Rev. Barry Kidwell of Mustard Tree Ministries addresses the Hamilton County Commission on June 8, stating his intention to withdraw a request to build a "tiny home" community for the chronically homeless in rural Ooltewah. Local residents, seated nearby, await their turn to speak against the plan.The Hamilton County Commission has denied a zoning request to build a community of "tiny homes" in rural Ooltewah, where the chronically homeless would live, work and raise food.
The proposal, which called for constructing a cluster of 300-square-foot homes on a 17-acre farm once used by Lighthouse United Methodist Church near Snow Hill and Mahan Gap roads, faced strong opposition from local residents and the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission voted 13-2 on May 9 to recommend the project be denied.
On Wednesday, the commission voted 9-0 against the plan presented by Mustard Tree Ministries, whose organizers told the commission last week they wanted to withdraw their application.
Commissioner Joe Graham cited safety concerns for his vote against the project, because the residents would be without easy access to grocery stores, clinics or even sidewalks. However, he offered praise for the program itself.
"I think your project and what you're doing is phenomenal," Graham said. "I think it's great anytime the faith-based community reaches out to the homeless and tries to improve them."
The Rev. Barry Kidwell, the United Methodist pastor who heads Mustard Tree Ministries, attributed local opposition to poor communication on his part.
It is a still a good plan, "which we believe actually fulfills a dire need in our community for more affordable housing," Kidwell said previously.
Ministry representatives had argued all occupants would be thoroughly vetted.
The Mustard Tree Ministries plan called for the tiny homes, which could each house up to two people, to rent for between $250 and $300 a month. Home designs included a site-built foundation, a kitchen, living room and bathroom for each unit. Some of the tiny homes would have accommodated people with disabilities.
Commissioner Chester Bankston, who represents Ooltewah, has said the homeless community plan has received "the most opposition of anything I've dealt with."
Mustard Tree Ministries representatives indicated they would reapply in the future.
Once a zoning request for a property has been denied, no applications to change zoning may be submitted for that property for nine months, according to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency. Applications to change zoning typically take three to four months to process.
Contact staff writer Paul Leach at 423-757-6481 or pleach@timesfreepress.com. Follow on Twitter @pleach_tfp.