An effort to rezone a tract in the redeveloping Glass Street area to put in a dozen new apartments drew opposition on Monday, but the project received approval from planners.
Adamson Developers won a rezoning of the parcel at 2208 Glass St. from C-2 commercial to Urban General Commercial from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission.
Developer Bobby Adamson said plans are to move forward with the market-rate apartments if he receives city council approval on Nov. 13.
But, several people raised questions about the project.
Teal Thibaud said the Glass House Collective and other organizations expected to meet with the development group in a meeting to learn more about the proposal, but no one from company showed up. She said she wasn't opposing the zoning change, but reserving her support of it pending a meeting.
The Glass House Collective brings together residents in creative projects and partnerships with artists, entrepreneurs, and volunteers to remake the neighborhood.
Mike Price of MAP Engineers, representing Adamson Developers, said the group will schedule a community meeting before going before the city council.
"We agree we need to get before the neighborhood," he said.
However, a couple of other people in the neighborhood were sharp in their opposition.
One man, who declined to give his name, said he plans to open up a motorcycle museum nearby. Changing the site from commercial would not work with his plans nor those of others who are looking at starting ventures in the area.
"It's not consistent with what's going on there," he said. "We're trying to give people a reason to be there. We don't need more housing."
According to the Avondale Neighborhood Plan, it recommends medium business mix for the area around Glass Street. It calls for less intense residential uses south of Glass Street.
The Planning Commission staff, which recommended approval of the zoning change, said that the proposed project maintains an existing commercial building to the north of the lot, facing Glass Street, but introduces the residential units to the south along Cheek Street.
Price said the developer sees the tract and the vicinity as "a mixed-used area."
"There's a huge need for residential," he said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.