A resident near the Quarry property that a developer wants to move forward on said neighbors "overwhelmingly reject" a revised plan from developer James Pratt.
That comes after officials of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy said the developer planning a residential project at the site had come up with a new plan "that satisfies most of the stated concerns."
Tim Laramore, executive director, and Taft Sibley, president, said the new plan preserves a champion Post Oak, increases Walden's Ridge Park by five acres, preserves stream buffers, and provides a new greenway along Mountain Creek.
Rick Thompson, Mountain Creek community resident and member of the Friends Of Mountain Creek, said, "On behalf of and at the request of the Friends Of Mountain Creek (FOMC) I can tell you that we overwhelmingly reject the latest proposed Site/Land Use Plan for the Quarry Golf Course that was published in the Chattanoogan on Nov. 30.
"So we had to ask ourselves, how could Pratt Development overcome the 4,000 plus petitioners who are united in our desire for the preservation of this land and who are adamantly opposed to a poorly planned development that would overwhelm this pristine and unique environmental oasis? Moreover, a poorly planned rental community proposed to be located in a Sea of R-1 Zoning.
"It is disappointing at a minimum that the developer pits NCCC against the residents of the area. NCCC has a different agenda and has something to gain at the expense of the resident community. This is typical bad-developer tactic. You know, you back door them. Pit one against the other. No one but the resident community and FOMC have the right or permission to negotiate on our behalf on this development.
"It’s perfectly clear that we are not being considered in a sincere manner or we wouldn’t have started with 153 inappropriately mixed residential/apartment units in a Sea of R-1 Zoning, then with an even more inappropriate mix of 196 units with more apartments in the Sea of R-1 Zoning and now a totally unacceptable 305 unit plan with a staggering amount of various inappropriate rental unit types and apartments that are not allowed in the Sea of R-1 Zoning.
"As you may now know, the World’s Tallest Post Oak is located on the Quarry property. Through the efforts of our great local legislators and Governor Lee, who issued a proclamation recognizing its place of honor and status in the state of Tennessee, this great natural resource is now a public icon. It is a shame that it is being used as a hostage in a hostile negotiation. If the developer cuts the tree down as has been suggested, then that’s their sack of rocks to carry, not ours.....we stand committed to the values and quality of life here in the Mountain Creek Community. No more rentals."
Pratt Builders is involved in a lawsuit with the city over zoning of the property.