Holly Hills residents concerned about possible development

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Some residents in East Brainerd are concerned after they found out that a developer, who wants to add to the Holly Hills neighborhood, is facing fines from the state of Tennessee.

A little over a year ago, Holly Hills was one of the most damaged areas in the East Brainerd area after the Easter Sunday tornadoes.

Now, Paces Ferry Builders has proposed a 16 acre new subdivision called Brooke Meadow.

A plan that has many residents uneasy.

Cheryll Smith, a Holly Hills resident says, “I have lived there for 50 years. So, I’ve seen a lot of things come and go and a lot of people come and go.”

Smith and many of her neighbors have been hearing rumors for many months about the potential neighborhood.

Tonight, they had a chance to meet with the developer and address many issues including his fines.

A meeting that left Smith a little more optimistic.

“We understood that he didn’t have a permit for everything. We understood that he was told to cease and desist at one time. but, he didn’t. He’s a very experienced builder in real estate and we could tell that now, if we would have none just that in the beginning”, adds Smith.

Some concerns still remain like how he will handle the Mackey Branch flooding and most importantly, the traffic on Jenkins Road.

An issue that Developer Guy Cherwonuk says he will look into.

“We can work with the product. We can age target the product so that we can minimize the impact on the roads. It appears that transportation is the big issue right now and how the impact is going to be addressed and we’ll work to solve that with our city council people”, adds Cherwonuk.

Jessica Fields, who lives close to Smith says, “So, I don’t think that it is necessarily a development issue of where they are at because, progress is progress. But, I think that we do need to do something about the expansion of Jenkins Road and Standifer Gap because that’s the biggest issue even now. Without those houses, we still have issues getting in and out of the neighborhood and something needs to be done about that.”

Fields’ husband grew up in the Holly Hills neighborhood and now they are raising their family there.

Fields says that if approved, the Brooke Meadow’s neighborhood could restore hope and a sense of community to the area.

“I think that Holly Hills and the neighboring areas really just need a new refreshing sense of hope and I think that’s what is important right now”, adds Fields.

The planning committee meets next month.

Both the Chattanooga City Council and the Hamilton County Commission would have to approve the property because it is in both jurisdictions.