The Regional Planning Commission on Monday
photo by Claire Henley Miller
Some Ooltewah residents on Monday voiced their concern over the McCoy Homes Inc. development, which is endeavoring to build over 30 homes on 3015 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road.
Billy McCoy, the developer, requested approval from the Regional Planning Commission to rezone the property so he could develop 3.7 units per acre instead of two.
When Chairman Ethan Collier asked if anyone opposed the applicant’s request, three residents who said they lived down the street from the proposed development approached the podium to speak.
The residents voiced their concern over the increase in water runoff the new development would have on their properties. According to one resident, the Tennessee Department of Transportation recently examined her property and found a serious flooding problem. The resident feared the development would “dump” more water on her and her neighbors’ properties – something they could not afford in their “little neighborhood.”
Another resident, Sherry Miller, said if she knew how bad the flooding would be on her one-acre property, she never would have bought her home three years ago. She echoed her neighbors by saying the development would make the water runoff issue “uncontrollable.”
Commissioner Jason Farmer said this was a zoning case, not a water runoff one.
Ms. Miller replied she did not oppose the development; she only wanted for the water issue to be fixed before the houses were built.
According to Commissioner David Matthews, the drainage regulations for the McCoy Homes development would actually decrease the water runoff on the properties below. This is because the development would be required to detain a certain amount of water runoff on site.
Once Chairman Collier assured the development would not make the water runoff situation worse, the commission unanimously approved its rezoning. Their recommendation of approval will go to City Council to review.
The commission also approved the request to rezone a mixed-use building at 1446 Central Ave.
Richard Zavala applied for commercial zoning to build a two-story building for residential and retail purposes. A representative speaking on behalf of the business next door said she was concerned over parking. According to the representative, she had been contacted more than once to share parking with the mixed-use building. But, she said, her business did not provide enough spaces.
Gary Rudolph, resident of East Main Street, said he previously spoke with Mr. Zavala, and the two agreed on certain conditions Mr. Rudolph had regarding the two-story space. He requested there be no increase in traffic flow behind his home with the development. He also voiced his concern over the height of the building, stating the original plan cited a three-story building.
Mr. Rudolph thought the mixed-use building was a great idea, but from Central Avenue to Dodds Avenue, there was no other three-story building, he said.
According to commissioners, the maximum height for this type of construction could go up to four stories, and was thus breaking no city codes. They approved the request for commercial zoning after addressing the community’s concerns.
Their recommendation of approval will go to City Council to review.