Council returns Stringer’s Ridge project to Regional Planning Commission

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The Chattanooga City Council voted Tuesday night to return a proposal for a Stringer’s Ridge condominium and townhouse development to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.

Councilwoman Linda Bennett said the ridge, which developers want to reduce in height, contains sites with Civil War importance. She said there are other concerns about potential consequences — such as environmental impacts — to come from the proposed 500-unit development.

“We still have some unanswered questions just about the context and what really fits on the ridge,” said Ms. Bennett, who represents the area on the council.

The City Council deferred measures for rezoning and a preliminary permit for a planned unit development on Stringer’s Ridge last month. In January, the Regional Planning Commission signed off on the project but suggested some alterations to the plan, such as lowering building heights.

Developer Mike Cooke, of Greensboro, N.C., said after the meeting that many opponents just don’t want any development on the ridge.

He said the roughly 100-acre property already contains a planned unit development and a zoning status that still would allow for the developers to move ahead with a residential project.

“The irony of this is that … we’ve sort of said to the council through this new PUD process that we’re willing to be governed by their standards and their desires, which is a higher standard than would be applied if we didn’t ask for their approval,” Mr. Cooke said.

Jerry Wormsley, with the Chattanooga Area Relic & Historical Association, said Stringer’s Ridge has two Civil War cannon emplacements where union troops were located.

“If they take the tops of these hills off … those will be gone,” Mr. Wormsley said.

But Mr. Cooke questioned the historical importance there.

“It just looks like somewhat of a natural depression,” he said.

In other business, the Council voted to defer for one month consideration of an ordinance that would rename a portion of Missionary Ridge’s South Crest Road to Bragg Reservation Way.

Emergency services officials say the change is needed to help first responders easily locate homes, but neighbors say the alteration would hurt their home values and cost them a lot of money to update various documents with new addresses.

The City Council also denied a request by the city traffic engineer to increase speed limits on parts of M.L. King Boulevard. Citing safety concerns, resident Troy Bage spoke in opposition to the proposal, which was to raise the limit from 25 mph to 30 mph from Georgia Avenue to the Norfolk Southern railroad overpass and from 25 to 35 mph between the overpass and Central Avenue.

The council also deferred action for a week on the second and final reading of changes to city code regarding taxis and other vehicles for hire. The proposed changes to code include the creation of a new transportation board to replace the existing taxi and horse carriage board.

Councilman Jack Benson said a couple of issues must be sorted out regarding the transition between boards and specifically who is to be appointed to the panel.

IF YOU GO

Hearings on the upcoming 2008-09 Chattanooga city budget begin this morning and will be held in the committee meeting room at 1000 Lindsay St. The Department of Education, Arts and Culture; the Department of Public Works; and the Chattanooga Police Department will have their hearings starting at 9 a.m.