please tell us the difference in billing for a standard engineering firm to do a one of these multi-unit development over six units versus a landscape architecture firm?

What is the actual savings?

I don't know.

Okay, that would be awesome to find out.

Uh but I'll be glad that I know our engineers would like to say they're less expensive, but I've sure yet to see an engineering bill that was inexpensive.

Right, yeah.

Um I don't find that they have super low hourly rates compared to other professional organizations.

So I that would be helpful for me to know.

That's all.

Okay, yeah, I I think in theory, the idea would be um, let's use me as an example.

The developer doesn't have to um hire in addition to a professional engineer a landscape architect if they feel that that professional engineer has the competency to do the landscape plans.

So I think it knocks off another in addition to, I mean, assuming that the professional engineer isn't tacking on a landscape cost uh to draw these plans.

But I'm sure they are.

I'm sure they're billing it as landscape.

Yeah, perhaps they are, right?

But again, in theory, the idea is you're not having to go out and hiring another person to do another thing for you.

But I mean, you're already having to hire any number of other professionals.

You've got to hire an architect, you've got to hire an engineer, you've got you know, on and on and on.

So um, so is this one important enough to us as a city, I think becomes the question.

Um, and is it actually a cost savings or is that just a way to try to get it across the finish line?

Um I I'd like actual hard numbers on that if I could.

Sure.

Thank you very much.

All right, you good, councilwoman?

Yes, sir.

All right, councilman Clark.

Uh yes, could you go back to the screen with the L the competency, please?

We're on the last page of that.

Okay, perfect.

Uh Councilman Harvey, one, I want to say thank you for bringing this in.

I do support it in partiality.

Um, of course, this has caused quite a conversation amongst us non developer engineering type people.

We're like, what's the big idea with this by allowing an engineer to be a part of the landscape architectural community and doing this?

Um so my question to you is the director review of competency.

Um my issue with that is, and this is not a dig at Bill Gore, but I'm I'm looking at Bill Brook as we go back and forth with each other's quite hilarious.

What le the landscape, the director of land development reviews the competency, but based off what criteria based off his competency of it, or based off the criteria that is set in place, or do you have that has that discussion been had yet?

Yeah, sure.

If you'll uh if you'll take a look at uh item two under a okay, uh it says that the director may uh require a register to provide a brief statement or qualifications or past project experiences if their competency is in question.

So that that would be so but the the review will be solely based off at the discretion of the land development that's correct director.

Would I have some reservation with giving that much authority into that review?

And my question is that if we're adding this, I'm I'm sure I'm thinking there's must be some type of extenuating circumstance why an engineer wouldn't say, Hey, I all of a sudden want to do landscape architecture uh plans.

Can we create an application waiver process to where it is reviewed and submitted by a group of individuals in the event an engineer says, hey, you know, I want to go outside of the scope of what we typically have done instead of putting that authority into one person.

My thoughts would be there must be some type of extenuating circumstance that would need to be put into review by a group of individuals.

I I don't know what board we could defer that to, but to me, this looks more like a waiver process where one could say, hey, I'm an engineering, I'm an engineer, maybe the developer or whoever couldn't find a landscape architect.

I like to know why you would want to do this outside of people who already specialize in doing it, and perhaps you could explain that in a waiver process as like an application for review by I don't know, you know, a committee maybe established by the land development director, but that singular authority is uh is a bit questionable to me, not that I question the director, but just the purpose of why one would like to come outside of to do that.

So that that would be my suggestion, but I do support this, but I'd I'd like to know if you'll be open to that waiver application process and review by maybe a committee uh appointed by the land development director.

Yeah, sure.

That's that's something I can discuss with uh Bill and the LEO team and and maybe Karen as well.

Um but yeah, that's that's something we can we can look into, sure.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Yep.

There you go, councilman Clark sir.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Councilwoman Darling.

Hey, thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Uh so councilman Harvey.

So I had a couple of questions.

So on this first page, you say um either a landscape architect, register architect, or professional engineer.

Now, I did a little research when we were gonna look at it earlier, you know, a couple months ago.

Um, but all three have to be registered by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, is that correct?

So they all get uh certified or registered by the same board, that you have different digits have different concentrations, is correct.

So they all will have that standard certification, I guess, leading to kind of a little bit what Councilman Clark was saying about like what you know, kind of what qualifies and things like that.

Um so that was a good question.

And then does this allow anyone?

I know it's in here, but I just these are questions that I had previously.

Uh, does this allow individuals without accredited training or licensures to prepare to prepare landscape plans?

No, uh, just those listed here uh are the only ones that are allowed to submit.

Okay, and then what internal controls do we have to ensure the project is permitted properly?

Is there someone who reviews the plans?

Uh do we have someone internal with I any of these credentials?

With what specific with our land development office.

Uh with what credentials?

With landscape architect or register architect or professional education.

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

Yeah.

Um, I think Bill, we've got two landscape architects on staff.

We do.

We have two landscape architects on staff that would also be involved.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

That's great.

