The comprehensive planning processes for the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County have achieved a major milestone with completion of the research and analysis phases.
A key finding is the demand expected for 46,000 new housing units in Chattanooga and Hamilton County during the next 20 years. The Plan Chattanooga process is being led by the City of Chattanooga Department of Planning/RPA and includes a team of transportation and land use consultants.
This is the first time the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County have undertaken a process for managing long term growth, identifying community needs, prioritization of capital projects and creating a program for implementation.
Chattanooga is only a 90 minute drive south from the Nashville suburbs and 90 minutes drive to the Atlanta suburbs. The Interstate 75 and 24 corridors and Chattanooga Airport provide gateways to the economy of the southern U.S. Therefore, it is critical that the local governments in the Chattanooga region work together to manage growth.
During the coming months, Plan Chattanooga will be coordinated with city departments and focus groups of community members to provide further understanding of transportation, community and land use issues. More public meetings and online virtual engagement opportunities are also expected. Plan Chattanooga when adopted will provide an effective guide for growth of the city including future operations, capital planning and implementation.
Dan Reuter, the RPA’s Executive Director, stated: “Starting in March, we'll be unveiling the findings of our analysis, including maps that envision the future of our city. City departments are working hard to meet community needs on all levels. Everyday growth occurs and new jobs are announced. This requires us to continuously advance our knowledge of infrastructure and service needs. We need to use the best planning models and data, and coordinate capital needs across city and county departments.”
.What We’ve Learned
- Chattanooga and Hamilton County are not just beautiful; they're thriving. The consultants see untapped potential to enhance our resilience and success through cohesive planning and action. There are great opportunities for our local governments to work together to make our communities even more successful. Key points from the Plan Chattanooga data analysis and public engagement process include:
- There is expected demand for 46,000 new housing units by 2040. Source: RPA (RCLCo)
- There are approximately 47,000 students currently enrolled in Hamilton County public schools, 10,000 in private schools and another 20,000 in local colleges who will need jobs and housing in the future. (public or private, plus colleges Source: RPA (public data)
- 38% of the city’s land is classified as either vacant, agricultural, or open space, while 32% is classified as single-family residential. Three planning areas contain nearly two-thirds of all vacant land; Lookout Valley (30%), Hixson (19%), and Highway 58 / Tyner (14%). Source: Planning Next – Citywide Community Profile Report
- Families are smaller and there are more single parent and non-traditional households. In 2021, 54% of Chattanooga households were either a single person or a single person over age 65. Source: Planning Next – Citywide Community Profile Report
- The public expressed concerns about increasing traffic congestion and services being adequate or available as new development occurs. Currently only approximately 21% of the streets in Chattanooga have sidewalks. Less than 3% have bicycle facilities. Source: Planning Next – Survey Results and Citywide Community Profile Report
- 70% of all working residents (69,000) live and work in the city for their primary job. Approximately 3% of residents commuting to jobs out of the city are heading to the Nashville area. This is the largest single outside location for Chattanooga residents. 53,900 people are employed in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: making up 19% of the Chattanooga Area’s current workforce. Source: Planning Next – Citywide Community Profile Report
- Approximately 24% of Chattanooga’s land area has 30% slope or greater. In addition, areas within the floodway and the 100-year floodplain are constrained when it comes to new development. If development continues at the current rate of growth into outlying areas, this could result in the potential of 2,800 acres of land and sensitive resources impacted by new development. Planning Next & Kimley-Horn and Associates, scenario modeling 2024
- Chattanooga is home to 76 municipal parks and a number of state and national park lands, although approximately 70% of residents say they can only access their favorite parks by car. Source:City of Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Plan (POP)
The RPA, with UT-Chattanooga, is also exploring financial strategies that can be considered to build new transportation and infrastructure projects, recognizing the need to complement state and federal funding with innovative local solutions. Other major planning activities underway include:
- A kickoff of the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) transportation initiative
- Administering a Federal Railroad Administration’s Passenger Rail Corridor study
- An update of the Chattanooga Zoning Code
- Fire Services study for unincorporated Hamilton County
Next Steps
Comprehensive planning is also occurring for areas within unincorporated Hamilton County boundaries.. (See planhamilton.org). In the coming months, the RPA staff and consultants will share the Plan Chattanooga findings through a series of public meetings and events planned for April/May. Plan Chattanooga is set to align closely with various city departments and community groups, delving deeper into issues of transportation, land use, and community well-being.
These meetings will focus on choices - prioritizing where growth should occur, and which areas with key resources to preserve. For example, a neighborhood with an established residential character may see little change if infrastructure is limited or transit service is not available. Once finalized, this plan will serve as a comprehensive guide for our city's future development strategies.
Get Involved
For more information and to stay updated on how you can contribute, please SIGN UP at planchattanooga.org or chcrpa.org.