Chattanooga Council Withdraws Rezoning for Local Venues
City council members unanimously voted to drop a rezoning request for properties housing Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in City Hall
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The Chattanooga City Council voted unanimously to withdraw a rezoning request for properties occupied by Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl. The request to drop the application was submitted by the property owner, John Wise.
Why it matters
Council members moved to withdraw the proposal after citing significant public safety concerns regarding the two businesses. This decision follows a year marked by hundreds of police calls to the surrounding area.
Police data indicates that there have been more than 500 calls for service in the area over the past year. The rezoning request was officially pulled following a unanimous vote by the City Council.
The players
Chattanooga City Council
The legislative body for the city of Chattanooga that governs local land use and rezoning ordinances.
John Wise
The individual property owner who holds the titles for the sites currently occupied by Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl.
Southside Social
A local entertainment venue that was subject to the now-withdrawn rezoning application.
Whiskey Cowgirl
A local business that currently occupies properties included in the rezoning request.
The details
Property owner John Wise requested that the city stop the rezoning process for the sites currently operating as Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl. The council accepted the withdrawal amid ongoing scrutiny regarding the safety and operational history of the properties.
Timeline
Over the past year, the area recorded more than 500 calls for police service.
The City Council voted to withdraw the rezoning request on October 27, 2026.
Political Context
The withdrawal reflects the council's use of its authority within Chattanooga's land-use and zoning regulatory framework. Opponents of the venues' operations have consistently leveraged this framework to highlight public safety issues and block expansion attempts.
The withdrawal of this request means that current zoning designations for these properties will remain unchanged for now. Local residents may see continued monitoring of the site by law enforcement as the council addresses concerns regarding public safety.
The takeaway
The unanimous vote serves as a signal that the council is prioritizing public safety data over property development requests in this sector. Residents concerned about area activity should continue to report safety issues directly to local authorities.
Further reading
Learn more about local government actions in the City Hall section.
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Should city councils block property rezoning based on local police call volume?
