The City of Chattanooga has released the draft of Plan Chattanooga — the city’s first comprehensive framework plan — for public review. Get ready to put your feedback to good use, as we dive in.
The Plan Chattanooga project began in August 2023 when the Chattanooga Regional Planning Agency launched a survey pertaining to eight areas of the city. This process is in tandem with Plan Hamilton County.
Each area has its own extensive chapter breaking down its history + future development plans — while we are highlighting some of the big ideas mentioned, we recommend fully diving into the area that affects you the most.
Downtown/NorthShore
- Continue the implementation of recent vision plans (South Broad, One Riverfront, etc.)
- Expand housing units by 500 to 1,000 per year
- Create a downtown transit center
- Protect the character of historic neighborhoods
Hixson/Red Bank
- Facilitate the redevelopment of the Northgate Mall area to create a walkable Town Center
- Preserve and add green spaces
- Transform major streets to enhance safety + walkability
- Maintain industrial areas to support non-retail employment
Historic River-to-Ridge
- Limit new development in floodplains
- Add programs to prevent displacement + gentrification
- Connect all community destinations with greenways
- Transform major streets to provide safe transportation
South Chattanooga/Lookout Mountain
- Allow for a modest increase in residential density
- Ensure cultural preservation through programs
- Focus redevelopment to create nodes at intersections along Dodds Avenue + Rossville Boulevard
- Mitigate conditions for existing housing in floodplains
Lookout Valley
- Establish village + neighborhood centers to expand neighborhood services
- Develop more housing types + availability of affordable housing
- Protect views of ridges (prevent development on steep slopes)
- Use local tourism sites as avenues for economic development
Midtown
- Evolve Brainerd Road, Lee Highway + other commercial corridors into walkable destinations
- Implement the vision of the CHA Airport District Master Plan Study
- Facilitate housing renewal throughout neighborhoods developed in the 1960s through the 1980s
Highway 58/Tyner
- Provide affordable, higher-density housing for employment centers
- Evolve strip commercial development into walkable + connected areas
- Limit commercial development in areas like Bonny Oaks Drive + Shallowford Road
- Create a system of greenways
East Brainerd
- Redevelop Hamilton Place to be a walkable town center
- Develop a neighborhood center at East Brainerd + Graysville Roads
- Prioritize trail system connections + improvements along streams
- Increase connectivity + transportation options
Now through Friday, Nov. 15, you can provide useful feedback to city officials in three ways:
- Comment on the plan chapters | Drop your favorite plan chapter + what you’d like to see prioritized.
- Comment on the Place Type Map | Click on specific parts of the map to learn about future land use and zoning + leave your feedback.
- Tell the city about you | Fill out a survey about your time residing in Chattanooga + areas you’re interested in.
Bonus: Complete all three sections to enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Once Plan Chattanooga is finalized, the city will implement it as a long-term guide with plans to update + track the progress as Chattanooga continues to grow.
