Hamilton County Growing Faster Than Chattanooga

Despite reported increases in Chattanooga's population and a steady City share of the County tax base, a new report by the Community Research Council finds that new development in Hamilton County continues to grow at a faster pace in unincorporated parts of the County.

Recently released Census Bureau population estimates indicate that Chattanooga's population has grown by more than eight percent since 2000. But while more residents are coming back to Hamilton County's urban core - and city businesses and residents continue to account for approximately 60% of the total County tax base - a series of indicators indicate that the county's new development is focused on outlying unincorporated areas.

According to The Fiscal Impact of Land Use and Development in Hamilton County, changes in land use are the result of increasingly low density development:

-- Between 1990 to 2000 population in outlying unincorporated areas grew at nearly four times the rate as population in incorporated areas - 17.2% to 4.5%

-- Between 2001 and 2005, the number of parcels with single family units in low density unincorporated areas grew at more than double (12.1%) the county-wide rate of growth (5.5%)

-- In 2005 and 2006, unincorporated areas - which accounted for just 19% of all single unit housing in the county -- accounted for 38% of the countywide total of home sales

-- Land in Hamilton County has been divided into smaller parcels. An estimated 274 parcels in 2001 were subdivided into 3332 property parcels by 2005. Approximately 4,800 acres of parcels that were 100 acres or more have been converted to smaller size lots. Between 2001 and 2005, the number of parcels with fifteen acres or less of property has increased by more than 7,600.

"A recent study by the Brookings Institution that found the Chattanooga region's carbon footprint per capita to be among the highest among the nation's largest metro areas pointed to the environmental costs of land use and development in the county," said David Eichenthal, President and CEO of the Community Research Council. "With gas prices nearing four dollars a gallon, consumers are paying a personal price daily. This study begins a discussion on the cost to taxpayers as well."

As development shifts to unincorporated areas, an analysis of federally funded transportation projects in the region finds a growing percentage of transportation spending is occurring on the eastern edges of the city and county. Between FY 2001 and FY 2007, more than $27.8 million in transportation projects were concentrated at the outer edges of the city limits. These investments support the new development, but amount to infrastructure investment that is disconnected from where the greatest amount of property value still resides.

Between 2000 and 2006, more than 55 miles of second class road segments were added to the network of roads maintained by Hamilton County by private developers. While developers build these roads, they require maintenance by the County.

In addition to the findings from the data, the report also summarizes a two hour roundtable on land use issues that involved developers, elected officials, County and City staff, environmental advocates and others. Among the conclusions from the roundtable were:

-- The lack of communication between the private and public sector, and within the public sector, results in a lack of information about public costs and ad hoc decision making on land use issues.

-- In the absence of clear goals/guiding philosophies from government - a mission and vision statement - land use actions are reactive and come with unanticipated costs.

-- From the developer's perspective, residential development is meeting the demand for housing away from the urban core and pays for itself with new tax revenues.

The report was authored by Dr. Eileen Robertson Rehberg, Director of Data Analysis/Senior Policy Analyst for the Community Research Council.

Click HERE to read the entire report. (PDF File)

The Community Research Council (CRC) is a Chattanooga-based nonprofit organization that conducts independent data analysis and policy research to improve the quality of life in the Chattanooga region. In 2006, CRC completed the first ever State of Chattanooga Region Report, the most comprehensive analysis ever of the quality of life in Hamilton County. For more information about CRC and the State of Chattanooga Region Report, visit http://www.researchcouncil.net.