The Planning Commission on Monday afternoon endorsed a plan for rezoning McDonald Farm at Sale Creek for uses ranging from recreation to industrial.
The final decision will be by the County Commission on Feb. 14.
Nathan Janeway, county development director, said the McDonald Farm use study is still in the early stages. He also said that the rezoning would not restrict how much of the property the county might devote to greenspace.
However, he said the county "is running out of room for industrial space."
Several speakers called for using the sprawling former McDonald family farm as a beauty spot that might attract nature lovers from long distances. They also said there is an opportunity to connect the farm to a proposed route of the Cumberland Trail at the nearby Audubon Mountain.
Jim Stewart, executive director of the Chattanooga Audubon Society, said a large pond on the farm is such a beauty spot that a number of wedding photos are taken there.
Other speakers said additional time is needed to gather input from Sale Creek, which was identified as "a farming community" that wanted to keep a pastoral setting.
Mr. Janeway said the rezoning "would not stop us from using any of the land for public space."
He said getting the rezoning approved would help the county with getting state help for infrastructure and possible economic development at the site.
Mr. Janeway said it is the county's intention not to develop areas with special features such as creeks and ponds and to cooperate with a Cumberland Trail connection.
Chairman Ethan Collier was strongly opposed to having a 300-foot buffer around the property, saying it was "a massive throw away of our tax dollars." He said there were areas, such as at the Enterprise South Industrial Park, where it did not make sense to have any buffer.
County Commissioner Mike Chauncey, who heads the commission's planning committee, said he totally agreed and might cut that condition when the proposal gets to the county.