Chattanooga City Council Meeting - August 11, 2026: Plan Chattanooga Public Hearing, K9 Retirement, and Legislative Actions
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Chattanooga City Council Meeting - August 11, 2026
The Chattanooga City Council met on August 11, 2026, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation. The meeting featured special presentations, a public hearing on Plan Chattanooga, discussion of agenda items, a recess for an attorney-client session, and a voting session followed by public comments. Key topics included the retirement of K9 officers, the adoption process for Plan Chattanooga, and several property rezoning and purchasing items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Plan Chattanooga Public Hearing (front end of meeting, maximum 1 hour, 2 minutes per speaker):
- Josh Branham (Governmental Affairs Director, Greater Chattanooga Realtors): Provided real estate market data for June 2026. Median sales price in Chattanooga was $350,000 (unchanged from June 2025); average days on market was 40 days; there were approximately 1,221 properties listed (increase over prior year). He offered to provide zip code-specific data to council members.
- Hadrian Turner (Save Enterprise South Nature Park): Expressed support for Plan Chattanooga’s overall goals but raised concern about the “resort and recreation” place type, which could allow large private commercial developments (hotels, restaurants, marinas, campgrounds, housing) on up to 100+ acres. He contrasted this with “preserve” designation for public lands and cited a recent Hamilton County effort to adopt a similar recreation zone that was tabled after public pushback. He urged focus on the former Boy Scouts property within Enterprise South Nature Park, which the city and county acquired for open space.
- Janice Gooden (District 8): Found the plan confusing regarding differences from prior plans (e.g., the 2020 River Terrace plan). Stated the process and technical language are hard for the public to understand.
- Edward Green Jr. (District 9): Echoed confusion about the technical language, asking that the plan be made understandable for “children” and the general public. He also later spoke during general public comment to honor Clarence Edward Hamler, a friend killed in 1977, and thank Councilwoman Dudley for street naming efforts.
- Robert Fisher (25-year commercial realtor): Praised Plan Chattanooga and Plan Hamilton as “the greatest documents” produced in 25 years, commending the work.
- General Public Comment (end of meeting):
- Brian (District 4): Raised concern about a group of unhoused individuals being told by police to vacate their encampment by the next morning (less than 24 hours) or face jail. He stated the group had permission from the landowner and had built a supportive community. He argued that such short notice prevents smart relocation, leads to loss of belongings, and is counterproductive given Chattanooga’s shortage of shelter beds. He urged the city to approve a low-barrier shelter.
Discussion Items
- K9 Officer Recognition: The council recognized K9 Burt (handler Officer Timmons) and K9 Duke (handler Dennis James) for retirement from the Chattanooga Police Department. The retirements and transfer of ownership were later approved via resolutions (9F and 9G).
- Plan Chattanooga Presentation: Karen Rennick (Regional Planning Authority) presented an overview of Plan Chattanooga, a comprehensive growth strategy with eight detailed area plans. She noted:
- The plan updates and consolidates older plans (e.g., replacing the 2016 “Renewing Our Vision” comp plan and many neighborhood plans).
- It has four goals: vibrant walkable places, diverse safe neighborhoods with affordable housing, interconnected transportation, and a city that honors natural environments.
- The plan is a guiding document; it does not change zoning or guarantee funding.
- The Regional Planning Commission has already adopted it and recommends City Council adoption.
- The adopting resolution will sunset most older plans and policies but retains a few (e.g., West Side Plan).
- Within six months of adoption, staff will report back to council on implementation and potential amendments.
- Rennick acknowledged the Boy Scout property (within Enterprise South) appears as “manufacturing” on the place type map but should be “preserve”; a running list of needed corrections is being maintained.
- Council Discussion on Plan Chattanooga:
- Councilman Henderson asked about the term “sunset” causing confusion; some individual plans are incorporated into the new plan but not all. He requested a list of which plans are sunset and which carry forward.
- Councilwoman Hill thanked staff for the work and supported the six-month review, noting it builds trust.
- Councilwoman Burrs thanked staff and highlighted the importance of continued public input.
- Agenda Item Deferrals and Conditions:
- Ordinance D-0095 (rezoning at 6411, 6511, 6611 Dayton Boulevard): Councilman Henderson moved to defer to September 8, 2026, per applicant request. Approved.
- Public Works item B (ordinance regarding alley closure at 2800 block E 8th St): Councilwoman Noel moved to defer to August 18, 2026, to inspect the site. Approved.
- Resolution E (PUD amendment at Mercer St): Councilwoman Hill moved to defer to August 25, 2026, for further work between RPA and applicant. Approved.
- Ordinance 8E (rezoning at 2834-2852 Kirkman Rd and 7201-7215 Tyne Rd): Councilwoman Burrs moved to approve with 12 conditions (maximum 94 units, no more than 48 townhomes, restrictions on driveways, sidewalk requirements, landscape buffers, traffic study, stormwater plan, etc.). Applicant acknowledged conditions. Unanimously approved on first reading.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes from previous meeting: Approved as published (voice vote).
- Votes on Ordinances (all voice votes, unanimous unless noted):
- 8A (Divine Ave right-of-way closure): Passed on final reading.
