As the Chattanooga City Council moves closer to adopting a new zoning plan for the most developed areas of downtown, home and business owners are sharpening their concerns about details of the proposal.
More than a dozen residents told council members Tuesday afternoon that they are worried the new zoning plan does not require developers to provide enough parking.
“It is expensive to provide parking, but it is the quality of life of our residents that we need to think about,” said JoBeth Kavanaugh, who lives on Martin Luther King Boulevard and has been involved in home restoration in the Fort Wood area.
Several others said they are concerned the new plan will reduce input from local residents about proposed zoning changes and shift it to a zoning committee that may not represent local interests.
“There seems to be a decision-making shift from the communities in which we have residents and neighbors and businesses, to a centralized committee structure that may not be sensitive to the needs of the city,” said Robert Drake, a North Shore resident.