Mixed reactions to the passage of Plan Hamilton

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- : After years of contentious debate, Plan Hamilton was finally adopted by the Hamilton County Commission Wednesday evening in a 6 to 5 vote.

The plan is designed to guide future growth in unincorporated Hamilton County, as it places new density limits and infrastructure requirements for future residential development.

However, numerous residents say this plan is not enough as they fear that the population in rural areas of the county will grow faster than the infrastructure can handle.

Ooltewah resident Ronnie Barnes said, “Ooltewah is busting at the seams. Gentleman, we don’t have any more room for any more people. It is so bad it’s unreal.”

Jason Farmer, a developer and representative for the Chattanooga Homebuilder’s Association, who were a part of those negotiations for Plan Hamilton, says it creates different rules than what were in place.

Farmer said, “There’s a lot of things like buffer zones, setbacks, landscapes that that’s been added now as part as Plan Hamilton. They’ll be quite frankly a requirement that we put in all new developments.”

Farmer says he views plan Hamilton as a compromise as he believes advocacy for no new development at all is impractical.

He said, “When a developer looks at a piece of property they know exactly what they can and can’t do with it. The community is going to know what the developer can and can’t do with it. It’s a roadmap to how you can develop.”

 The plan still leaves questions if it will be sustainable, especially in areas like Walden’s Ridge where the town of Signal Mountain has openly voiced their opposition to the plan.

Signal Mountain Vice Mayor Clay Crumbliss said, “Commissioners most supportive of this version of this version largely represent districts with zero unincorporated county area. I don’t see how standard density for cities, such as Chattanooga, Red Bank or East Ridge would work for every community.”

Farmer says that ultimately to meet the demand for housing, new residences must be built.

He said, “Being a southern person I’m friendly and I want people to move to Chattanooga. The last thing I wanna do is lock the gates to Hamilton County or lock the gate at the bottom of Signal Mountain and not have anybody else invited to live up there. That’s just not who I think we are.”

The plan will be utilized by the brand new Hamilton County Planning Department.