Commercial Trends and the Built Environment

Existing Conditions Report Chapter 4

Commercial Development in Area 11 is where there is a concentration of destinations; employment, shopping, goods and services. There are various commercial development patterns from more walkable, small scale, mixed use to more drivable, retail dominant destinations. Recent trends in commercial development are likely to have significant impacts on Area 11.

The Built Environment is a term used to describe all the buildings in a community, as well as the infrastructure – streets, sewers, schools - that supports them.  It is both influenced by, and has an influence on, market trends, shopping patterns, transportation, and public health.

Businesses

• The C-2 zone covers most of the commercial corridors in Area 11.  While the C-2 zone has a wide range of commercial uses, it has very limited standards for landscaping, signage, building form, and pedestrian amenities that promote quality development. ​​
• While a majority of the Area 11 Kickoff Survey respondents said they preferred walkable retail destinations, the current zoning – which regulates how things are built – promotes drive-and-park retail development patterns.​
• Retail, accommodations and food service, and health care comprise 76% of all jobs in Area 11.
• The bricks-and-mortar retail industry has not been performing well due to the rapid growth of online shopping, which has been accelerated by Covid-19.  ​
• According to a recent Chamber of Commerce study on the economic impacts of covid-19, there is a  trend towards smaller footprint buildings and more telecommuting. ​​
• According to a Chamber of Commerce survey, 60% of Chattanooga businesses say they will continue to provide telecommuting as an option for employees after the pandemic, and 11% say they plan on decreasing the square footage of their business.

Natural Systems, Parks, and Greenways 

Existing Conditions Report Chapter 5

Natural Systems, including water, soils, and vegetation, interact with, and are altered by, the built environment. For instance, impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots) alter the flow of water and increase the volume of stormwater run-off. Natural Systems provide many services and benefits to people, including flood control, cooler temperatures, decreased air pollution, fertile soils, higher property values, and recreation.

Flooding

• Almost 20% of Area 11 is covered by the Special Flood Hazard Area (as mapped by FEMA), which includes the floodway, and the 100-year, and the 500-year floodplain. Of that 20%, 836 acres are developable land.
• Of this 836 acres of developable floodplain, 68% is zoned R-1 Residential for single-family development. This zoning allows up to 5 dwelling units per acre. At this maximum density, 2,842 homes could potentially be built in the 100-year floodplain.​​
• All structures within the floodplain must be elevated one foot above the 100-year floodplain.​
• Much of the 100-year floodplain in Area 11 is dotted with wetlands, where fill is not permitted, making new development challenging. ​​
• Area 11 is covered by 1,150 acres of impervious surface, which equates to 15.8% of the total land area.​
• Much of the impervious surface in Area 11 was built before regulations for on-site stormwater detention went into effect in 2014.

Parks

• Area 11 has three publicly accessible parks totaling 105 acres, which equates to 4.89 acres of park space for every 1,000 people living in Area 11.
• Jack Benson Heritage Park is a 22-acre park that includes playground equipment, walking trails, a dog park, and the house, which can be rented for private events. Mature trees are found throughout the park. Two tributaries of South Chickamauga Creek - Mackey Branch and Ryall Springs Branch - meander through and adjacent to the park.
• Ballfields, tennis courts, and a large parking area make up the 35-acre facility at Batter’s Place.  The ball fields are maintained by the Youth Athletic Association, while the tennis courts are maintained by the City.
• Audubon Acres is privately owned and managed by the Chattanooga Audubon Society. Forty-eight of its 130 acres are in Area 11. Audubon Acres features a cabin and a cultural center that focuses on Cherokee history and early settlements. The park is known for its horticultural diversity and serves as a learning center and preserved riparian area.

Trees

• The mature tree canopy covered approximately 5,399 acres, or 74%, of Area 11 prior to the April 12th, 2020 tornado.
• A 2010 report by the National Recreation and Park Association estimates that trees in U.S. city parks remove 80 pounds of pollutants per acre per year. This means the tree canopy in Area 11 (prior to the tornado) removed about 431,920 pounds of air pollutants annually.
• Area 11 suffered a significant amount of tree loss from the April 12th tornado. While an official assessment has not yet been done for Area 11,  it was estimated that 5,100 acres of vegetation, over the nine-mile tornado path was severely impacted (Skytec, 2020)