McDonald Farm debate continues
SALE CREEK, Tenn. (WDEF)- Last week, the Hamilton County Commission received some news about McDonald Farm they didn’t really want to hear.
They were told by a consultant that it would be very difficult to make it into a profitable industrial space.
McDonald Farm was purchased in 2019 by the county government with the intention of building manufacturing on the site.
However, after being told about the difficulty of pulling off that vision, now commissioners are re-evaluating their plans, and hearing very different arguments.
Those on both sides of the McDonald Farm debate voiced some frustrations about the current situation.
Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce CEO Charles Wood weighed in on the future of the farm, saying his organization still really wants to see the county find a way to develop manufacturing on the site.
Wood said, “We, as an organization, the Chamber is concerned, that we are starting to become anti-growth, and I think that for budgets that’s hard, I once heard Mayor Coppinger say that there’s only two ways that you grow your budgets. You either have new development and new growth, or you raise your taxes. If there is another way you can enlighten me but I think that is still accurate.”
He believes the state would be willing to invest into the site, deferring concerns about its remote location.
Yes, Rhea County would benefit. The reality is, that the vast majority of the cost on this site if you choose to have industrial development out there will not be borne by Hamilton County, but the state,” said Wood.
Several advocates came out to implore to commissioners that there are other opportunities at this site other than manufacturing.
Jim Stewart of the Chattanooga Audubon Society, who own property adjacent to McDonald Farm, said, “We’ve been patiently waiting to speak to the Commission, actually since January. We’re patient but we are frustrated as well.”
Tammera Hicks, an advocate for the preservation of Native American artifacts on the site, said, “Red Clay brings in thousands and thousands of people in tourism and if you all know where Red Clay State Park is, it’s out in the middle of nowhere. Yet thousands come to that park every year. It would be wonderful if McDonald Farm could be turned into something similar and recreational things be used.”
Commissioners still say there’s much that will need to be discussed.
Commissioner Lee Helton remarked, “Not only do we need to preserve these great sites, but we also need to provide jobs in the future, so we need to strike some kind of balance.”
There is no active timetable for when any particular decision will be made regarding the farm’s future.
