About Us
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency is a joint agency of the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The staff is composed of professional city planners, urban designers, researchers, graphic designers and administrative personnel.
The RPA serves as staff to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Responsibilities
Our major responsibilities include:
Developing land use plans and transportation plans
Administering zoning and subdivision regulations
Staffing the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Regional Planning Commission
FAQs
Is the Regional Planning Agency a city or county agency?
Both! The Regional Planning Agency is jointly funded by the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County with additional funding from other jurisdictions.
How is the Regional Planning Agency organized?
The Regional Planning Agency receives oversight from its Executive Committee consisting of the City of Chattanooga Mayor, the Hamilton County Mayor, the Chattanooga City Council Chair, the Hamilton County Commission Chair, and the Chair of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency. The Executive Committee hires the Executive Director of the RPA.
The RPA is composed of five divisions with a staff of 30 planners and technical and administrative professionals.
What is the difference between the Agency and the Commission?
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency is the professional planning staff.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission is the 15-member body of appointed officials that meet monthly.
How do the RPA and the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) fit together?
The Metropolitan Planning Organization is responsible for coordinating the transportation planning activities for the Chattanooga-TN, GA Urbanized Area. The MPO for this area is the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Responsibility for the planning activities governed by the MPO are primarily administered and staffed by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency.