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Commissioners consider ending interlocal planning agreement; proposal would create county planning department
Summary
A resolution (326-15) would end the interlocal agreement with Chattanooga for the Regional Planning Agency and create a Hamilton County planning department. Proponents said county-focused staff could better serve unincorporated areas; opponents warned the change could be divisive and shift costs across districts. No vote was taken on March 11.
The commission debated Resolution 326-15, which would authorize the county mayor to terminate the interlocal agreement with the city of Chattanooga that funds the Chattanooga'Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA) and begin a transition toward a Hamilton County planning department.
Proponents said county-staffed planning would provide greater focus on unincorporated communities and could be implemented in a budget-neutral way. Mr. Janeway, who the commission identified as leading transition work, told the board he felt confident he "can make it work at that budget number or maybe below," citing existing county staff working toward AICP certifications and recent modernization of intake systems.
Supporters, including the mayor and several commissioners, argued that county responsibility for roads and unincorporated infrastructure creates a case for a dedicated county planning staff. "We think there's greater accountability and transparency and the ability to pay attention to detail in these communities," one commissioner said, urging a nonadversarial transition and continued regional collaboration at the planning-commission level.
Opponents warned the change could be divisive and shift costs to all county taxpayers. Several commissioners said the proposal risked taking city tax dollars for county projects and reducing joint regional planning. An audience member shouted that the county was "trying to screw the city of Chattanooga," illustrating local tensions during the discussion. Commissioners asked staff to provide more specifics about fiscal impacts, representation on any new county planning body and the required new interlocal agreement with the city if the board pursues the change.
No final vote occurred on 326-15 at the March 11 session; members said further work by county attorneys and staff on details and interlocal language would be needed before a vote.