The reasoning for adding this uh back is because when we approved the previous zoning code, this was kind of missed or didn't get added back in.

Um so is that um I guess is that still the reasoning in a sense.

We just kind of going back and correcting this in a sense.

That's right.

Okay.

That's all right.

Okay.

Well, I too amend support of that, but I would like a copy of this as well.

Okay.

Um and uh that's it, Mr.

Chair.

All right.

Councilman.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um I'm gonna go back to that last statement about correcting something.

I I don't think that's exactly right, is it, Bill?

I mean, I think we intentionally went to an LA in this new uh zoning ordinance that we have.

Is that right?

I don't know.

I I think it was an intentional move, not something that was overlooked.

Come on, Sensor.

Uh that's correct.

That was an intentional change.

Yeah, that's what okay.

Thank you.

I just wanted to make sure we're okay.

That's my mistake.

We understood that otherwise and so my question, Councilman Harvey, rather than having um uh this number two under a uh a direct review, um, I'm wondering about splitting the baby in half to where um in certain instances we require an LA and then certain instances that we don't.

Uh and and look, I I mean, I understand uh when you submit landscaping plan, it either meets the city code or it doesn't.

Right, correct.

But I think that's different than having technical expertise of certain situations like slopes, or if let's say we're doing a project in the city with our parks, would we not rather have a landscape, I mean a LA as opposed to just an engineer doing it.

So my question is, and I would favor and Bill, I don't know, you tell me if this is possible, splitting the baby to where you have some instances where you just can engineer can submit the landscaping plans, but there are some instances where we say, you know what, because of the technical expertise, maybe that's required, we we list some aspects that need an LA.

Rather rather than putting you on the spot and determining who's competent and who's not.

Right.

So uh there's been a few references of if I may, uh so there is a uh architect and engineer board for the state of Tennessee, right?

It's an AE board, and they're the ones that determine licensure and competency to its fullest.

I'm comfortable with that decision coming to LDO instead of just making it required for all aspects of landscaping.

Uh and I've been in communication with the A and E board about how to do that, how to bring those cases forward with there's when there's questions of competency.

I've had discussions with our internal LA staff members about this situation, and we've had conversations about what is more prescriptive based on the zone and what is more uh complex for landscaping.

That was a good answer, but I'm not sure I understood any of it.

Okay.

I mean, the question is complexity versus not so much when it's required.

Um what uh councilman Cody's presenting is whether or not the direction is left with the director of the land development office, which is myself.

Yes.

Uh so um we've talked about this at length internally and with councilman cody.

Uh so I'm I'm comfortable with that decision based on my understanding of our zoning principles and the the how we operate here in Chattanooga.

Well, I guess so let me direct my question to you.

Are there situations that would be best served by an LA where we need technical expertise?

Yes.

And that's what I'm getting to.

Do we need to reference those situations in this ordinance where there are certain instances where we require an LA and and let's just say it's uh easy peasy, just put in some landscape and we let the engineer handle it.

Am I making my question clear?

Yes, I yes, your question's clear.

So I would say that there's uh a litany of interesting concepts and and situations where that situation should be on a case-by-case basis, uh depending on how the land is laying out on the property.

So we've got steep slopes, we've got floodplain, uh, we've got neighboring communities, we got historic districts, we have so many variables.

I don't know that we could introduce uh some language that covers a hundred percent of all of our instances, so it would make it more reasonable to be on a determination on a case by case basis.

So maybe perhaps if we change the language a little bit in there to say, you know, uh the director of the LDO has the right to determine if an LA is more appropriate.

It's up, I'm just I'm adding this to our discussion.

Well, yeah, and and I appreciate that because it to me that's a different conversation than are they competent or not okay, right?

I mean competency means yeah, I can draw up a landscape plan and meet code.

Right.

But do I understand the technical expertise that goes into what needs to be in place in certain situations?

Yeah.

Uh I I think yes.

We obviously have brought this forth.

Um, but I I hear your concern.

Okay.

Yeah.

Anything else, Councilman?

That's all I have.

Okay.

All right.

If you're good, Councilman Henderson.

Yep.

Councilwoman Burse.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just I had the a similar question is Councilwoman Dotley.

Why did this get changed?

And you kind of answered that.

Okay.

And there were two answers.

So it was more of an LDO determination that we change it, not correct not correcting something when we were going through the zoning changes.

Is that correct?

Well, so my understanding from what I was told.

I wasn't on council then, so I yeah, I didn't follow it.

I don't know.

Yeah.

Um, so I was told a couple different things.

Um again, my my intent is to uh well was to return it back to to how it was because for 20 years, landscape architects had had thrived and done well in Chattanooga, and I think we've had, I mean, we're the scenic city, we remain that way.

Um so I that was my intent to change it back, but um when I I took into consideration the emails calls and then you all's uh concerns and and objections as well, and and felt like uh this was a good compromise uh to to bring in LDO and have them ultimately make the decision.

Thank you.

That that answers my question.

Yeah, yes, it does.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Yes, ma'am.

