Chattanooga City Council Meeting – June 9, 2026: Taxi Rates, Litter Program, and Budget Discussions
Chattanooga City Council Meeting – June 9, 2026
The Chattanooga City Council held its regular meeting on June 9, 2026, beginning with an agenda session at approximately 3:21 p.m. local time, followed by a Parks, Public Works, and Wastewater Committee meeting, and concluding with the business session. Key topics included updates to taxi fare regulations, a comprehensive litter abatement program, budget allocations for the upcoming fiscal year, and several zoning and land use items. Public comments addressed homelessness initiatives and community safety programs.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from the last meeting were approved as published. No other consent items were explicitly listed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- McKenzie Kelly (District 1, Executive Director of the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition) expressed strong support for the proposed donation of the airport-in property (Provident Place) for family shelter, noting that over 1,600 students in Hamilton County experience homelessness during a single school year and that family shelter capacity remains extremely limited.
- Brooks Outerfield (District 2, former deputy chief of staff under Mayor Kelly) also voiced support for the airport-in project, emphasizing that while the final plan differs from the original vision, it stays true to serving vulnerable residents. He stated that the facility will provide more than 120 shelter beds for families, including cribs for babies, and that “Progress matters.”
- Mary Morris (District 8, president of the Bushtown Neighborhood Association) praised Community Haven for its daily patrols, crime reduction, and community engagement in Bushtown, Churchfield, Orchard Knob, and Lincoln Park, and urged continued council support.
- Shelley Lichild (district not identified) spoke in favor of homelessness initiatives and expressed concern for immigrant populations, applauding the Chattanooga Police Department for not having a 287(g) agreement with ICE. She urged the council to keep Chattanooga a place of care for all human beings.
Discussion Items
- Taxi Fare Ordinance Update (Item 8A) – Councilwoman Dotley requested clarification on proposed rate changes. The city attorney confirmed the ordinance had not been reviewed since 2015. Changes include: a minimum base fare from $2 to $10; per-mile rate from $0.50 to $2.50; per-waiting minute from $0.20 to $0.50. Dotley expressed support, noting the rates align with what Knoxville pays. The ordinance passed on first reading.
- Parks, Public Works, and Wastewater Committee – Litter Abatement Program – Councilman Elliott introduced a comprehensive “Keep Chattanooga Beautiful” litter program, presented by Public Works Administrator Jay. The three-pillar strategy (Eradication, Education, Enforcement) includes 19 new personnel funded through stormwater fees, equipment purchases, and community engagement phases. Council members Burrs, Clark, Dotley, Hill, and Harvey discussed enforcement challenges, the role of administrative hearing officers (AHO) who can assess civil penalties up to $500 per day per incident, and the need for clear standard operating procedures. Councilman Harvey noted that the city already has the ability to refer litter cases to AHO. Councilwoman Hill added that AHO capacity is well below its limit. The committee received the report; implementation will proceed pending budget approval.
- Budget and ARPA Fund Discussions (Future Agenda Items) – Councilwoman Hill requested that all changed itemized budget pages be provided in print and online before the vote on the FY27 budget next week. Councilman Clark raised concerns about unspent ARPA funds allocated five years ago, specifically $1.5 million for a program not yet in contract. Kevin (administration) explained that funds can be reallocated with council approval, and that the administration is working to close out ARPA. Clark and Burrs requested a deeper conversation about redirecting unused funds to support agencies like Arts Build, which faced a $35,000 reduction. This discussion was added to the next strategic planning agenda.
- Rezoning and Land Use Items (Items 8B–8I) – Multiple rezoning ordinances were considered on first reading:
- Item 8B (building code amendment) – Passed.
- Item 8D (140 Browns Ferry Road, RN‑17.5 to CN) – Passed on first reading (supported by Councilman Henderson per Councilwoman Hill).
- Item 8E (7514 & 7518 Stanley For Gap Road – lift conditions for fence extension) – Passed on first reading after Councilman Harvey confirmed neighbor support via petition.
- Item 8F (2836 Anderson Terrace, RN‑16 to TRN‑3) – Motion to deny passed on first reading; applicant was absent.
- Item 8G (7777 East Brainerd Road, CMU‑1 to CC, subject to conditions) – Passed on first reading; Councilman Harvey noted the Walford family’s investment in the city.
