East Ridge City Council moved forward with rezoning a property to allow for the construction of townhouses in a transition zone and regulate short-term vacation rentals, Thursday night during its regular meeting at City Hall.
A request by developers Bobby Hudgens and James Anderson to rezone property on Boyd Street to build townhouses had been tabled at a recent meeting. Problems associated with storm water runoff as it affects adjacent properties was a sticking point. After the council approved taking the measure off the table, Kenny Custer, the Director of Community Services, explained that the city is cleaning out ditches along the street and in the process of hiring a new engineering firm to study and address stormwater issues. The motion to rezone the property from R-1 to RT-1 passed unanimously on first reading.
The council approved an ordinance that would regulate short-term vacation rentals, made popular under the trade name of Airbnb. The new ordinance restricts where these businesses can be operated (not allowed in R-1, RT-1 or RZ-1), limits the number of occupants and the duration of stay.
The council voted 3-1 to give the city’s court clerk a raise of six percent beginning after the 2018 election. It was noted that the clerk’s position got no cost-of-living increases over the last four years. The position beginning in January of 2019 will see an increase of $3,2000 for an annual salary of $57,740. Councilman Jacky Cagle was the only dissenting vote.
On first reading the council adopted an ordinance which provides penalties for extended stay hotels that don’t comply with restrictions on length of guests’ stay.
The city agreed to enter into an agreement to purchase new body cameras for police offices from Motorola. The total cost of $150,000 will be divided into five payments of $30,000.
Ken Allen, the national representative with the International Brotherhod of Police Officers, of which the ERPD is its latest local chapter, gave a presentation to the City Council. He noted that East Ridge is experiencing much economic development, and along with the development will be increase in crime. He noted the city’s proximity to Interstate 75 is also a factor in increasing criminal activity.
Allen cited statistics from credible sources showing that East Ridge has a 58 percent higher crime rate than the Tennessee average. It’s violent crime rate is 45 percent higher on average and property offenses are a whopping 137 percent higher than the national average.
He noted that ERPD officers did not have access to an adequate supply of latex gloves that are essential to officer safety in dealing with dangerous narcotics like Fentynl and blood borne maladies. Allen said that another local IBPO chapter donated 3,000 pair of gloves to the department to help keep our police officers safe.
At the conclusion of the meeting, ERPD Chief J.R. Reed blew his department’s horn, announcing that the latest TBI Crime in Tennessee report showed that the department had a 44 percent clearance rate, the highest it has ever achieved. Clearance rates are used by various groups as a measure of crimes solved by the police. Chief Reed noted that in 2014 the department’s clearance rate was 33 percent.
Resolutions were adopted waiving fees as it pertains to charitable activities by the East Ridge Optimist Club. The city will waive fees for the club’s car show at Camp Jordan Arena, fees for using Dickert Pond for its annual fishing rodeo for children, and fees for use of the new pavilion for the club’s annual barbecue.