If there are no other colleagues, I do uh questions.

I do have a couple myself.

Um and councilman, this may be some of these may be better for Bill.

So try the one.

Uh my first one, how does this change impact uh your staffing and also your permitting timelines?

Will a lot of these reviews be pushed and responsibilities be pushed back on your city reviewers?

How would you guys handle that?

So right now, uh I would say it I don't see any impact to our staffing.

However, uh there could be timeline concerns depending on the plans that are submitted and the complexity of the plans.

Uh I would say uh even before this change, there were still LAs submitting when it was a complex uh property that required a lot of uh more specific landscaping types for soil and erosion protections.

So I suspect that's gonna continue.

I think we're gonna see maybe less LA signed documents on simple projects that come in that are more prescriptive where the landscaping is based purely on how the zoning is currently written.

So I I don't know that it's really gonna impact our our timeline or staffing at all.

Okay.

Have you guys worked through particular standards or criteria for planning plans uh that fit Chad Nooga's characteristics, whether that's soil topography, uh runoff mitigation.

Have you guys thought about what that will look like as you guys are looking at reviews?

Yeah, that is uh that is reviewed on every plan that comes through.

So that that's how we operate currently.

And let me dive a little bit deeper.

Is there written criteria for that?

Or is it based on reviewer to reviewer?

Because I will say this, and I think Bill, this probably procedure time.

One of the biggest complaints we heard from our development community for years is that it's a moving target.

Every it depends on what uh reviewer you get, depends on what that criteria should look like.

So if we're gonna be shifting how we look at this, is this are there gonna be written criteria or some type of standard we're gonna be looking to hold people to?

I would say that those complaints were from prior to the new zoning that was approved by the prior board.

Um so the current zoning regulations and the information that's provided in there is provided much more clarity uh and opportunity for these things to come through uh the system much quicker.

So I think we're having much more consistency or in our review that we're looking at now than historically.

And please bear with me.

I'm not trying to be rude or pushy.

I'm just just to clarify are there written standards already that you guys follow?

There are written standards for our prescriptive areas that are in the zoning currently.

It's just in the zoning.

But you we don't have anything that looks at planning plans in in particular.

Do we review that?

So there's lots of variables, so we also have it in our transportation code where we have our uh street tree um program and that aspect that's managed by our uh internal transportation team and LDO as well as our uh our uh urban forester and their team.

So that stuff is written, it is prescriptive, it identifies what's required to be in those zones, the buffer zones, all of those aspects are in there.

Once you get out of their prescriptive area and you're within the the private lot per se that's being developed into a subdivision, that's where generally speaking the LA comes in and they do a design that that completes a process throughout that property.

I want to put a pin in that one, I'm gonna come back to this one, okay.

So um I've gotten quite a few questions and folks reach out to me about this one for a couple months.

And you know, some folks sent me some information.

One thing that was uh interesting, now this isn't new.

There are other municipalities or jurisdictions who who do this, but some of them do provide detailed plant lists to kind of provide some guidance for folks as they're looking to um embark on their landscape designs and their planning plans.

What type of thoughts have we put into this on the front end to provide some guidance for folks going into it?

Because here's my concern.

You know, right now we have professionals who are certified in just landscape architecture who were certified, they went to school, whatever, to lock in on this, but now if we open this up, anybody with an engineering degree could potentially sign off on this.

And Bill, I don't want to insult you, so I'm gonna say after you retired and after you're gone as the uh LDO director, what's to say we don't have LDO director that says, you know, I know this guy, it's pretty cool.

He's been a mechanical engineer for years.

He's good.

Well, mechanical engineering or chemical engineering or nuclear engineering could be very different scope of practice than a landscape architect.

So have we thought about any type of guidance to provide people to make sure we're not causing the slippery slope?

Uh absolutely.

So those were uh conversations that I've been having internally with our two professional LAs that currently work in LDO, and understanding that this may be coming forward and there's gonna be a change.

Uh we've already started talking about what our SOP is gonna look like, uh standard operating procedure for those that don't know the acronym, uh, so that we can actually define how that is determined.

So when we're looking at the plans and we're comparing it to the native species and thriving plants in certain areas and what the accomplishments are supposed to be on those properties, uh, as well as determining uh levels of competency and how that is gonna move forward, and it'll be written down in an SOP, which gets certified by the administrator public works and well answer me this.

Have you guys given thought to what does it look like if we deny somebody and say we're there they're not competent?

Is there gonna be an appeal process?

And if so, what does that look like?

And who do they appeal to?

Interesting points and so I would say I would say uh potentially the tree commission.

Uh so City of Chattanooga has a tree commission that's active, they're all but one position is filled now, they're stood up and and ready to go to hear appeals.

So, what expertise does the tree commission provide that directly oversees landscape architecture?

Because I'm not a landscape architect, and I ain't I'm not trying to be funny, but I know it it is a lot more than just planting some flowers.

Yes, it goes into it.

So what does or trees what goes into the who makes up the tree commission and what are their expertise around this?

