Soddy Daisy High wrestling team was honored
photo by Gail Perry
The Soddy Daisy zoning ordinance has been amended to add a new section related to shipping containers that are being used as an accessory building. Discussions about this have been taking place since last year since they city started seeing them all around town. The issue was considered by the planning commission which recommended the conditions where they will be allowed. On Thursday night, the council approved those recommendations unanimously. No citizens were at the meeting to speak for or against the ordinance change.
The containers will be allowed at a residence with lot size over one acre, and prohibited on residential properties that are less. They will be allowed in the industrial park and in manufacturing zones where the number depends on the size of the property. The owners will have to obtain a permit from the building inspector and the containers will be required to be painted and have no rust. The location where they can be put is regulated with distances from property lines specified, and they have to be placed behind a principal structure on the property.
Another ordinance which regulates distance requirements from a business that sells liquor by the drink and beer was also amended on the final reading. The change was done to make Soddy Daisy attractive to hotels and motels which they hope to draw. Before it was amended, there was a requirement of 250 feet between those establishments and any church, school or public gathering place. The new section to the ordinance that was added, specifies that there are no distance requirements from hotels, motels and hospitals.
Building Inspector Steve Grant updated the council on the status of the new city hall building that is going up behind the current municipal building. Next week, plumbing is scheduled then electrical, followed by concrete being poured which will be followed by framing. He said that soon the back parking lot will need to be closed to use for staging and storing materials. The Scramble Alley Park will be blocked off with fencing, but it will not be closed during the construction.
City Manager Burt Johnson attended a recent State of the County presentation by County Mayor Weston Wamp and announced that Hamilton County is prepared to offer matching grants of $250,000 for parks to the municipalities. With the city’s match, that will provide $500,000 for improvements to the city’s parks. The commissioners will decide at a later date which of three parks to use the money for - Scramble Alley, Holly Park or Pine Tree Park.
Commissioner Steve Everett said the city’s investments in parks, especially ball fields, have paid the city back. Baseball tournaments held in Soddy Daisy have had a big impact. Chattanooga Sports, the association that promotes sports in the area, has reported the economic impact from last year’s “Back to School Bash” baseball tournament held in Soddy Daisy. It had 2,500 attendees and had a direct economic impact to the city of $442,000 and a total impact of $742,000. Those numbers should illustrate why the city’s investments in parks and sports have been so important, he said, and "you can’t put a price on the investment made in the kids."
City Manager Johnson is in the process of organizing a blood drive along with Blood Assurance. It is tentatively scheduled for mid-May. He will be looking for local businesses to participate by sponsoring donors.
In response to an influx of scams, frauds and thefts aimed primarily at the city’s elderly citizens, the Soddy Daisy Police Department has undergone cyber training including from the FBI, to counsel and advise those residents. The first session was at the Soddy Daisy Community Center this week. He said so far nine scams have resulted in losses of $136,000 to individuals and one business lost $200,000. His advice is to call the police department if a call or email is suspicious because it is easier to teach people how to deal with fraud before it happens versus the police having to get involved and investigate the cases after people realize they fell for a scam. Much of the money that is lost goes out of the country and cannot be recovered he said. Chief Petty would like to get this information out to more people and he encourages churches in the city to call him and schedule classes that the police will teach.
The meeting ended with the council honoring the Soddy Daisy High School wrestling team. A proclamation was read recognizing the 2024-2025 team for its many achievements during the year. Mayor Jim Coleman and the commissioners congratulated the coaches and team on their outstanding season.