Lively debate over Rock City gondola held on Lookout Mountain
A rendering of the proposed Rock City gondola.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WDEF)- A meeting over the Rock City Gondola project became lively on Lookout Mountain Tuesday evening in front of the town’s planning commission.
Rock City has to seek approval from the Lookout Mountain, Georgia city council to move ahead with their gondola project.
This is following approval from the Walker County Board of Commissioners.
The project, Rock City CEO Doug Chapin, says is designed to direct most visitors to park at the bottom of the mountain to reduce traffic at the top of it.
Chapin said, “The last thing we want to do is this something that is gonna be a determent to the community. We really feel like this is a real positive.”
However, some residents who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting spoke of concerns of increased visitation to the mountain due to the project, how the gondola would fit into the natural character of Lookout Mountain, and if the gondola was safe.
One resident complained, “One that drives up Ochs Highway based on their own depiction, you’re gonna see that gondola right there in front of the beautiful waterfall at Rock City. It just makes no sense it’s tacky.”
The town’s planning commission will decide whether or not to recommend the project at their next meeting, followed by a vote by the Lookout Mountain City Council.
