NATURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT

Chattanooga - Hamilton County

Regional Planning Agency
 CITY COUNCIL REQUEST – ADOPTED RES. # 29748

Res. # 29748 Adopted

December 2018

Develop recommendations
for and an Ordinance and
other Zoning tools that would
provide development
standards that address
development activity in
natural resource areas such
as steep hillsides and
floodplains.
 PROJECT APPROACH

• Examined development trends over a 10-

year period
• Analyzed steep slope and floodplain data
• Advisory Committee
• Technical Committee
• Peer Review
• Sources with best management practices
 How do we accommodate growth in
Chattanooga without compromising the
City’s scenic assets and natural
amenities?
 4 CONCEPTS FOR CONSIDERATION

1. Steep Slope and Floodplain Protection Overlay

District

2. Steep Slope and Floodplain Protection

Ordinance

3. Steep Slope and Floodplain Policy

4. No Change
 STAFF RECOMMENDATION

ORDINANCE PROTECTING STEEP SLOPES AND FLOODPLAINS

• Plans/Policies already in place that address natural resource

protection. Additional policy is redundant.
• Additional regulations will address public concerns and
ensure the Scenic City will remain scenic.
• Ordinance is enforceable, consistent and addresses gaps
identified through analysis.

• Ordinance still allows development to happen but in a

different way.
 STAFF RECOMMENDATION

NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION ORDINANCE

Amendments to the following:

• Zoning Ordinance

• Subdivision

• Municipal Code
 ZONING ORDINANCE

1. Define steep slope

2. Use restrictions
3. Limit amount of disturbance
4. Tree canopy protection
5. Limit amount of impervious surface
6. Limit amount of fill in floodplain
7. Density bonus
8. Reduced setbacks
9. Lots of Record
10. PUD
DEFINE STEEP SLOPES
 DEFINE STEEP SLOPES

2 in 12 slope = 4 in 12 slope = 6 in 12 slope =

17% slope 33% slope 50% slope
DEFINE STEEP SLOPES
DEFINE STEEP SLOPES
USE RESTRICTIONS
LIMIT AMOUNT OF DISTURBANCE ON SLOPES

Google Earth Image of 1800 block of Google Earth Image of 1800 block of
Knickerbocker Ave in 2014 Knickerbocker Ave in 2016
LIMIT AMOUNT OF DISTURBANCE ON SLOPES
TREE CANOPY PROTECTION
 LIMIT AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE

205 Sawyer St – Approx. 55% Lot Coverage & Over

110 Lawn St – Approx. 25% Lot Coverage & Over
25% Slope
25% Slope
LIMIT FILL IN FLOODPLAIN
DENSITY BONUS
ADDITIONAL ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS

• Flexibility in Required Setbacks

• Lots of Record
• Planned Unit Development
 SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS

• Street Width Reductions

• Conservation Subdivisions
• Critical Lot/Slope Map
• R-1 Open Space
STREET WIDTH REDUCTIONS
CONSERVATION SUBDIVISIONS
ADDITIONAL SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS

• Critical Lot/Slope Map

• R-1 Open Space Subdivision
Design Option
 SECTION 31 – MUNI CODE

• Timing of Retaining Wall Construction/

Landscaping
• Soil Erosion Modeling
• Limit Amount of Disturbance at One Time
• Timing of Disturbance
• Stormwater Runoff
RETAINING WALLS
SOIL ERODIBILITY
 SITE DISTURBANCE

309 Tremont St Same site with no development or slope

Land Disturbing Permit issued 7/11/2016 and stabilization in March 2019
Grading Only Permit issued 10/21/2016
Picture taken April 2018
 SUMMARY
24 Proposed Zoning, Subdivision & Municipal
Code changes —
• 7 are more restrictive
• 5 have new tools/definitions
• 4 are more flexible
• 8 are process / due diligence related

6 month grace period after adoption if Council

approves
 NEXT STEPS

• City Council Public Hearing – Nov. 5, 2019

• City Council Planning & Zoning Committee – Nov. 12, 2019

• Staff Begins Drafting Zoning Tool – Dec. 2019

• Public Process of Zoning Tool – 2020

• Zoning Tool Adoption & Implementation – 2020