Conservation group reacts to council vote against development

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy is one of the groups that have been working on Walden’s Ridge Park, a mountain biking, climbing and hiking park.

 “We were always looking at the quarry property as a perfect adjacent property that could add open space,” North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy Director Tim Laramore said.

Laramore said that when Pratt Homes bought the property, they starting working with them and were included in their development.

“If the council approved the PUD (Planned Unit Development), we would’ve seen the post oak protected, key stream buffers would’ve become a greenway through which the public would access, a greenway through Red Bank and to our park and the fairway behind the clubhouse about six acres would’ve become public open space, and it would’ve been directly next to our park,” he said.

It was all a part of an apartment and townhome development on Reads Lake Road that Chattanooga City Council Members turned down Tuesday night.

Thousands of residents signed a petition against the development.

“This conversation has been going on for over three years and the 140 apartments is a dealbreaker for this community,” Chattanooga Council Member and Chairman Chip Henderson said.

Council did not give a deferral and voted against a special permit that would’ve have pushed the project forward. 

“Discussion was cut off, conservation gains were wiped out and we have to move forward and we’ll build our park, but to a lot of people this was probably a victory, but long-term I wonder what kind of victory,” Laramore said.

Laramore said that they’ll still try to work with the developer moving forward.

As for Walden’s Ridge Park, they hope to have everything completed by the Fall.