The Hamilton County Commission will get one more crack at Plan Hamilton. We hope those who voted for it have been listening to the public.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission approved the strategic growth plan for unincorporated parts of Hamilton County Monday, but that was no surprise. A majority of members are employed in jobs connected to the housing industry, which desperately wants more dense zoning — which the plan provides — to build more houses.
The growth plan now goes to the state, which will review it for approval. Then the plan heads back to the county commission, which narrowly voted 6-5 on Aug. 20 to pass it.
Our hope is that the outcry against the plan among residents throughout the county will convince at least one commissioner to change his mind.
As Commissioner Ken Smith, R-Hixson, noted on the day the plan passed, the only people speaking against the plan were constituents, and the only people speaking for the plan were home builders or real estate agents.