Weakened creek regulation costly
Thank you, Chattanooga City Council, for public hearings on proposals to weaken current stormwater retention regulations, mostly affecting South Chickamauga Creek's watershed.
This creek is a green, urban jewel awaiting explosive discovery upon completion of the South Chick Greenway, connecting the Riverwalk to Camp Jordan. It is a federally listed, impaired stream, housing two endangered species.
The stream damage is mostly due to silt from massive development in the watershed. To help, in 2014 the city emplaced current stormwater retention regulations of 1.6 inch rainfall on site, only for this watershed. Elsewhere, it requires a 1 inch standard.
I watched in slack-jawed amazement as a parade of Realtors, lenders, builders and lawyers whimsically claimed the creek's current standard should be reduced because it costs them money. Because apparently the South Chick's watershed is magical: In the city's huge footprint, their inability to develop this small area has eliminated Chattanooga's affordable housing.
Meanwhile, the city states that lowering these standards will require new project construction to clean the creek - size, scope, and costs unknown. But we do know who'll pay - us. While I want our developer friends to make money, private profit must not come at public expense.
Lisa Lemza
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Signal should ask, what can we do?
I live in Hamilton County on Signal Mountain and have followed the school split proposal very closely. I applaud the effort and time Signal Mountain's School System Viability Committee members have spent on research, but in the end, just because something is viable doesn't mean it's better.
While I have many concerns regarding how the split affects my family, most vital is that our teachers have been largely ignored in this process. Parental involvement is key to educational success, but it is teachers who make our schools truly exceptional. Relying on an anonymous survey, where anyone could've said anything and checked the "teacher" box, is inadequate at best.
A handful of residents, no matter how well-intentioned, does not know what is "best" for our children's education based upon whether something is possible. The success of districts two and three times the size of Signal Mountain doesn't tell us what's needed in our three schools.
Signal Mountain should not be throwing away its part in a larger community just because it can. Perhaps instead of talking about what the Hamilton County Department of Education should be doing for us, let's ask what can we do for HCDE. And let's start by including teachers in the conversation.
Renee Shoop, Signal Mountain
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An easy way to tell who is lying
Dear Senators,
What ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?
I cannot believe that all of you smart senators have not figured out how to settle all of these allegations about Roy Moore.
Simply challenge him to take a lie detector test to see if he is telling the truth, and also challenge all the women who came forward after more than 30 years to say what he did to them is true. Then we can see just maybe who is "lying."
What have you got to lose if you really want to get some answers?
Gene Hay, Hixson
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Well done, TFP, on 'Veterans' series
Thank you, TFP, and all who contributed to the 21 Veteran Salute series that ran each day last week in the Times Free Press.
This series immediately attracted my attention, reading about these brave men and women who served the USA so proudly.
I hope the TFP will extend this series to 42, 63, 84 or more veteran salutes!
Pat Hagan