A controversial proposal for a 230-unit apartment complex on Hunter Road fell flat Tuesday night as the City Council delayed it for five weeks.
“I don’t think we’re ready to vote,” said Councilman Jack Benson. “I’m not ready to vote.”
The City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday to defer the zoning matter to give city and Hamilton County engineers time to review two opposing studies and also to see if residents would look favorably toward any changes to the road conditions.
The proposed complex has been under fire for months from residents who say the winding, country road would be too dangerous if there were high or medium-density buildings in the area.
The Regional Planning Commission voted earlier that the property should be denied rezoning from a low-density residential designation to a zoning plan more suitable for an apartment complex.
John Anderson, attorney for Ooltewah Residents for Responsible Growth, told council members there are many issues with the complex, the most problematic being traffic congestion.
“You have to look at this and say, ‘That’s a problem,'” Mr. Anderson said.
Mike Price, architect for Integra Land Co., which is developing the property, said the company would fix some of the road problems in the area at a cost of $200,000. He said the company is willing to pay for improvements to Hunter Road to increase visibility.
The city annexed the property in May as the County Commission was set to vote on zoning of the property.
BY THE NUMBERS12,000: Number of cars traveling Hunter Road daily1,500: Increased number of car trips expected on Hunter Road daily from apartment complex 230: Number of apartment units proposedSource: Integra Land Co., Volkert & Associates Inc.
Council members asked Mr. Anderson on Tuesday if the improvements to the road changed residents’ minds. Mr. Anderson replied they would have to talk further, but most residents still thought low-density residential zoning would be the adequate zoning.
The council received two engineering reports on the road, one done by Volkert & Associates, Inc., and the other by Charlie Miller.
The reports contradicted each other, with Volkert’s report saying the road would be adequate and Mr. Miller saying the road would become highly dangerous. Council members said they wanted engineers to look at those reports and then report to them.
City Engineer John Van Winkle said he saw the Volkert report and traveled Hunter Road.
“It is adequate now,” he said.
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