Hamilton County Commissioners were split in a heated debate over a proposal that would lead to a separate planning agency for unincorporated county developments, despite being partially funded by taxes from city residents.
The resolution, introduced during the commission’s Wednesday agenda meeting, would allow Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp to sever the county’s contract with the Regional Planning Agency.
“It’s divisive,” Commissioner Joe Graham, R-Lookout Valley, said during the meeting. “This is very disrespectful to our districts, it’s disrespectful to anybody that has a district that’s not in the unincorporated areas.”
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Hamilton County commission split over splitting from planning agency
The planning agency is jointly funded by the county and the city of Chattanooga — though the staff are considered city employees — and in turn provides reports on zoning and subdivision applications in both jurisdictions to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.