Note: This story was updated on Jan. 9 to correct the location of the rezoning relative to U.S. 27.
Over opposition from some nearby residents, Hamilton County on Monday won a vote from planners to help ready nearly 900 acres of McDonald Farm in Sale Creek for manufacturing uses.
Critics of the rezoning, which still must garner County Commission approval, raised worries ranging from destroying the tract’s natural beauty to inhibiting a potential tie to the Cumberland Trail.
“The best economic value of a large portion of McDonald Farm is recreation,” Jim Stewart, executive director of the Chattanooga Audubon Society, told the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.
About a half dozen people showed up to complain about the rezoning of nearly half of the 2,170-acre site for manufacturing, with another opponent saying at the meeting she’d attracted well over 100 names on a petition in about a week.
(READ MORE: County seeking millions from state for McDonald Farm)
Rebecca Day of Sale Creek told the panel the petition could land 1,000 or more signatures.
She asked the Planning Commission to put the rezoning request on pause until the community could become more involved in the process of considering the future of the massive tract, which the county purchased for $16 million more than two years ago.
(READ MORE: County seeks to buy McDonald Farm)
Nathan Janeway, the county’s director of development services, said at the meeting the rezoning will help woo millions in state money for roads, water and wastewater systems to prep for new business.
“We’re working with the state to get the land marketed,” he said. “The state would like to have it rezoned.”
Janeway said the county is in the early stages of planning for the parcel’s future, and officials haven’t had any serious talks with companies so far.
“It will allow for good jobs in the county,” he said.
Janeway said in an earlier phone interview he recently spoke to the state Department of Economic and Community Development about securing $5 million for infrastructure at the site.
Also, he said there’s potential money from the state Department of Transportation for an access road off U.S. 27, which cuts through McDonald Farm.
Another large parcel of more than 200 acres on which commercial rezoning was sought could hold park and recreation space, including annually hosting the county fair, according to the county’s proposal.
But opponents said Monday that despite earlier assurances, the public’s input hasn’t been considered.
“I’d like to know how the rezoning proposal was created?” Stewart asked.
Day said there was one meeting in Sale Creek. But she said another in Soddy-Daisy involved a large number of people complaining about an unrelated neighborhood.
Stewart, co-founder of the group Keep Soddy-Daisy Beautiful, said many people come to this area for the outdoors, adding the farm site has some of “the most beautiful woodlands in Hamilton County.”
“Let’s leverage that,” he said. “Turning this portion of the farm into manufacturing is not the best use of this area.”
Janeway said there could be another community meeting before the rezoning goes to the County Commission.
The rezoning was approved by the planning panel with conditions put on by Regional Planning Agency staff related to creating undisturbed buffers, including 300 feet along the southern and western property lines and 100 feet along several streams.
Planning Commission Chair Ethan Collier spoke against that provision at the meeting, saying the land within the 300-foot buffer will “become worthless to everybody. It’s just throwing away land … throwing away our tax money.”
An earlier site plan for rezoning the 871 acres for manufacturing shows five conceptual structures, including two at 1 million square feet each and another at 800,000 square feet.
All the land eyed for rezoning is west of U.S. 27. The rezoning request doesn’t affect the 500 acres east of the road, which Janeway said could be earmarked for residential development.”
A faith-based nonprofit focused on combating sex trafficking and veterans’ issues such as homelessness is eyeing McDonald Farm as the potential location for a roughly 100-acre complex it wants in Hamilton County.
In addition, McDonald Farm includes about 400 acres in adjoining Rhea County, which doesn’t require zoning, Janeway said.
“In Rhea County, we’re open to different possibilities,” he said.
There’s a small tract for potential industrial use, or there could be a commercial headquarters on that site, Janeway said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.