Chattanooga may seek grant for sewer line reroute at Tubman site

The former Harriet Tubman Homes site in East Chattanooga is seen from Missionary Ridge.
The former Harriet Tubman Homes site in East Chattanooga is seen from Missionary Ridge.

Members of a citizen public policy advocacy group want more answers about a proposed sewer relocation project for the former Harriet Tubman public housing site.

The plan calls for the Chattanooga City Council to allow the city's Department of Economic and Community Development to seek a $500,000 state development grant. Whatever the state awards, the city will have to match it. The council is expected to vote on the matter Tuesday.

The estimated total cost to reroute the sewer line ranges between $1.5 million and $4 million, according to a recent council discussion with Charles Wood, vice president of economic development for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.

In a recent meeting, Franklin McCallie, of Accountability for Taxpayer Money, voiced concerns about the actual resolution, which does not spell out the exact route and the overall cost for relocating the wastewater line from the middle of the Tubman property. In fact, the resolution does not mention the sewers at all.

"What is the project?" McCallie asked. "Don't you need to know the route of the relocated sewer line before you submit the application?"

McCallie also wanted to know how the city plans to pay for the project. The resolution states funds were not budgeted for the grant match.

"We have no idea of the funding source if the city pursues the grant application," McCallie said. "Where is the local match coming from? General fund or sewer fund?"

Rerouting the sewer line along the northern and western edge of the Tubman site, following Sholar Avenue and the railroad tracks, has been estimated to cost $1.5 million, Wood said.

However, City Engineer Bill Payne also told council members a previous relocation plan - which hugged the property's eastern and southern edges - had grown from $1.5 million to $4 million in two years.

Council members balked at the idea of shelling out more than $1 million for the project, assuming the city receives the maximum $500,000 grant award.

Wood said moving the sewer line from the middle of the Tubman property will make it more attractive to potential businesses. Although the site faces redevelopment challenges, it is still the largest and best-prepared site for industrial development in Hamilton County, he said.

The city has put more than $7.1 million into the site since 2014, when it took it over from the Chattanooga Housing Authority. That includes the $2.6 million purchase price and $4.4 million to demolish 440 housing units. Chattanooga's investment will exceed $8 million if it goes forward with the sewer plan.

Council Chairman Moses Freeman has praised the idea of getting a business on the site and finally having the property on the tax rolls.

"To get the opportunity to finally stop investing and begin to generate some income is the best thing that could ever happen to us as a city and a community," Freeman said.

McCallie also asked the council to consider the likelihood it will be asked to give the property to a company at no charge and then to give it a tax break on top of that.

Contact staff writer Paul Leach at 423-757-6481 or pleach@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @pleach_tfp.

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