A developer has plans to build about 30 higher-priced houses off Snow Hill Road in Ooltewah, but the proposal drew fire from a neighbor over traffic and flooding issues.
Joseph Ingram of the engineering firm Ingram, Gore and Associates told the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission that the residences would go on 8.3 vacant acres on the 8000 block of White Cypress Trail.
He said the size of the homes will range from 2,500 square feet to 3,000 square feet. Prices for the residences will hit $500,000 to $600,000 each, he said.
Ingram said the lot sizes will be larger than many typical lots.
But Chris Maughon, who lives nearby, told the planning panel he opposed a zoning request from R2A Rural Residential to R-1 Single Family Residential.
He said no new housing should be permitted off Snow Hill Road because of heavy traffic on the two-lane artery.
“There’s no infrastructure to support any cars on Snow Hill Road,” Maughon said.
He also said his yard floods during heavy rains.
Chattanooga City Councilman Darrin Ledford of East Brainerd, who also serves on the planning panel, said he’s “very aware” of the challenges on Snow Hill Road and on nearby Ooltewah-Georgetown Road.
In December, the Hamilton County Commission shot down a $50 million proposal to build 184 houses off Ooltewah-Georgetown Road.
Ledford cited concerns about traffic on Mountain Creek Road. A request for rezoning for a proposed new apartment development on that artery was withdrawn last week after neighbors complained about traffic.
In that project, Allen Jones of ASA Engineering withdrew the request before the city council to continue to work with neighbors and have the Regional Planning Agency conduct a land-use study.
Ingram said that on White Cypress Trail, he has talked to the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority and has the OK for 30 lots.
He said R-1 zoning permits less grading for about the same number of lots.
“I want to stay out of the slope and stay out of the rocks,” Ingram said about the site. “This is not a density play. It’s an infrastructure play.”
Plans are to start this summer, said Ingram, who represented Comfort Homes Builders LLC.
Ledford told Maughon the planning commission isn’t the place to go to try to squash development on the White Cypress Trail parcel, noting that the developer already can build on the property under existing zoning.
The Hamilton County Commission is expected to review the matter in an upcoming meeting.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.