A large crowd of East Ridge property owners filled the city council meeting Thursday night in response to a letter they received bearing the city’s seal. The 2,500 letters that were sent included a map with a “red-zone” indicating what the East Ridge Housing and Redevelopment Authority considers to be blighted areas, leading people to believe their homes could be seized by eminent domain in the quest to clean up East Ridge.
Resident Frances Pope summed up the citizens' concerns when she said that most everyone agrees that improvements need to be made in the city, but there is already a codes enforcement officer and an administrative hearing officer who can issue steep fines to deter non compliance with city codes. The city also has the ability to make inspections of rental properties, she said, and questioned why the procedures already in place cannot address blight without going into the neighborhoods and taking property by eminent domain.
In April 2017 a resolution was passed to create this board and Mayor Brent Lambert made all five appointments of the members in June. The first meeting was held in July or August, said City Attorney Mark Litchford, but he did not know who had the original idea to create the board. Mr. Litchford is the redevelopment authority’s attorney in addition to representing the city council.
The board itself is considered by many speakers to be a problem, as well as the letter it sent. One resident asked for credentials of the appointees to be made available to the community. Do they have a background in planning or community development? Or what qualifies them?, she asked. After some searching, Attorney Litchford said that the only qualification is that they are a citizen of East Ridge. The original purpose of a redevelopment plan, as understood by the council members, was to target the commercial property on Ringgold Road and fix it up, using the Border Region map consisting of 950 acres. The actual plan this board has developed and mapped involves 1,607 acres and includes a lot of residential property.
The five members of the redevelopment authority have the power to take over both homes and commercial property, according to the letter that was sent. “How did the committee get so far off track? It is terrible you have a committee with this much authority that doesn’t know what they’re doing,” said one speaker.
Denny Manning, past city councilman, said to the vice mayor, “Mr. Sewell, I appreciate your sitting in because our mayor was too chicken to come.” He said that the people on the authority have no training or qualifications for the job. He cited blighted houses in his neighborhood, where police make arrests and Hamilton County courts release the problem people who simply return to the “drug houses.” He made a suggestion that the city set up benefit programs for people who are disabled or who cannot afford to fix up their property.
Other requests and comments heard from the citizens included that any home that is for sale in the “red zone” would have to disclose that it is subject to government seizure. One man told the council that this issue has caused him unbelievable stress and loss of sleep over worrying that he would lose his house. With the threat of taking over property, another speaker asked the council to make sure that property rights are not stamped out. Many who spoke requested for the map to be redrawn and reduced to areas of actual blight that are in the commercial district only. Councilman Jacky Cagle read multiple examples of conflicting items he found in the by-laws of the redevelopment authority. The concerned citizens and Councilman Cagle unanimously supported dissolving the board altogether.
A motion to dissolve the Housing Redevelopment Authority was put on the agenda for the city council meeting on May 10. In the meantime, the authority will be asked to reduce the plan and redraw the map to pinpoint defined areas only in the commercial district. A public meeting has already been scheduled for May 3 beginning at 5:30 at the community center to gather community input about the redevelopment plan. Members of the authority and city council will be present for as long as people have questions, said City Manager Scott Miller.
In new business, the council adopted rules and regulations that specify minimum hotel and extended stay hotel requirements and standards. Penalties for failure to comply with the regulations are included in the ordinance that passed on first reading.
Rules and regulations were also added to the East Ridge zoning ordinance relating to short-term vacation rentals. Codes Enforcement Officer Kenny Custer said that state adopted rules which will grandfather in existing homes used for short term rentals within the R-1 District will apply to the city.
On second reading, property at 1420 Boyd St. was rezoned from R-1 Residential to RT-1 Residential Townhouse.
A final vote set the City Court Clerk’s compensation at $57,740 effective after the Nov. 6 election.
Authorization was given to purchase five E-Citation units and related software for the police department at the cost of $36,830 and a recurring annual fee of $4,148. Some of the cost will be offset by the collection of citation fees charged by the court. The police department will also be getting a body-worn camera system. This cost is $150,000.
Memorial Health Care donated 100 doses of Narcan to the city that will be used for the emergency treatment of opioid overdoses.
East Ridge adopted a limited English proficiency policy that will improve access to federally conducted programs and activities for persons with limited proficiency in the English language. It will be funded through various federal grant programs.
Estes Cocke was appointed as director on the Industrial Development Board for a six-year term beginning May 1.
Fees were waived for use of facilities at Camp Jordan by the East Ridge Optimist Club for fundraising events. The pond in the park will be used for a fishing rodeo on June 2, the arena will be used for the Kars for Kids Car Show on June 23, and the pavilion will used for a fundraiser barbeque on May 26. The city will support the barbeque by purchasing $300 of tickets.