So I mean Chris Anderson can help with this with who I was on there but most of the folks on the tree commission are either licensed architects or professionals with degrees in the in the industry.

I see Chris typing like a majority of the members of the tree commission are required to be tree professionals.

This can be landscape architects or other related fields uh three of the seats on the nine member tree commission are contractor builder or no I'm sorry contractor engineer developer.

I would like to hear um any of their breakdowns on that tree commission if that's going to be the pill process I would like to get an understanding of what um who has expertise in landscape architecture.

Right?

Because we could just be bumping this up to an appeal board that has equal to the same um criteria as a person who got denied.

You see what I'm saying?

Yes sir and you won't have to wait for that because it's on Chattanooga.gov right now the uh the roster of every board is on there and it will also the the list also shows which seat they occupy I get that I want to hear their criteria so who's a landscape architect who is a uh contractor I get that I've been on the boards of commissions for a while and we can uh the pace for a while but we can talk about that offline but I just want to make sure I have understanding if we're gonna try to put something through like this and this is going to be the pill board what does that look like okay I'll send you the list.

Okay.

Here's the final thing and I I'll be quiet I have all seven miles of missionary ridge and all just about most of the neighborhoods that flank it um runoff water is something that is very problematic for my my community.

Megan you the work you guys do with habitat helps one of my elderly residents who lives in Eastdale who have runoff water literally ripping the floor up from the bottom of their their home and they were able to repair a good chunk of it but they still have $30,000 worth of repairs that has to be done.

And district nine is slowly starting to get more growth and development come to it um I I would like to see a little bit more of these low-hanging fruits some of this criteria I I need some of this flushed out a little bit more before I I can be comfortable even entertaining something like this because if not I feel like and no pun attended we could be hoping the floodgate for um some unexpected consequences understand that yes all right you have anything else council that's all I have unless anybody else has any uh questions or concerns if all hearts and lines are clear and there's no unreadiness we will end this now uh chairman I do believe we have an attorney climate meeting six recess till six we'll see you at six o'clock thank you thank you

And Madam Clerk, if you would please read item 7A.

In order is closing and abandoning the former belt railway right away and the 200 block of Northworth Avenue deed to the city in 1993, but denying the closure and abandonment of the Alias detailed on the attached maps.

Move to approve.

Second.

Council, we do have a motion to approve, properly seconded.

Are there any questions or comments?

Councilwoman Noel.

That was it.

Just to say move to approve.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Ordinance passes on final reading.

Madam Clerk, item 8A, please.

An ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened right away in the three 3800 block of Azalean Drive as detailed on the attachments subject to certain condition.

Second.

Any questions or comments, council?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 8B, please, Madam Clerk.

And ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened right away in the 300 block of stringer street as detailed on the attached maps.

Second.

Any questions or comments on this item?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

Item 8C, please.

And ordinance closed again, abandoning a portion of the unopened right-of-way in the 100 block of treat true truant street as detailed on the attached maps.

Second.

All right, council.

We have a motion to defer until May 5th, 2026, properly seconded.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Ordinance passes.

Or is deferred until May 5th.

Item 8D, please, Madam Clerk.

It's detailed on the attached maps sub to certain conditions.

Second.

Do you have a motion to approve properly seconded council?

Any questions or comments on this item?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 8E, the alternate version, please, Madam Clerk.

In ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 24, Article 14, Section 24507, Schedule 7 relative to restricted on-street parking areas to create a new South Side Cowart neighborhood parking district.

Okay, we do have a motion properly seconded.

Okay.

And then council members had an councilwoman burst.

Yeah, I'd like to make an amendment, please.

I'd like to make a motion to amend section two to be read, be it further ordained that this ordinance shall take effect on or before July 1st, 2026 with enforcement to begin August 10th, 2026.

Do we have a second?

Second.

Alright, we have a motion and second on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment.

Aye.

Sorry.

Okay.

Any opposed?

Abstain.

Abstain.

Okay.

And the chair will abstain as well.

And so the amendment fails.

Um that means we're back on the main motion.

Correct, Mr.

Attorney.

Yes, sir.

You're back to the first one.

All right.

And so we did have a motion properly seconded on the alternate version.

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed?

No.

No.

And the chair votes no as well.

Um the no's have it.

And the ordinance fails on first reading.

My lights still on chairman.

I'd like to make a comment.

Oh, sure.

I didn't know an opportunity to make comments.

I'm sorry.

Yes.

So that's okay.

Um, I just want to say that I think that this ordinance is close to being good and meeting the needs of everybody.

So I would I would suggest that at some point maybe the neighborhood and the school and the businesses get together to see if they can come up with another alternative version.

Because I there were things that could be done, I think, a little bit better.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Sure.

And Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes, thank you so much, Mr.

Chair, and thank you, Council, so much.

Uh for my neighborhood, thank you for all the hard work you put in.

Also, thank you to the PTA as well as uh especially Emily for advocating for the school.

We do still have a lot of work to do in the area.

