Plan Hamilton is not a Plan; it is a debacle. The Plan promised in the beginning to include resident involvement. We were told that commissioners in each district would lead citizen formed committees to gather input for the plan. That never happened. What happened was a development firm, Ragan Smith, was hired by someone to draft a plan. It is unclear at this point who hired them, but it appears to have been the city of Chattanooga. I have to ask why would the city of Chattanooga be responsible for hiring a firm to come up with a development plan for unincorporated Hamilton County. It makes no sense.
During the time Ragan Smith was employed to develop this plan, there was no communication with area residents. Public input was not sought, and citizen work committees did not occur. To make matters worse, Ragan Smith has been fired. The completion of the plan has been left to the RPA staff to complete. That could be the reason the Plan lacks any reference of source documents, appropriate traffic studies, updated evacuation studies or accurate housing studies.
The cost of Ragan Smith's failure is over $500,00 to the taxpayer so far. We have been told RPA is going to foot the bill, however, if you trace the money, it will come from the taxpayers. RPA does make money; they are funded jointly by Hamilton County and the city of Chattanooga.
Plan Hamilton is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission on Jan. 13. Another question, why? At a recent citizen led meeting to inform and educate residents in District 9 of the plan, many of the attendees indicated they had never heard of this plan. How can a Plan that will affect the lives of so many residents go for a vote without the support of the residents? Who is this plan for? When the mayor's office was asked for comment, the response was the plan was still in draft format. If that is the case, why is it on the agenda for the vote with the Planning Commission on Jan. 13?
Responsible development is good for a community. Plan Hamilton does not represent responsible development. The proposed density allowed in the plan is dangerous without significant changes to infrastructure. This plan puts development over infrastructure and safety. The Plan uses the term "Place Types", another name for zoning, that will allow 5, 7, 12, up 18 living spaces per acre. Putting this much density on rural two-lane roads is not safe or responsible. The Plan fails to take into consideration the five-mile radius around Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. There is no evacuation route study included in the plan. The plan fails to address the aged connector bridges. The bridge on Highway 58 over Wolftever Creek was built in 1940. When last inspected it was rated a 4, meaning repair would be necessary in the near future to maintain a healthy bridge. The Plan includes the ability to build with zero lot lines, no natural buffers, allows for building in flood plains, does not prohibit clear cutting, does not define open spaces and does not count density on buildable acres. I have to ask again, who is this plan for? It is not what the residents of unincorporated Hamilton County has asked for; it is not what they want.
Traffic on Highway 58 has experienced an enormous increase in the past few years. Many residents are stuck in traffic for an hour or more to get home. The proposed density in Plan Hamilton with no mention of road improvements, it is bound to create an unsafe travel route for the residents of north Hamilton County.
The very things that have made people love our area and want to experience it are slowly being removed. The rate that is happening is about to increase two-fold if Plan Hamilton is put into place without significant changes. The residents have been vocal in an effort to get plan changes. They have said the current plan is not in the community's best interest. What the community will get in return is not worth what it will be given up. The farmland, wood lands with natural open areas, and the lack of light pollution are all very valuable assets to the residents in unincorporated Hamilton County. Once these are taken, they will never be given back.
A moratorium on development and building should start immediately. There is enough development in the pipeline now to sustain growth for the next few years. A true plan for responsible development for unincorporated Hamilton County should begin. A plan which will include traffic studies, evacuation route studies, and safety studies. Resident input is a must. A true collaboration between residents and government will serve everyone and promote healthy growth in our community for future generations.
If you care about your community, you don't want to have development without adequate infrastructure, please attend the RPA sponsored meeting on Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m., in the Highway 58 Fire Department Training Center on SnowHill Road. This meeting will specifically address District 9. However, Plan Hamilton appears to be a "cut and paste" application for all districts in unincorporated Hamilton County. If you are concerned about over development and want your voice heard, plan to attend this meeting. The future of your community depends on it.
Cathy Faulkner