Chattanooga Proposes Major Changes to Parking Policies and CARTA Board Structure

Chattanooga Looks to Revamp Parking Policies

If you’re a resident of Chattanooga, the latest proposal from CARTA’s new CEO, Charles Frazier, is sure to catch your attention—especially if you’ve ever received a parking ticket. Adjustments to city parking policies may soon be on the way, and it’s stirring up quite the buzz among locals.

Proposed Ticket Fee Increases

One of the most significant changes Frazier is recommending is a jump in the cost of parking tickets. Currently priced at $11, the new suggestion is to raise this fee to $20. However, if you happen to pay within 48 hours, you’d still get a discounted rate of $16. Frazier notes that many folks might find it easier to cough up a ticket fee rather than constantly feeding the parking meter throughout the day.

The proposal also includes increases for other types of violations. For example, fines for parking in illegal spots would rise from $36 to $45, and for those who park illegally in handicap zones, the cost would double from $50 to $100. But hold on—City Attorney Randy Nelson has raised a flag regarding this last increase, citing a potential limiting factor since city court fines currently max out at $50.

Expanding Paid Parking Areas

Frazier didn’t stop at increasing fines. He’s also keen on expanding the paid parking boundaries in our lovely city. Specifically, he wants to add 27 paid parking spaces along Cherokee Boulevard, as well as 24 additional spaces on Spears and Velma streets in North Chattanooga. “We want to encourage turnover of the premium parking spaces for the benefit of the restaurants and merchants,” he said. This move is anticipated to not only enhance accessibility for businesses but also bring in much-needed revenue for the North Shore Shuttle. Our wallets might feel a pinch, but the goal is to make our bustling streets a little more convenient come late Spring or Summer of 2025.

Changes to CARTA Board Structure

In addition to parking fee adjustments, Frazier also discussed some proposed changes to the structure of the CARTA board during his recent address to the City Council. He’s suggesting a reduction in the minimum number of board members from 10 to 7. He also wants to change the terms for future board members to be three years instead of five and limit board members to just two three-year terms. This is a notable shift from past practices, where some members have held their positions for decades. Notably, these new term limits would not affect current board members, although Council Vice Chair Jenny Hill suggested they should apply to all active members.

Another notable point of discussion is eliminating meeting payment for board members. Under the new plan, they wouldn’t receive the current stipend of $50 per meeting, which would effectively bring that pay down to zero. Additionally, Frazier is pushing to modify the meeting requirements for the board. Currently mandated to meet once a month, he’s proposing to switch this up to just six meetings a year, although he assured that committee meetings would still occur monthly—leading to a total of approximately 8-10 meetings annually.

A Lot on the Table for City Council

All these changes hinge on approval from the City Council, who will make the first round of votes next Tuesday, with a second reading the following Tuesday. It’s certainly an exciting time for Chattanooga as we navigate through these proposed changes that could reshape our parking and CARTA governance.

So, what do you think? Are these adjustments going to benefit the community, or will they just lead to more frustration for the average parkers? Only time—and the City Council’s decisions—will tell!