residents voice concerns over proposed grocery store development

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A high-end grocery store coming to South Broad Street was open for discussion Monday night.

It was a packed out St. Elmo Neighborhood Association Meeting as there was a presentation on the proposed development.

Much of the discussion was on the move to rezone the lot at the old Mt. Vernon site and between where St. Elmo Avenue and Broad Street meet.

M.A.P. Engineers Owner Mike Price explained that they’re trying to rezone the triangular property from Urban General Commercial (UGC) to C-2 with conditions.

That move would push forward the plan for a possible Publix on the site.

While many residents aren’t opposed to redevelopment, they aren’t all thrilled with what could be coming.

“Traffic is already a nightmare and I’m afraid that with this Publix at that light causing more delays the traffic will be worse,” St. Elmo Resident Lynn Bartoletti said.

“Position of the building, the way it would face or not face Broad Street isn’t contingent with the current plan with that area,” St. Elmo Neighborhood Association President Chelsey Breedy said.

But the plan is not seeing all push back.

The association took a vote of people at the meeting.

34 people were opposed to the rezoning and 22 in favor.

Aside from the vote, many people jumped in with comments, questions and concerns about the plan, and where the redevelopment of the area is heading.

“The concern is the form that they’re proposing to develop it in. They’re proposing a form that is something that fits on a really busy highway and outside of downtown, but this is the downtown area,” St. Elmo Resident Bert Kuyrkendall said.

Kuyrkendall created an online petition against rezoning the area.

As of Monday night, the petition had over 400 signatures.

“We chose ultimately at the end of the day what we thought was the best mechanism to be able to put this grocery in place. We’ll examine that and if we can go back to UGC somehow and it works, we will, but right now I don’t know if that would be something that we can do,” Price said.

The developer was also at the meeting.

Price said they’ll take the input from the meeting and see what can be incorporated into the plan.