Chattanooga City Council plans to take up next month a proposed ordinance to protect the view of certain historic or scenic areas of the city. The rule would require builders to get special permission to build any structure over 35 feet high if it is within 1,000 feet of those areas.
Preserving our wonderful local scenery is obviously a good idea. But we should be careful about "unintended effects." The council should examine the proposal thoroughly to be sure it won't create undue regulatory hurdles that might scare away needed economic development.
With care, we can keep the city beautiful and attract new business.