Uh Chief Knowles uh did walk the area with our fire marshal.

That's all we did have some additional things that we need to do for that as well.

So uh wanted to put that out there is that the still they have things that we need to get done.

So with that, thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Yes, appreciate you.

Thank you.

All right, Madam Clerk, if you would please read um item F.

In orders to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chap 38 zoning ordinance, so as to re zone two, unaddressed properties and the 1,000 block of shallow foot row from RN 16 residential neighborhood zone to TRN2 traditional residential neighborhood zone subject to certain conditions.

All right, and this is planning item 2026-0014 on moving for final reading.

Um first reading, I believe.

So um just want to see if the applicant is present.

Thank you or if there's any opposition present.

Okay, uh, and so you make a motion move to approve.

Okay, we do have a motion properly seconded.

Uh yes, vice chair.

Thank you.

Uh I would like to motion to amend with the following conditions that's appropriate.

Those being a privacy fence is required along the western line, running the full length of the home directly across from it.

Five to six foot vegetation screens must be installed along the rear of all homes bordering the western property line.

The HOA rule shall prohibit a foot lights directly directed toward any property, excuse me, directed toward any neighboring property.

There shall be a minimum 10-foot setback on the western property line, and the developer shall adjust the neighboring property owner's driveway so it doesn't cross over into the new development.

Um I have given this to the clerk as well as our city attorney.

I believe it's a minimum 10-foot setback.

Correct.

Minimum, sir.

Yes.

Okay.

All right, we do have a motion properly seconded on the amendment.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed.

All right, and the amendment passes back on the motion.

Um the ordinance has amended.

Um, any questions or comments?

All in favor?

All right.

Any opposed and item passes on first reading.

Madam Clerk, item 9A, please.

Resolution approving the acceptance and distribution of fiscal year 2026-2027 community development block grant, CDBG and home and investment partnership act home funds for from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD and program income all totally approximately three million one hundred three million one thousand dollars as shown more fully described below.

Move for approved.

We do have a motion properly seconded.

Any questions or comments about this item?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

I've stayed.

All right.

And the resolution passes with one abstention.

Um item nine B, please.

And resolution authorizing the city of Chattanooga to serve as the government sponsor and pass-through entity for the American Battlefield Program grant from the National Park Service to the American Battlefield Trust to purchase a 30-acre parcel known as the Charton track at the Wahachee Battlefield located in Hamilton County for a grant amount not to exceed 973,527.

Second we have a motion and proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed resolution passes.

A resolution authorizing the administrative order department of public works to approve change order number two to contract number R22014201 summit of Softball Concession Stance Ventilation with Jay Brennan Construction Inc.

a Rocky Face, Georgia for a roof exhaust equipment maintenance platform for the buildings inspectors final inspection for an increased amount of $66,9429 for revised contract amount of 499,879.97 cents.

Item D, a resolution authorizing the appointment of Kenneth Maria as a special police officer on arm for the City of Chattanooga Department of Public Works to perform duties expressly limited to the performance of duties in the land development office.

Item E, a resolution authorizing the appointment of John Boyle as a special police officer unarmed for the city of Chattanooga Department of Public Works to perform duties expressly limited to the performance of the duties in the land development office.

Do we have a motion and a proper second?

Any questions or comments about these resolutions, Council?

All in favor?

Any opposed.

And the resolutions pass.

Oh piece by piece.

Yes.

All right.

Uh and so we are to purchase this now.

Have Weston come up.

Good evening, Council.

We have four purchase recommended for approval this evening.

Uh the first one is Parks and Outdoors is requesting an increase of $23,000 and a five-month extension through December 31, 2026 to agreement PA 100698 for grounds maintenance with landscape workshop.

The annual amount limit will be 123,000.

Item number two is with technology services.

They're requesting an increase of $3,375 to agreement PA100555 to risk management for risk management software.

The new annual amount limit will be $74,565.

Item number three is with technology services for a new agreement for wireless services to be used citywide.

This will be a three-year agreement with an annual limit of $1 million.

The award will go to Verizon Communications utilizing the state of Tennessee contract.

And item number four is with the police department.

This is a one-time purchase of a vehicle disablement system for police in the amount of $65,107.

The award will go to Mobile Spike Technologies as a sole source.

All in favor, any opposed.

And the purchases are approved.

Thank you, Weston.

Go around here for committee reports.

We'll start with Councilman Henderson.

Next Tuesday, May 5th, the administration will present council with our budget books and a brief overview of our 27 budget.

If we could do that during uh special presentations, uh I'll also lay out our budget here and schedule at that time.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Hill.

This was a luncheon learn that we had today with the developers of the bend.

And because it is related to economic development, I'll go ahead and share that we do expect some exciting announcements next week and the following week, as told to us by the developer Jimmy Wine.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilman Harvey.

No report.

Councilman Clerk.

Uh no report for education innovation.

And Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes, we did have an affordable housing committee today.

We talked about the critical home repair program, eviction prevention, and the down payment assistance program.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

And Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We will have a planning and zoning committee meeting next week.

