As the December meeting of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission stretched into its fourth hour, Commission Chair Ethan Collier expressed frustration that every residential project heard by the planning board during the meeting had at least one person speak in opposition.
He proposed creating a requirement that every person who speaks in opposition to a project must indicate on a map of the county where they believe growth should occur.
“What we hear over and over again is ‘We’re not opposed to development, it just shouldn’t be here,'” Collier said.
While the number of cases heard by the Planning Commission have decreased, planning staff and commissioners say opposition to those cases is increasing.
The average number of cases heard by the Planning Commission each year from 2018-2025 was 190, according to data provided by Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency Development Services Director Bryan Shults. In 2025, the commission heard 149 cases, the lowest number of cases heard in any year since 2018.