The Kelly administration and a group of Station Street business owners announced on Thursday that they have finalized a new, 30-day safety plan for the district, which will protect public safety and allow the street’s local businesses to continue to thrive.
As part of the new safety measures beginning on Friday, May 5, business owners will once again be able to stay open until 3 a.m. in the Entertainment District. However, the prohibition on open containers with alcohol outside of establishments during weekend hours, from 9 a.m. on Fridays through 4 p.m. on Sundays, will remain in effect through the next month, as part of a modified executive order to be issued Friday.
While the temporary safety plan is in effect, Kelly and his staff will work closely with City Council to execute a permanent cooperative safety agreement involving all Station Street business and property owners, to ensure the long-term safety and prosperity of the district.
“I’m very happy to see Station Street fully open again, with a plan in place that will protect public safety while allowing our local businesses to thrive,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “This is a testament to our community's shared commitment to working together to build a better, safer city, and I’m grateful to the Station Street business owners who came to the table to develop a safety plan that we can all be confident in. I encourage all Chattanoogans to come out and patronize Station Street as we head into Cinco de Mayo weekend.”
Effective for the next month, the new plan will:
- Add seven off-duty Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) officers to patrol and provide services for Station Street from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., Friday nights through Sunday mornings, with the authority to make arrests or issue citations if warranted
- Add two additional CPD officers to patrol the street from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., Friday nights through Sunday mornings
Additionally, the City is making a one-time investment of $40,000 for retractable bollards that will enable officials to close the street to vehicle traffic on weekends, further increasing safety on the street when it is most crowded.
The Kelly administration, including CPD leadership, led the development of the temporary plan in negotiations with a group of Station Street business owners, who are contributing to the cost on a sliding scale based on hours of operation and seating capacity. The security strategy – including the number of officers assigned to patrol the street throughout the night – was designed by CPD based on the number of dispatch calls and incident response data for the district from the last several months.
“Entertainment districts are not unique to Chattanooga. What makes them work are cooperative security arrangements like this one which ensure the safety of residents in areas with special allowances for extended hours,” said Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy. “I will be watching closely over the next 30 days, and working closely with the Mayor’s Office and City Council to ensure that this plan can evolve as needed as we work toward a permanent solution.”