Citizen activist Helen Burns Sharp on Tuesday night told members of the City Council that the new steep slope regulations would only apply to "mountainsides."
She said a standard of 33 percent, which is in the ordinance to be considered by the council next Tuesday, would not cover any hillside in North Chattanooga (formerly known as Hill City).
Councilman Jerry Mitchell, who represents North Chattanooga, said Tuesday he plans to seek to amend the new ordinance to 30 percent.
Councilman Darrin Ledford, who has been overseeing the issue, said the ordinance is "a first step."
The Regional Planning Agency staff, after extensive study, had recommended a much more stringent ordinance that was strongly opposed by the Homebuilders Association.
The ordinance does not forbid development of any slope, but sets vegetative requirements on those of 33 percent or steeper.
It does not have any mention of development in low lying areas.
Ms.
Burns Sharp said, "My topic is the steep slope ordinance on your next week’s agenda. As currently written, it would only apply to slopes of 33 percent or greater.
"For 18 years, I was planning director for a mid-size city in Oregon. The original city was on the south side of the Willamette River and relatively flat.
"During my time there, voters approved a large annexation on the north side of the river. This area was not flat. We needed hillside development standards to regulate the development of potentially hazardous terrain; minimize public and private losses due to earth movement hazards, and minimize erosion and related environmental damage.
"Planning staff checked with other cities in the Willamette Valley to determine best practices. The first step was to determine the slope threshold where the regulations would apply. Every city we surveyed had set its minimum threshold no higher than 16 percent. Remember that your draft ordinance currently sets it at 33 percent, which is more than twice as steep.
"One Oregon city has a graphic in its development code to describe land types based on slope.
16-20 percent--Hillside
21-25 percent--Steep hillside
26-30 percent--Very steep hillside
31 percent and up-- Mountainside terrain
"The way your ordinance is currently drafted, it would not apply in places like North Chattanooga, which used to be known as “Hill City.” It would apply only to mountainsides. What’s the point of having a regulation if it doesn’t address the problems we are experiencing?
"Please lower the slope threshold in your ordinance to between 16 percent and 20 percent.
"The homebuilders say that regulations may raise the cost of development in certain areas and discourage development. But most other cities our size have good hillside regulations and are experiencing development.
"Please consider the cost of not having responsible regulations. That cost is borne by adjoining property owners, future homeowners, neighbors, and future generations. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful area. Our topography contributes to that. Let’s not screw it up.
"The Homebuilders Association has paid staff, lobbyists, and political action committees that contribute to political campaigns. We the public are totally dependent on you, the council, to represent our interests, which is the public interest.
"We are counting on you to do the right thing."