Questions Facing All Hamilton County

There is a question that is facing all of Hamilton County, Chattanooga, and surrounding municipalities and it affects everyone and everyone should have a voice.

Disappointment does not even come close to my feeling about one part of the Hamilton County Commission meeting on June 18. Density and infrastructure are the issues brought on by five years of building.

The problem needing a vote is the plan developed by concerned citizens. The short view is this is only about a District 9 issue made up of Harrison and Birchwood. The long term view is there are problems now affecting everyone in Hamilton County and the surrounding areas from unprecedented development. Initially, the vote was tabled (put off to another meeting).

A citizen group had researched and compromised on a plan to tighten up guidelines designed for more responsible growth in the future. Over the last five years, almost every plan to build was approved with lax restrictions. We had room to grow in Chattanooga and surrounding areas, but now we are seeing because of the growth of people (density) problems, we are having infrastructure problems.

The citizens' plan would slow down the pace of development, but not stop it. It gives time for the government to work on the problems of mobility which is the overall ease of travel. Problems such as roadway congestion, street repair, traffic light timing and traffic flows. Other issues about infrastructure including: education, services from emergency services and manpower, sewers, environmental and quality of life concerns that could be addressed with time for proper forethought.

This vote needed to happen and while it at first was tabled resulting in most people leaving the packed room, Commissioner Shipley had watched and made eye contact with a number of people and interpreted the need to be responsive to their efforts to be heard by their elected officials; and so it came back on the table.

Here is where I was disappointed by elected commissioners. I am disappointed in their behavior, not necessarily their vote. I am disappointed in the vote, but it just demonstrates there is more work to do for the commissioners to truly represent their people and not vested interests. At the very least, how many have actually tried to find out how the people in their district feel about the issues of quality of life affected by traffic as a result of increased density? Not just by a conversation, but with data.

On the following table, a “YES” vote indicated a vote for responsible growth of homes and apartment buildings - giving time for the government to build infrastructure to decrease disruptions in citizens' lives. A “NO” vote indicated allowing developers and builders to continue on as they have and/or to push back for more allowances as seen in their amendments before the commission - to continue to grow at the pace they have for the last five years. A *(NO) vote indicates the person left the meeting before the vote was taken, they had no actual vote, but it functioned as a no vote.

Participate in this because everyone has an opinion.

Send a quick email to your commissioner. It could be as quick as “yes or no”. I would love to see a meeting where the local commissioners are invited and moderated by local media where they can hear opinions expressed by their constituents. Just as our commissioners are fractured in their vote and that is okay - it’s the American way to have opinions, but so too are Hamilton County districts fractured. Keep the people from information or it’s not my issue, then all we get is nothing done…Delay, delay, delay until they give up. This issue while presented as a District 9 issue is faced by every district and splitting the issue up into districts just allows non transparency and not taking responsibility.

Linda Walker