The City Council on Tuesday approved its redistricting plan on second and final reading.
Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod made a motion to deny, but it did not get a second.
Councilman Isiah Hester then made a motion to approve, saying he wanted "to thank all Chattanoogans as well as the beautiful people of District 5 for their input."
There were eight votes for that motion.
A number of residents spoke to the council at the close of the meeting, hitting the process that involved a three-member council committee meeting in private sessions with staff.
Tommie Brown, former state representative, told the council, "We will not allow this action. There is a next step."
City Council members said they took updates on the process to citizens in district meetings and got input there.
A group of citizens who had expressed concerns about the city of Chattanooga’s redistricting process earlier said they hoped that a compromise could be reached before the City Council gave final approval.
Theresa Turner, co-chair of the Hamilton County Voters’ Coalition, said that a group of individuals who had asked that the entire process start over now proposed a much-abbreviated approach to learn about how the city decided to reapportion the population based on the 2020 census.
She said, “In the spirit of compromise and in recognition of the public process that the Council has followed since March 1st, we respectfully request that Council hold a strategic planning meeting devoted to bringing the public up to speed on what factors the city considered when moving people from one district to another.
“We would like to hear a brief presentation by the City Attorney on legal considerations and to be educated by Councilors and staff on what options were considered in drawing the proposed lines for each district and what changes have been made to the map since March 1.
“We see this as an educational and explanatory public meeting and recognize that Council is not required to allow comments from members of the public who are present."
She noted that the Council has until 2024 to complete the redistricting process for the next citywide election in 2025.