- Item 8H (1211 Boynton Drive & 1301 Grove Street, RN‑3 to WN‑7) – Passed on first reading; Councilwoman Dotley praised alignment with the West Side plan.
- Item 8I (1601 & 1603 East 49th Street, CC/RN‑15 to IH) – Motion to deny passed on first reading; Councilwoman Dotley stated the rezoning is not in conformity with the Rossville Boulevard redevelopment.
- Special Exceptions Permit (Item 9A) – New liquor store at 7703 Lee Highway deferred for one week until June 16, pending additional information.
- Special Police Officer Appointment (Item 9B) – Resolution authorizing Emily Wood as a special police officer for code enforcement duties passed.
Key Outcomes
- Taxi ordinance (Item 8A) passed on first reading (unanimous).
- Rezoning items: 8B, 8D, 8E, 8G, 8H passed on first reading; 8F and 8I motions to deny passed on first reading.
- Item 9A (liquor store permit) deferred to June 16, 2026.
- Resolution 9B (special police officer appointment) passed.
- Purchases approved: Laboratory equipment for wastewater ($127,898.79) and a knuckle boom truck for public works ($236,814). A sole‑source HubSpot software subscription for public works was reported.
- Committee reports: Councilman Harvey reported on the litter program presentation; Councilman Clark reported on a historic preservation town hall held June 3, 2026, with plans to discuss historic zoning processes in a future strategic planning session.
- Next steps: The council will hold a strategic planning meeting in two weeks to discuss historic preservation, and a budget education session next week to review ARPA reallocations and agency funding.
Meeting Transcript
Always something. Any regrets we'll take it to go? No, no regrets, but it'll be nice this time next year. I'm back over there. Yes, sir. Yes. How's it going? Yes. Really? Oh, it's not comfortable. Can you tell you? No. Oh, it's no big deal. His big work is in the bag for the easy one. Good afternoon. I call to order the June ninth meeting of the Chattanooga City Council and recognize Councilwombers to lead us in our pledge of allegiance and invocation. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. Okay. So we don't have any distractions during our meeting. Um and also want to give just a brief rundown of how our meeting operates for those who might be new or just a reminder for anybody. Um the first half of our meeting is uh what's called our agenda session where council will go through and look at the items on our agenda to be voted on this evening, as well as those items on our agenda to be voted on for next week, and then we'll also look at some items that will be coming up further out three weeks or later in the future um to answer any questions or concerns that um council might have that uh any council person might wish to discuss. Um we'll also look at our purchases uh for this evening and again um allow council members a time to ask questions or present any concerns on those purchase items on our agenda for this evening. Once we've done that, uh we will have a meeting of the parks, public works, and wastewater committee that will be led by councilman Harvey. Um we'll then take a brief uh well, we'll take a recess. Um Mr. Attorney, do we need an attorney client meeting? Not that I'm aware of it. If y'all want to have anything, let me know. Okay. And so our recess in between our agenda session and our business session might be a little shorter than normal since we don't need to meet with our city attorney as a council this evening, but we will take a recess before coming back to vote on items on the agenda for this evening. Um with that being said, council, could I get a motion on the minutes from our last meeting? Please all right, and the minutes will stand as published. Council, look with me if you would at our agenda for this evening and hit your light if you have any questions. I see councilwoman Dotley, you're recognized. Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. I did have a few questions, and thank you so much, count uh Vice Chair Elliott for getting the red line version to us uh to review. So I just had some clarifying questions. Uh I am in support of it. I just want to make sure that I completely understand what is what it has uh for the uh taxi ordinance. So we're going from uh in for my understanding uh Mr. Attorney, this hasn't been reviewed since 2015. Yes, correct. Okay, so we're going from a minimum two dollars, well, a maximum two dollars to a minimum ten dollar base. Is that right? Okay, from fifty cents to two dollars and fifty cents per mile. Yes, okay, and then from twenty cents to fifty cents per waiting minute. And what is what is determined by per waiting minute from when they if the the cab or the taxi is there waiting on you and no one is there, they can charge you for the amount of time that they're waiting in that location because their engine is still on, they're losing gas at that point in time and trying to make sure they're recouping the amount of money that they have. Okay, and then it says there, and then uh a four says there will be an additional charge for waiting time, which shall be up to a maximum of it goes from 40 cents to 50 cents. Is that a different waiting period?
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