Agenda Items & Discussion

Procedural Overview

The chair reviewed the rules and procedures for Form Based Code hearings, including requirements for speakers to be sworn in, sign in at the podium, and state their name, address, and interest. The committee noted that major modification permits are issued within one week of the meeting through the online application portal.

Case: Major Modification Permit – Northshore Retail Use (Chattanooga Leather Company)

The applicant presented a proposal to use two buildings in a riverfront location on the Northshore for retail and light manufacturing operations. Key points from the staff and applicant presentations:

• The applicant identified the site as a unique location serving both local residents and tourists, near the Tennessee Riverpark (noted as currently under repair with completion expected by end of September).
• The proposed tenant is Chattanooga Leather Company, a small business currently operating out of the Business Development Center (BDC), which manufactures leather goods including sheaths for tomahawks, knives, and other handcrafted items.
• The applicant has been working with the leather company for approximately four years and aims to provide the business with a retail storefront combined with its manufacturing operation in a higher-traffic location.
• The applicant proposed a three-year initial lease term with a cap of 10 employees, reasoning that this scale is appropriate for an artisan retail use; if the business grows beyond 10 employees, the manufacturing component would need to move to a separate facility.
• The business is relocating because it must vacate the BDC, and the applicant wanted to minimize disruption to the company’s equipment and operations during the move.

Community Comment

Katie Campassie, a Northshore resident of approximately 12 years and Hamilton County District 6 resident, spoke in support. She said she had initially attended to monitor whether the buildings would be converted to residential use given traffic congestion concerns. She was relieved to learn the use would remain retail and expressed enthusiasm for handcrafted leather goods and artisan businesses in the neighborhood.

Committee Discussion

Committee members discussed the appropriateness of the artisan retail use under the Form Based Code, the employee cap, and the lease structure. The three-year term and 10-employee ceiling were viewed as reasonable constraints consistent with the intent of the code to balance conservation and development.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Major Modification Permit – Northshore Retail (Chattanooga Leather Company): The committee moved toward approval of the permit application for artisan retail and light manufacturing use of the Northshore buildings, subject to the stated conditions (3-year term, 10-employee cap). A formal motion and vote were conducted following committee discussion.