And I believe that Deputy Chair, I mean Deputy Chief Darren Ledford will provide us an update on RPA as well.

So that's my report.

Okay.

Thank you.

And Boyce Chair Elliott.

Thank you, Chairman.

We had our legislative committee meeting today where Casmal Harvey was able to present our landscape ordinance.

And I really appreciate you for taking in time and all your hard work on that.

I know it's something you've been working on for quite a while.

So I appreciate you for bringing that, and that is all, Mr.

Chairman.

Okay.

We are now to that part of our meeting where we're happy to hear from members of the public who would like to talk to us at the podium up front here.

So if you would like to talk with the council, please do line up at the podium while our city attorney reads the rules.

Yes, sir.

At the end of each council business meeting, the chair will recognize members of the public who wish to address the council, and here's your rules.

Each speaker wishing to address the council can only be recognized at the microphone up front for that purpose.

Can't have more than three minutes to speak, and you can address the council only upon matters within their legislative and quasar judicial authority and not on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Do not engage in any vulgar or obscene language or nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others and address the council as a whole and not make comments directed towards individual council members.

Lastly, do not engage in any disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting, which is prohibited by Tennessee law, and someone commits that offense if a person substantially obstructs or interferes with the meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

Having stated those rules, please go ahead, sir, and give us your name and your district, please.

Hey, John John Musolowski.

I am in District 9 in Highland Park.

Um the first thing I want to say in regards to the parking that was not passed.

I wonder if we've considered a um parking benefits district.

This is something that's been used where you could switch the neighborhood parking to paid parking.

Those funds are then channeled instead of to different entities, it's funneled into that community.

So community members can get on board.

Businesses can get on board because it flips parking faster, so more customers show up, and that money could be used to say fund a park for battle academy or to um maintain sidewalks and things of that nature.

Um this is something that's been used quite powerfully and fits in with that type of urban landscape.

But what I mainly wanted to talk about was this idea of affordable housing, specifically accessory dwelling units, uh, that Jenny Hill brought up.

Um, thinking of that three million dollars, if we had something like a um payment assistance program for ADUs, because a lot of times a homeowner that wants to build a house, if you live in an alley neighborhood like mine, I could build one, but I can't afford it.

But if there was like a CDFI, which is um kind of like a community-driven financial institution locally that could help get me over that hump in five years, I could refinance and give that money back, and so that three million dollars would be a revolving loan that builds 75 units every five years.

So that money never goes away, it keeps coming back into the community.

And there are examples of people doing stuff like this.

There are interesting um things happening in South Bend, Indiana, where they have these pre-approved plans that are getting housing ADUs, duplexes built, and there are places like um uh Durham, North Carolina, where the the tri-city area or the triangle as it's called has an extreme housing crisis, but Durham has been able to curve it through a lot of their housing policies through splitting lots, interesting lot shapes, ADUs, and something we've taken a step towards.

Um yes and God's backyard or building on church properties.

I would like to see a lot of these programs we started sort of unlocked and not gate kept to a few different entities, and I think that that's something that we could really do.

Seeing the numbers that Megan presented, she did such a good job, and um they're working so hard on giving lots of tools.

Something we see there is that we are in a literal crisis, and a crisis is going to mean pulling out all the stops for everyone.

Um, with that, I'm gonna give you 39 seconds back since it's been a long day.

Thank you, John John.

I wish everybody shared your passion for uh improving communities, so good job.

Hello, my name is Joshua David Capellish.

I'm an advocate for unsheltered citizens and veterans in Southeastern Tennessee.

Um we're somewhere between pity and prosperity.

And before I get into my speech, I was riding around with my sons the other night, and uh this is kind of a funny joke, but he's he said uh it's it's like there's a different smell every hundred yards, you know.

So it was kind of funny, but um from the mouth of babes, right?

So I'm here today to give a voice for the voiceless, the downtrodden and the forgotten.

I began my homeless work in Chattanooga 13 years ago off St.

Alma Avenue, and the joy I get from helping others keeps me going today.

For some like me, while my wounds as a veteran are invisible, and my service to others as a chaplain is the medicine for my soul.

I love to share the love God has for me with others.

The two main commands in the Bible are love God and to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

My grandfather served on a county board for 21 years.

I learned about politics at the dinner table and what love for my community looks like in action.

Actions speak louder than words, and sometimes in politics, we use a lot of words.

And I would encourage you to disagree or at least agree to agree or agree to disagree, right?

We choose our least worst options sometimes, and hopefully our best.

But um, my hope is that we can see some meaningful and measurable action on building a shelter for our most vulnerable citizens.

While I was riding around with my sons, I check on my homeless friends often.

But last Saturday I saw seven homeless folks in wheelchairs, and most of the folks out on the streets are of color.

And so what we need is strong leadership.

And there's a significant amount of disabled people who are not being accommodated.

And um, based on my research and nationally as well, elderly folks are subjected to a lot of unsheltered situations because their cost of living is increased, and social security payments haven't, and food and all the expenses as we know of increased.

