Skip to main content
Tuesday, November 3, 2026Nov 3
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

This story is exclusive to subscribers.

Hamilton County, Chattanooga mayors downplay Planning Commission split idea

Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county. Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.

By Raymon Troncoso 3 min read

Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly signaled their doubts Thursday regarding a plan to split the Planning Commission responsible for zoning recommendations into one board for the city and another for the rest of the county.

County Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah, introduced a resolution to replace the commission with one focusing just on unincorporated Hamilton County. Eversole made his proposal Wednesday during a County Commission meeting.

Eversole praised the existing Chattanooga-Hamilton Regional Planning Commission but said disparate interests between municipalities such as Chattanooga and Red Bank, and unincorporated neighborhoods like Ooltewah and Georgetown, required separate zoning boards that could offer better recommendations to commissioners.

Hamilton County, Chattanooga mayors downplay Planning Commission split idea

Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, right, talks with Deacon Hicks Armor before an event Dec. 11, 2025. Both Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, right, talks with Deacon Hicks Armor before an event Dec. 11, 2025. Both Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, left, speaks during a press conference as Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, left, speaks during a press conference as Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, right, speaks during a press conference as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly listens. Both mayors downplayed the idea of splitting the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission into two boards, one for the city and one for the county.


According to Hamilton County Attorney Janie Varnell, there would need to be matching resolutions from all municipalities represented by the Planning Commission before it could be dissolved.