On Thursday, the East Ridge City Council adopted a resolution to form a Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
Officials said the five-person panel appointed by the mayor will be set up in accordance with state law. The aim of the new housing authority is to address dilapidated structures – both commercial and residential.
Chief Building Official Kenny Custer said that any aging community will have unsafe and unsanitary housing. Custer pointed out that of the 10,000 or so residents in East Ridge, almost half are non-owner occupied. Officials said the housing authority could work hand-in-hand with a new rental inspection program that the city is moving forward with. It is hoped that the new oversight will help remedy the problem.
During the meeting, Councilman Jackie Cagle made a motion to table the resolution saying that the council needed more time to review information given to them. The motion died for a lack of a second.
The council discussed new problems related to construction of a re-configured north bound exit on Interstate 75. When a utility survey was conducted of the area prior to engineering being done for the new exit, underlying issues concerning a fractured sewer pipe that connects the east side of the interstate to the rest of the sewer system went undetected. That fractured pipe must be addressed before the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) will sign off allowing TDOT to go forward with construction.
The council agreed to fund the engineering to fix the problem ($60,000). Once the engineering is completed, bids will go out for contractors. It was WWTA’s stance, city officials said, that it would be disastrous if the pipe were to collapse during construction of the new exit.
The council wrestled with the issue of a piece of residential property on John Ross Road being used recreationally to ride all terrain vehicles upon. A number of citizens complained to government officials that the owner was riding the ATVs and annoying them with noise and causing dust to be stirred up. The property was to be used to construct several homes on, officials said. It has power and water hooked up to the lot.
Officials said the building permit for the lot has expired and that riding ATVs is an unauthorized use of the property. Officials will ask the owner to submit a new plan to subdivide and build on the lot.
The council approved rezoning of properties on South Germantown Road and Prigmore Road. It also passed a resolution to clarify rules pertaining to the city’s Facade Improvement Grant Program.
The council approved on first reading ordinances that would allow the construction of three new billboards on Ringgold Road.
The owner of a fireworks store in the 6700 block of Ringgold Road had requested approval of a billboard advertising his business back in January 2016, officials said. That measure was delayed due to a moratorium placed on billboards as the council considered new regulations. The proposed new billboard complies with the new regulations. The measure passed, 3-2, with Mayor Brent Lambert and Vice Mayor Larry Sewell voting no.
The council voted along the same lines to grant permission for the construction of a digital billboard at 5705 Ringgold Road. The council voted unanimously to approve the construction of an “off premises” monument sign at 6642 Ringgold Road. Officials said the sign is for the old “Crown Inn” which sits behind La Quinta.
The council discussed the city’s contractual agreement with the City of Ridgeside which provides fire and police services to the community. Officials said that going forward there may be an incremental increase in what East Ridge charges for the services. A new contract will be worked out for the next fiscal year.
