A proposal to build an apartment complex in East Brainerd drew complaints Monday from nearby property owners who worried about density, traffic and parking.
A rezoning decision was deferred for about a month for the nearly 5-acre tract at 7725 Shallowford Road by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.
Mike Bridges of Surface Architecture + Design, representing the project, told the panel that the apartment complex called for about 100 units, though it could go down to around 80.
He said a community meeting was held last week and he understands there are concerns.
“These things we’re able and willing to address,” Bridges said. But he said the property owner wanted to close on a sale within about a month.
Adam Love of nearby Grace Baptist Church said he’s not opposed to a landowner wanting to use the property, but he expressed worries about the number of proposed apartments on the site.
He said even though the Grace campus is rebuilding from the deadly April 12, 2020, tornadoes that hit Hamilton County, there are still traffic and parking concerns from the potential apartment complex.
“They’ll be parking on the street or on our lots,” Love told the Planning Commission.
The tornadoes caused up to $300 million of property damage in the county, and the Grace Baptist Church campus suffered the biggest single hit.
Morning Pointe Senior Living temporarily shut its two Shallowford Road facilities nearby, citing multimillion-dollar damage caused by the tornadoes.
Franklin Farrow of Morning Pointe said at the meeting that while apartments may be in the Regional Planning Agency’s area plan, there are quite a few senior living units nearby.
“Bringing in young adults is not congruent with the surrounding area,” he said.
Robert Vass, who lives in the area, said single-family housing was his preference for the property.
City Council Chairman Darrin Ledford, who also serves on the Planning Commission, said the community meeting was held too close to Monday, when the rezoning was considered, and there needs to be more discussion with neighbors.
“It was dropped in the lap of the community residents,” he said, adding the area “went through hell” because of the damage caused by the tornadoes. “I think the community deserves more. This does warrant a 30-day deferral.”
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.