So that's something we need to do as a society.

And how can we leave women and wheelchair-bound people people, the elderly and veterans in the cold rain to suffer without end.

Estimates for the number of homeless in Chattanooga range between 900 and 4,000, depending on the source.

And raising taxes while not providing a critical life-saving shelter is a death sentence for our most vulnerable.

And I hope you can lead with love and building a shelter as this as if you were the one waiting for it.

Um I think what we're trying to do is kind of look at the costs of living and uh balancing the budget out.

And you gotta have a dis y'all have a difficult task, and uh there's no easy way around it.

So it's a law of supply and demand.

They don't make any more land, accessory dwelling units are great, and um, we need to just be a little bit more innovative or build up, you know.

God bless you, and thank you for all your work.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm NIPS, District 4.

This is about the homelessness in our city and the fact that we keep blaming people instead of fixing causes.

Too often homelessness is treated like an eye store instead of policy failure.

People complain about the tents in street corners, but ignore what puts people there in the first place.

Unstable wages, raising rent, lack of health care, and barriers to employment.

I know this firsthand.

After my military service, I experienced homelessness.

Finding a job was not simple.

Being overqualified or a risk as a veteran shut stores.

It does not, it doesn't take much to end up here.

One paycheck, one medical bill, one loss.

I became a widow, and again, that alone destabilized everything.

Shelters are not an easy solution as people think they are.

Beds are limited, hours are restrictive, and many people require to conform to religious expectations just to receive help.

That's not support, that's conditional survival.

For those with disabilities, the system is broken.

Many employers refuse basic accommodations.

Meanwhile, disability incomes limit nearly impossible to survive.

The result, people are attractive and unable to earn enough to live, but punished when they try.

Even when even getting back on your feet comes with barriers.

Without an ID, you cannot work or secure housing.

But getting an ID requires proof of residency.

Something homeless individuals by definition do not have.

It's a cycle that keeps people stuck.

Housing itself is inconsistent and unaffordable.

Rent fluctuates widely, increases without improvements, and locks people out with bad credit.

At the same time, hiring systems filter out applications over minor technicalities, preventing people from getting interviews, especially with this AI problem.

And when people fall into addiction or mental health crisis, we ask why didn't they get help?

The answer is simple.

For me, eight months inside the mental facility cost over a hundred thousand dollars.

That is stuff that people cannot afford.

If we actually want to reduce homelessness, we need to focus on solutions that actually work.

Accessible ID programs for those without permanent addresses, public hygiene resources like showers and laundry, fair housing practices that don't rely solely on automated filtering, rent stabilization and accountability for landlords, community food redistribution instead of waste.

Homelessness is not a moral failure.

It is overall a systems failure.

If we keep focusing on appearances instead of causes, nothing will change.

And 30 seconds also, thank you.

Hi, Emily Vyland, District 7, PTA president at Battle Academy.

I'd like to thank the entire council for considering the motion about the parking permits, especially for Councilwoman Dotley and everything she facilitated with that.

This this makes a big difference for the community, for the school community.

This is something that so many of our parents and families do not have to worry about at the moment now.

And it's something that the school does not have to deal with logistically because when it comes to dealing with subs or emergency people that have to come and pick up somebody from the school for whatever reason, those people don't have to worry about potentially getting a ticket.

And so we deeply appreciate it.

We are always willing to work with the community and with the neighborhood and potentially come up with a compromise.

I won't be PTA president next year, but I will be at school.

I have a three-year-old as well as my third grader, so I'll be there for a while.

So I will concede my remaining two minutes.

So thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Hello, council.

My name is Jenny, and I live in District 7.

I'm here to advocate for the residential parking program for Southside Cowart.

I know the ordinance didn't pass today, but I'd like to share my thoughts and ask you to be open to reconsidering it in the future.

The first point is this program was first proposed to us by the city as they saw Main Street become more developed.

Our neighborhood went through a multi-year process to collect enough support for a petition, which had 125 signatures when we submitted it to the CPA.

This represents more than two-thirds of owners in their neighborhood, and I personally spoke to a majority of them as I went door to door and at our neighborhood association meetings.

Southside Coward is surrounded by uh commercial zoning on all four sides, but I want to call out that this does not mean that we have enough, we don't have enough parking for everyone.

We have several public parking lots within walking distance, and paid parking on and around Main Street is free after 6 p.m.

Monday through Saturday.

However, most visitors end up parking in front of our homes because it's often easier and closer.

I believe that development and parking are closely related issues, and we need to consider the needs of both businesses and residents, not one at the expense of the other.

Many owners have lived in our neighborhood for over 15 years before most businesses opened here.

In addition to this program, we have advocated for new businesses like hotels to build enough parking for their guests and employees to alleviate future pressure on parking availability.

We also believe the parking program will make the neighborhood safer because there will be less traffic and fewer parked cars along residential streets.

