Walden’s Ridge citizens weigh grocery store, village center

Staff photo by Mike Pare / John Argo, right, of SE Capital Partners, talks about a proposed new village town center in Walden at a community meeting on Monday at St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Staff photo by Mike Pare / John Argo, right, of SE Capital Partners, talks about a proposed new village town center in Walden at a community meeting on Monday at St. Augustine Catholic Church.

About 100 people showed up at a meeting Monday over a proposal for a Walden village center holding a grocery store, retail space and housing as they viewed plans, raised questions and gave feedback.

Traffic, sewer, stormwater and other issues were brought up in connection with the 29,365-square-foot grocery store that would serve as the anchor for the project at Taft Highway and Timesville Road.

Derek Greene, of Signal Mountain, said there's already a lot of growth going on and more is planned on Walden's Ridge.

"Choice is important," he said, noting there's just one other grocery store as he cited Pruett's Market in Signal Mountain. "Competition makes everyone better."

But Sean Bevis, who lives near the proposed project, said he's concerned about increased traffic in the area due to the grocery store.

"I'm not saying no to developing the land," he said about the 25-acre tract that for many years was Lines Orchids Greenhouse. "It's too close to Pruett's."

SE Capital Partners development group is proposing the $20 million mixed-use village center. A website seeking support for the proposal doesn't identify the grocer but said it's not Food City, Walmart, Ingles, Save A Lot, Fresh Market, Aldi or Trader Joe's. Publix, with seven stores in the Chattanooga area, is noticeably absent from the list.

John Argo, the development company's manager who has built Publix stores in other locations, said Monday at the St. Augustine Catholic Church meeting site that he was pleased by the turnout of people who viewed aspects of the project at various stations.

"There's a nonstop buzz," the Alabama developer said.

Argo said that while some question the size of the store and desire a reduced footprint, the proposal is the smallest the grocer operates.

Bill Trohanis, a former Walden mayor who earlier endorsed a grocery store for the site, said the proposed structure is about 15,000 square feet less than the prior unit that was sought by another development group.

He said he likes the new plan "very much. I like the approach and the design."

But Tony Wheeler, who lives near the site, said the proposed plan to handle sewage for the store isn't appropriate. He said there are the remnants of old coal mine shafts in the area.

"I don't want buildings collapsing," Wheeler said.

J. McKinney, who lives in Sequatchie County on the ridge, said she thinks the village center will be an asset "if they do it right."

She said another grocery store is coming to the ridge at some time.

However, Walden Mayor Lee Davis said last week in a telephone interview that the new proposal is "substantially the same" as the plan that was turned back last year.

"We welcome a proposal from the developer that is consistent with our land-use plan," Davis said in a letter to residents. "A proposal that complies with the town center concept of Walden will be met with support. However, a proposal that simply attempts to circumvent our Walden land-use plan will not."

Town attorney Sam Elliott said last week in a telephone interview that the proposed new project will need Walden's approval.

He said the town's ultimate interest is for development in that area to meet the land-use plan on which officials have worked for two years. Elliott said to implement that plan, changes in the town's zoning ordinance require vetting by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, which is underway.

Also, a rezoning application for the property has been filed by the development group to the commission's staff.

Argo said that along with the grocery store, his project includes five retail buildings featuring small-shop space, including restaurants with outdoor seating, equaling about 18,000 square feet. Also, there's 3,700 square feet of mixed-use space that will likely accommodate offices, he said, and there's "a small pod" for a coffee shop.

In addition, he said plans call for seven single-family homes or townhouses along Timesville Road.

Argo said the site plan has a village green area that is to include amenities such as an outdoor performance stage and splash pad.

Last year, a judge ruled against a Chattanooga landowner who proposed a grocery store at the Walden site, saying that an ordinance passed to permit the supermarket project was illegal.

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.

Upcoming Events