Catoosa resident asks county to allow front- and side-yard gardens

Catoosa County commissioners say they will reconsider a county regulation that prohibits side- or front-yard gardens in residential (R1) areas.

Under the county’s UDC (unified development code), gardens in residential areas must be in the back yard.

In Catoosa, family gardens fall into a category of “accessory use” of property, as do sheds, children’s play equipment, swimming pools, and emergency or disaster shelters. These are restricted to back yards and must be set back at least 10 feet from property lines.

The topic came up during the Board of Commissioners’ May 2 meeting after local resident Nick Ware addressed commissioners about issues regarding the county’s UDC and gardens, among other things.

“There probably couldn’t have been a better night,” Ware said, “for me to come and talk to you about this after the Chattanooga Food Bank doing their presentation (at the meeting).” With all the food insecurity, Ware said, the county’s restrictions on gardens seems wrong.

The U.S. Constitution, Ware said, pointing to a painted depiction of its preamble on the commission meeting room wall, shows that “we are to protect the interests of the individual and the family.”

Ware said he believes the restrictions against the location of gardens and emergency shelters, especially at a time when food insecurity and other potential dangers, including the possibility of war, are realities or looming, should be removed from the UDC.

Ware mentioned two recent tornadoes that threatened lives. He said many people’s septic lines run through their backyards and could prevent them from installing shelters.

Commission chairman Larry Black and commissioners Chuck Harris and Vanita Hullander expressed agreement with Ware and said the

board had been going through the UDC and understood changes need to be made. Hullander said she had checked with the county’s zoning department and found that a citation had never been issued over someone’s garden and people didn’t need to worry about it.

Contributed This produce came from a Catoosa County garden, which are currently restricted to people’s back yards, but commissioners seem agreeable to changing the code.