Discussion of a planned expansion of a small parking lot at the entrance to Rainbow Trail to double the available parking space took center stage at Monday night’s Signal Mountain Town Council meeting, and those present seemed to agree the project was worthwhile but expressed various ideas on how it should be done.

After Bill Sonnenburg, speaking for the Ohio Avenue residents living near the project, applauded Sam Powell for his efforts in bringing improvements to the town, he said there was “some common ground” which could form the basis for agreement. Interested parties then adjourned to another room to discuss their ideas.

Mr. Powell, Mr. Sonnenburg and a number of others will try to work out an agreement on how the work is to be done and present it to the Town Council at the next meeting.

While the trail parking discussion took a substantial part of the meeting, the Town Council heard a request by Lolly Durant to modify the way fees are handled for non-residents for the Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC); accepted a $25,137.20 bid from LU, Inc., lowest of three bidders, for construction of guardrail on Mississippi Avenue; funded 100 percent by a federal grant; and received a report that a single bid of $8,000 from Lockhart’s Concrete Finishing and a low bid of $6,700 from Ewton Fence were accepted for a concrete pad and chain link fencing for the new Fire Department training unit to be located at Wagner Field on Short Creek Road.

Town Manager Hershel Dick announced that the town this month received a permit good until February 2008 authorizing the “small municipal separate storm sewer system” to “discharge storm water runoff into the waters of the State of Tennessee” in accordance with state and federal regulations.

Mr. Dick said, “I do not know whether any other municipalities have received their permit at this time. I certainly feel great about Signal Mountain obtaining this permit. I assure you there was a lot of long hours and numerous meetings of the Stormwater Board that took place to make this a reality.”

Mr. Sonnenburg said residents found no fault with work to be done on the trail and to provide handicap access with the grant money, but there was concern over how the parking area would be developed. He noted that vegetation had encroached on the 25-year old parking lot which had dwindled to about five or six spaces.

He said, “Our concern” centers around whether it is necessary to utilize the full 200 feet by about 38 feet. He admitted that improvements to the trail system could result in the trail being used more.

Mr. Powell said when he first got involved in trail development, he found out that some 400 to 500 acres around Rainbow Lake belonged to the town although the town previously thought it was part of Prentice Cooper State Forest. At that time, he said, work started developing Rainbow Trail and as construction began on Alexian Village, a parking area was built at no cost to the town.

The grant being used to develop the parking area and Rainbow Trail improvements, said Mr. Powell, was obtained about three years ago with a $40,000 grant plus $10,000 in town funds. It includes trail development in both Green Gorge and the Rainbow Lake area. Work includes bridges being built over Middle Creek and Bee Branch.

Rainbow Trail connects with the popular Cumberland Trail, a state park. Rainbow is designed for day use only and campfires are not allowed. They are allowed in designated areas of the Cumberland Trail. Improvements will include a ramp from the parking area instead of steps to make it handicap accessible and to permit motorized policing of the area.

Mr. Powell explained that in clearing the area to provide parking, only vines and bramble which had grown up were cleared. Trees were saved. The parking area will be landscaped with natural plants, he added.

Bill Close suggested the possibility of “off-street parking” that would be screened from view, but Mayor Jim Althaus said that raised some concern about people parking in a secluded spot and the problem of policing it. Councilmember Rachel Bryant, however, suggested that since the trail was for day use only, a gate or chain could be provided to close the area at night.

The group concerned with the project left the council meeting to discuss their ideas and arrange additional meetings as needed.

Ms. Durant read a letter to the Town Council complaining that non-resident fees for use of the MACC were cutting down of the participation in various activities including art classes she teaches.

She complained that non-residents paying a $32 family user fee along with a $50 fee for an art class would be paying $82 while residents would pay only $50. She also noted that requiring non-residents to pay the fee at Town Hall made it difficult for many to get there to pay the fees. She urged that the system be modified to attract more people to participate.

Mayor Althaus said the Council would welcome an equitable solution. The fee for non-residents is based on the amount the taxpayers of the town pay into the program. In order to balance $32 in taxes paid by residents, the $32 fee is charged to non-residents.

Since the MACC is a tax-supported operation, taxpayers who pay the bills must be considered in working out any fee system for non-residents who pay no taxes toward support of the facility, he explained.

He said the town would appreciate a committee studying possible modifications which would be fair to taxpayers as well as non-residents.

Mayor Althaus also announced that over the weekend it had been determined that a piece of property, about five acres, has become available on Edwards Point Road and may be suitable for future construction of a fire station in that area. He said the town is making preparations for an additional fire station when the growth plan kicks in about mid-2006 and annexation will be considered. He said the town has been putting aside money for the station and the property could meet the needs for a site.

The Council approved a motion to look into the possibility of purchasing the property.

In another matter, Mr. Close requested that the Council designate the area on Signal Point Road at Alexian Village as a hospital zone with a 15 miles per hour speed limit. Mayor Althaus said the Council will consider it.