Council approves tree and sign ordinances, zoning changes and a bundle of ARP awards and purchases

Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday approved a package of ordinances, zoning actions, ARPA allocations and municipal purchases during the regularly scheduled April meeting.

The council took voice votes to approve final-reading amendments to the city code affecting off-premise and on-premise advertising and to adopt revisions to the Chattanooga tree ordinance. The council also approved two right-of-way closings and a series of zoning actions, while deferring three rezoning requests to later meetings.

Why it matters: The ordinances amend the municipal code that governs signs and tree protections across the city; the zoning votes and map corrections change land-use allowances in specific neighborhoods. The ARPA grants approved on Tuesday allocate modest, locally targeted amounts to youth and community programs; the fleet purchases and software renewals are part of the city’s operational capital and maintenance spending.

Votes at a glance

- Sign ordinance and tree ordinance (Final reading, items 7a–7b): Approved by voice vote as a package. Motion and second recorded; no roll-call tally provided in the minutes. These amend Chattanooga City Code part 2, chapters 3a/3b (advertising) and chapter 32 (tree ordinance).

- Right-of-way closings (Items 7c–7d): Approved as a package. Ordinances close and abandon unopened rights of way in the 2600 block of William Street and a portion of the 5500 block of Florida Avenue, subject to conditions described in the attached maps.

- Rezoning and map items (Ordinances under first/final readings, item 8): • Case 2025-0037 (Bonney Oaks Drive): Deferred to April 15 (motion to defer carried). Applicant and opposition were queried; council voted to defer. • Case 2025-0044 (1000 W. 19th St.): Rezoned from I-8 (Industrial Heavy) to CCX-12 (Chestnut…