And importantly, this program would fund consistent park enforcement of a legal parking, which occurs daily today and creates unsafe environments for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, including the students, parents, teachers, and volunteers who go to Battle Academy, and restaurant and business patrons.

Cars are frequently parked facing the wrong way, close to or even blocking intersections, and in areas clearly marked as no parking anytime.

This makes it dangerous for people walking through the neighborhood as drivers don't have visibility into who's trying to cross the street.

This program would also ensure easier access for emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances.

As for Battle Academy, we feel that the proposed parking tag solution would give the school flexibility and control when it comes to managing parking access and at no additional cost burden to families.

We don't want to make it difficult for anyone to visit the school.

The parking tags provide a clear system to allow the CPA to enforce parking without impacting school and daycare needs and ensures there is enough street parking in the first place for parents, teachers, and volunteers to visit Battle Academy.

It's unfortunate that this ordinance did not pass today, but I want to thank Councilman Councilwoman Burrs for encouraging us to continue working on a better version with the school and local businesses.

And I especially want to thank Rikita for supporting our neighborhood and helping us navigate these difficult conversations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Graham Hartness.

I'm a resident of District 9 in Old Town Brainerd.

I'm a graduate landscape architect, and I currently serve on the executive committee of the Tennessee chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

In this role, I help connect our local landscape architecture community with chapter leadership and support a stronger, more engaged profession and better serve the communities and environments that we shape.

I'm here today regarding the proposed amendment to Section 3861, the landscape ordinance.

I want to begin with something very simple but very important.

These plans are not decorative documents.

They influence how stormwater moves through a site, how trees survive over time, how heat is mitigated, how pedestrians safely and comfortably move through spaces, and how these landscapes perform years after installation is complete.

These plans directly affect public safety, environmental health, maintenance costs, and the long-term quality of development in our city.

As landscape landscape architects, we're specifically trained and licensed to work on these living systems.

Soil, water, vegetation, grading ecology, and the built environment all put together.

That training exists for a reason.

Licensure establishes accountability, technical competency, which was a big part part of the conversation today, and responsibility for the work being put into the ground in the city that we love.

Importantly, that experience already exists here locally.

Chattanooga has a strong and growing community of licensed landscape architects who deeply care about the city and the environments that we shape.

We work collaborative collaboratively every day with engineers, architects, planners, contractors, and publication agencies.

Good projects depend on interdisciplinary collaboration, but collaboration works when each discipline, um, each profession rather leads within its area of expertise and responsibility.

Chattanooga has made commitments, major commitments around sustainability, resilience, tree canopy coverage, walkability, and quality of life in recent years.

Those goals do not happen accidentally.

They require thoughtful, technically sound landscape design and long-term environmental thinking.

I believe Chattanooga has an opportunity to continue raising the bar for the quality of its built environment, not lowering it.

So respectfully, I ask you guys, council, um, to carefully consider the long-term implications of this amendment and uh the value that licensed landscape architects bring to our city.

Thank you for your time and your service to the city.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Uh my name is Joe Sawyer.

Uh reside in District 2.

Uh I am a landscape architect.

Um, actually next week, it'll be 40 years since I've got my bachelor's degree in landscape architecture, and I've been licensed for 36.

Uh, within that time frame, I've done a little bit of everything.

Third part of the first third of my career, I was actually the design lead, project manager for all the site design, hardscape, and landscape of our very own Coolidge Park.

Later part of the career, I've kind of changed firms, came into the final design and construction administration and construction observation for all the improvements on the river walk in and around Erlinger Park.

So I've got a good career, I've had fun, uh, am close to the end of my career, and Graham, who you just heard from is early in his career, and he is the future of landscape architecture.

Uh in the middle of my career, though, I was self-employed.

I was here, I just moved back to Chattanooga.

Um, some of the things that have come up regarding this amendment was a landscape architect should be difficult to work with, can be difficult to contract with, can be too expensive.

Uh I was on my own.

I worked with several civil engineering firms, uh, some of which have been very involved in the bringing up of this amendment, and had no issues.

If there was a problem that I did not work on a project, it was because they deemed I was too expensive, and I do value the work that I do.

Currently, with the last two firms I've been with, this has also come up.

A senior landscape architect and a senior civil engineer are the same.

Same unit, same hourly weight, same billing.

And in the case of Chattanooga, we have probably a dozen multidisciplined firms, and those are the firms I was with.

And so contracting with a landscape architects separate is not the does not have to be the case.

Multidisciplined firms have all the disciplines under one roof.

You contract with that firm, you get them all if you choose to have them all.

So, with that, we do a lot.

We take a lot of pride in what we do.

We have a passion for our profession that civil engineers and architects have been left to have this conversation, but they are in the uh in the suggested amendment, don't have.

I'm sorry.

They're looking to make a job, get a fee, take care of a client.

So with that, thank you.

Thank you.

Council Pierce, we've completed all the business.

No, no, no, no, let me stand up.

Oh, for us this evening.

Motion to adjourn.

Properly seconded, all in favor.

Uh we are adjourned.