The regional planning commission last week approved a rezoning request that could bring a drive-thru coffee shop to property along East Brainerd Road.
Some fear it may set a precedent for other commercial development in the mostly residential area. Others argue that the highly trafficked corridor is no longer appropriate for residential.
Currently zoned R1, the 0.29-acre property at 1105 McDonald Drive holds a single-family home that applicants claim has lost its value due to the recent widening of East Brainerd Road.
"Residential is no longer viable for this property. It's no longer desirable," said Ben Berry of Berry Engineers. "Much of the front yard has been taken into right-of-way. The house sits very, very close to the five-lane highway now. Some change is due in this location."
The planning commission's staff recommended that commissioners deny the request to rezone the property to C2 for "convenience commercial," stating that the proposed use was "incompatible with the abutting and nearby singlefamily residences on McDonald Drive."
In its report, the staff also pointed out that the area's land use plan does not support office use for properties fronting East Brainerd Road, and warned that approval could set precedent for other such requests that deviate from the plan.
Planning Commissioner Darrin Ledford, who also represents the area as a member of the Chattanooga City Council, said it wasn't the proposed use for the property that had planners concerned.
"I love coffee - this isn't about a coffee shop," Ledford said. "This is about a newly widened road that we're seeing a tremendous amount of C2 requests on, which I adamantly have an issue with. ... [It's about] the traffic pulling off onto a residential drive where children are standing catching the bus."
Berry said the concern about children waiting for the school bus was also brought up by one neighbor, and that the property's owner, Donald Bradley, has offered to install a sheltered bus stop as part of the location.
Berry said Bradley reached out to the owners of three of the four residential properties nearest to the site and that they expressed support for the project. Two of them provided signatures to evidence their support, Berry said, and the third was out of town. Berry said Bradley also reached out to the tenant of the fourth property, who did not object to the project, but had not spoken with the owner.
Commissioners approved the rezoning on the condition that its use be restricted to a coffee shop and office space. The request will go before the Hamilton County Commission for a final vote next month.
If approved, the unnamed coffee shop would be locally owned and operated, said Berry. Plans show that access for the coffeehouse would be on McDonald Drive, and the exit would lead out to East Brainerd Road.
Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com.