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 Street Commercial Mix); council approved the rezoning on voice vote. • Case 2025-0046 (5281 Usher Drive): Deferred to April 22 at the request of the moving councilmember. • Corrections to the official zoning map (item 8d): Approved (motion moved in committee and approved by the council). • Zoning clarification (item 8e): Amendment to the Chattanooga zoning ordinance to permit certain dwellings if rezoned to CMU-1 and CMU-2 (clarifying conditional-use language); approved.

- Resolutions from the council office (Items 9a–9h): The council approved a block of resolutions by voice vote, including: • Waiver of park fees for Scenic City Shakespeare at Greenway Farm Park (setup and performance schedule provided in the resolution). • Reappointment of Zelma Lansford to the Parks & Outdoors Committee (term 02/14/2025–02/13/2028). • ARPA awards (coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds) to local groups: $29,618 to Friends of Hixson (youth programming); $4,000 to Bills Youth Association (football equipment); $2,000 to Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachia (troop 402 cultural tour); $6,000 to Camp Haven (summer camp); $6,000 for programming at Orchard Knob Elementary and Middle School. • Reappointment of Matt Patterson to the Sports Authority (term beginning 08/10/2024–08/09/2026).

- Office of the City Attorney: The council approved an updated public records policy (resolution amending Resolution No. 30075) to include revisions and updated forms “in compliance with Tennessee Gold Annotated section 10-7-5048” as described in the resolution text provided to the council.

- Purchases, renewals and RFPs (approved): • Procurement items presented by Daniel Harrigan, deputy director of purchasing: a name change for an agreement in early learning (Speech and Hearing Center → Signal Center); fleet vehicle purchases: one 2025 AutoCar ACX-64 awarded to Stringfellow for $511,532 (Sourcewell contract); AutoCar ACX-60 fours awarded to Environmental Products Group for $1,065,947.80 (Sourcewell contract); an increase of $9,400 for equipment on a crime-scene van, bringing that contract total to $112,400. • Renewal: Debt-collection services contract renewal approved; the council discussed and the staff confirmed contractual data-breach and notification protections under section 35 of the contract. • RFP recommendation: Human Resources’ recommended vendor for Medicare-eligible health-plan administration (including access to Medicare plans) approved. • Sole source: ArcGIS maintenance renewal from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) for $27,161 approved.

What was discussion vs. direction vs. decision

Most items were approved on voice votes with limited floor debate. Several zoning cases were deferred at councilmembers’ requests, which is recorded as a council direction to take the item up at a later meeting rather than final action. Purchases and contract renewals were presented by purchasing staff with brief council questions and then approved.

Details and clarifications

- The public records policy resolution cites compliance with “Tennessee Gold Annotated section 10-7-5048” in the materials presented; the council’s motion approved the resolution authorizing updated forms attached to the policy. - ARPA award amounts for the youth and community programs were explicitly stated in the resolution texts presented to council and approved on the floor. - Several rezoning motions were deferred by named councilmembers and rescheduled by the council to specific April dates (see actions below for the deferral dates recorded on the floor). The council took up zoning-map corrections and a text amendment allowing certain dwellings in CMU zone categories and approved those measures.

Votes and formal actions (recorded on the council floor)

- Ordinances (7a–7b): Motion to approve items A and B as a package — outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion and a recorded second were noted; no roll-call count in the transcript. - Ordinances (7c–7d): Motion to approve closing/abandonment of rights-of-way — outcome: approved (voice vote). - Case 2025-0037 (Bonney Oaks Drive): Motion to defer to April 15 — outcome: deferred. - Case 2025-0044 (1000 W. 19th St.): Motion to approve — outcome: approved. - Case 2025-0046 (5281 Usher Drive): Motion to defer to April 22 — outcome: deferred. - Item 8d (zoning map corrections): Motion to approve — outcome: approved. - Item 8e (zoning ordinance clarification for CMU-1/CMU-2): Motion to approve — outcome: approved. - Resolutions 9a–9h (council office): Motion to approve the package — outcome: approved (voice vote); ARPA award amounts are recorded in the resolution texts. - City Attorney resolution (public records policy): Motion to approve — outcome: approved (voice vote). - Purchases, renewals, RFPs, sole source and contract actions (presented by purchasing staff): Motions to approve each item — outcome: approved (voice votes); ArcGIS maintenance renewal ($27,161) and fleet purchases ($511,532 and $1,065,947.80) recorded on the floor.

Ending

The council completed its agenda business and recessed for an attorney–client meeting earlier in the schedule before reconvening to consider the items above. Public comment followed the formal actions; speakers included members of the public who addressed councilmembers and presented requests or remarks (see separate article summarizing public comment requests).