- 8B (Gun Barrel Rd easement closure): Passed on first reading.
- 8C (127 Fern Ave rezoning from RN17.5 to RN2): Passed on first reading.
- 8E (Kirkman/Tyne Rd rezoning to TRN3 with conditions): Passed on first reading.
- 8D (Dayton Blvd rezoning): Deferred to September 8, 2026.
- 8F (2800 block E 8th St alley closure): Deferred to August 18, 2026.
- Votes on Resolutions (all adopted unanimously):
- 9A: River City Company storefront improvement and retail recruitment initiative ($500,000).
- 9B: Artsfield operational support from ARPA funds ($35,000).
- 9C: Tennessee Youth Employment Program contract with Southeast TN Development District ($92,200).
- 9D: Appointment of Melissa McCallum as special commissioned police officer (unarmed) for parking authority.
- 9E: Mercer St PUD amendment – deferred to August 25, 2026.
- 9F: Retirement of K9 Duke and transfer to Dennis James.
- 9G: Retirement of K9 Burt and transfer to Lucas Timmons.
- Purchases (all approved unanimously, voice vote):
- Custodial services for downtown campus – Golden Sill Company, 4-year, $450,000 annual.
- Increase for CWS Chattanooga transfer – $750,000 increase (new annual $3.67M).
- Wastewater actuators/gearboxes – Motion Industries, $67,733.66.
- Komatsu wheel loader for street aid – Power Equipment, $97,761 (with trade-in deduction).
- Two Ford F-350 dump trucks for wastewater – National Auto Fleet Group, $162,384.16.
- Hunter Oil 4-year renewal – 5% increase due to petroleum product costs, new annual limit $157,500.
- General public comment period concluded without further speakers; meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
I put the religious through the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Chair, I will use my time to Minister Janice Shereen Smith, who will be delivering our invitation as the official chaplain for District 5. Minister Smith. Good afternoon, everyone. I continually be grateful to serve as president of District 5 and 9 in my community. And I'm so blessed today that Dennis Clark, Ron Elliott are in the room as we celebrate the goodness of God. As I pondered over what I would say today to bless all of us, not just y'all, but all of us. God gave me Genesis chapter one that says, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was void and it was without form. And darkness was hovering over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God, the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters, and God looked upon all He had made at the end of this very scripture and said that it is good. Well, you might say, perhaps, what am I saying to you today? I'm saying that God created, God created, and inside of us there is something we can all create. We can carry our lives in the perspective of knowing and lifting the hands of God by blessing one another. When we look inside of ourselves at the way that God put everything together, we have that same ability. And to each and every one of us that holds this responsibility. Father God, in the name of Jesus. And it's in Jesus Christ's holy name by God the Father who is in heaven. And we pray, amen. All right, thank you. As we get started this afternoon, just a reminder to everyone to please uh turn off or silence your cell phones so that we don't have any unnecessary distractions this afternoon. Um and we like at the beginning of our meeting just to give a rundown of how the meeting will go. So we kind of operate in two parts. The first part of our meeting is an agenda session where we will have some special presentations, and we do have a couple of those this afternoon. Um and then council will go around and um we'll discuss any agenda items that are up for a vote this afternoon and then next week, and then looking ahead into the future three weeks or more, uh council will discuss any of those items as needed. Um after that point, we will have uh a recess where we will have an attorney client meeting today with our city attorney. And um, so when we get to that time, I'll announce the the time that we'll be coming back after that recess. And when we do, we'll be voting on all the items that are on our agenda today. Um, and so after uh all of that, after the voting, um, at the end of our uh second portion of our meeting, there will be a time for members of the public who are here to address counsel on any topic that you'd like. Um and at that time, our our city attorney will read some rules and we'll have you come down front. Um there is also this week a special time um uh public hearing about plan Chattanooga. And so if you're here to speak to counsel for that purpose, um there will be that time uh just here in just a very few minutes. Um and so just wanted to kind of explain the difference there. Um anyone's welcome to speak about Plan Chattanooga here at the front end of the meeting, and then at the end will be just kind of an open open um public comment period. So our first special presentation, um, we have some canine officers here with us today with their um their officer handlers, and so if they would, I guess come down um or or rise where you're at, whatever's most comfortable for our our canine officers. So we have, I believe uh canine Duke. Is that the carrier? Okay, so we have K9 Burt um with his handler, Officer Timmons. Is that right? Okay. Um and so we just want to take this time and recognize uh K9 Officer Burt. He is retiring from the Chattanooga Police Department, and uh he will be transferred to the ownership of Officer Timmons. Um and there will be a time later on when we vote, we'll be officially voting um on a resolution um to uh I guess authorize that retirement, but wanted here at the at the front end um to recognize him, and I think he deserves a round of applause. Thank you. Okay. Um and so our next item in the nature of a special presentation is a public hearing um on Plan Chattanooga. And the way we'll uh handle this public hearing is we'll set aside uh a maximum of one hour total for anyone for any and all speakers who are here to talk to counsel about Plan Chattanooga, and we'll do two minutes per speaker. Um and so if you're here for the purpose of talking to us about um plan Chattanooga, you're welcome to come to the podium down front here.
openpublica.com