County Commissioner Tim Boyd said the county's Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) is stunting East Ridge's projected record growth that was suppose to be spurred by the Bass Pro Shop development near Camp Jordan.
Commissioner Boyd has called a public forum on the WWTA issue for Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the East Ridge Community Center by City Hall on Tombras Avenue.
He said a Zaxby's restaurant that was planned near Bass Pro Shop will not be built because it could not get a permit from the WWTA. "They're gone," he said.
Commissioner Boyd said Life Care Center of East Ridge planned a $30 million rebuilding of its campus across the freeway from Bass Pro Shop. He said after Life Care had begun razing old buildings at the site, they were stopped by the WWTA.
He said, "Life Care Center was going to be bigger even than Bass Pro Shop. Now it's down to around $10 million."
John Healy, one of the developers of Jordan Crossing, said he is confident that developments near the new Bass Pro Shop, including Zaxby's, will go forward once Camp Jordan Parkway is widened and gets a better connection to Ringgold Road and the freeway by next year.
He said he was advised that East Ridge has enough capacity in its sewer system to handle effluent from the new developments, but the problem is rainfall that gets into the sewer and causes periodic overflows. He said he believes that the WWTA is working to try to keep the rainwater out of the sewer.
Chris Clem, attorney for the WWTA, said, “Zaxby's restaurant has not contacted WWTA concerning a permit. Life Care Center has not come to the WWTA concerning rebuilding of its campus beyond replacing the existing facility, which was approved by the WWTA.”
He also said, "East Ridge has had five rainfall events every year since before WWTA took over. The WWTA successfully worked within the permit and moratorium to move forward with Life Care and Bass Pro Shop.
"Any time a new construction project is proposed the engineers must first determine if road access, electrical volume, water capacity and sewer capacity is sufficient for the new construction. This is true for any site anywhere in the country. It is impossible to speculate on what can be approved until engineers see specific plans."
Commissioner Boyd said the WWTA "acts as a policeman, but they don't provide any solutions. Why aren't they telling us how we can capitalize on Bass Pro Shop and the $2 million road that was built to it? Show us a plan on how we can fix this."
He said, "I get more calls and complaints about WWTA than anything else. This is the chance for the public to have their say on the issue."
Commissioner Boyd said, "I get blistered on this all the time. I don't know if the County Commission has any say-so on this, but it is an agency that was formed by county government."
He said the road serving his driveway "is collapsing. I have to straddle a trench to get to my driveway. Why aren't they fixing problems like this."
The commissioner noted that WWTA earlier shut off his service "over a $26 dispute. And I have been a citizen of this community for 30 years."
He said, "I don't have any problems with the water company. I don't have any troubles with EPB."
Commissioner Boyd said he plans to invite WWTA officials and board members to the public meeting.