Chattanoogan article on the Comprehensive Plan presentation, Thursday, August 27

DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN KILLS CHAPELBROW, LOOKOUT RESIDENTS TOLD

by Dana Wilbourn

Chattanoogan.com: posted August 28, 2009

 At a public hearing on Thursday, Lookout Mountain, Ga. residents were told by Phil Walker of the Walker Collaborative the draft comprehensive plan his firm and city residents have been working on effectively kills the Chapelbrow development in its present form.

 A year ago, Frank Brock proposed the Chapelbrow development which includes an assisted living facility as well as retirement homes and townhouses. His proposal prompted the city to begin developing a planned unit development (PUD) ordinance.

 After a number of residents in a previous public hearing spoke in opposition to PUDs without a comprehensive plan for future development, the city hired the Walker Collaborative to lead the process of re-writing the city’s existing comprehensive plan.

 Mr. Walker told the audience the idea of an assisted living facility is a good idea and needed in the community, but the proposed Chapelbrow development is the wrong place to put the facility. His firm believes the assisted living facility would be better suited for a site near the present town center.

 A five-acre area just north of city hall could be developed for an assisted living facility, the audience was told. Carraige homes, patio homes, and townhouses could be included on or near the property.

 Keith Covington, speaking for the Walker Collaborative, said putting the higher density housing close to the town center provides for excellent transitional use between commercial and single-family developments. Such housing will actually help to activate and economically support the businesses in the town center, he said.

 Mr. Brock told the audience current census data shows the population of Lookout Mountain is declining. Mr. Walker’s plan assumes the population will grow, he said.

 Developers behind the Chapelbrow proposal have paid for three studies which conclude that Lookout Mountain cannot sustain an assisted living facility without building a feeder system for it, Mr. Brock said.

 When asked what his next move is if the draft comprehensive plan does indeed kill Chapelbrow, Mr. Brock said, “It’s too early to say.”

 The preparation of the draft comprehensive plan is the third of four steps the Walker Collaborative outlined for completing a final plan. The draft plan was preceded by analysis and visioning, and then charrettes (intensive multi-day brainstorming sessions to develop ideas for a plan). The next step is revising the draft and presenting the final plan.

 Mr. Walker said the charrettes were very informative and many good ideas came from them, but they are just one of the many layers of input. The main ideas which came from the charrettes were: develop the town center, protect natural areas, especially those with environmental constraints, preserve historic features of the community (Fairyland Club, golf course, etc.), provide sidewalks on key roads as well as trails through natural areas, avoid too much growth that might detract from the character of the community and quality of life.

 Mr. Walker said residents should feel lucky because Lookout Mountain has not done anything wrong. He said he feels privileged to be able to work with a city that hasn’t already been ruined.

 The key principle used in the development of the draft plan was to locate all uses other than single-family detached houses within (or adjacent to) the town center to avoid sprawl, Mr. Walker said. The community’s size can only support a single commercial center. Also, he said, more development in the town center area means less development in the community’s natural areas.

 The southern half of the city is largely undeveloped. The Walker Collaborative recommends a lower density than is currently allowed. They presented two optional approaches: large lots without restrictions on constrained lands – steep slopes, etc. (minimum 60,000 sq. ft.), and protection of constrained lands, but allow smaller lots (minimum 15,000 sq. ft). The gross density would remain the same for either option.

 Background findings of note presented by the Walker Collaborative show over 90 percent of the city is zoned single-family residential. Existing lot size minimums are 15,000 square feet. New lot size minimums are 35,000 square feet.

 Also, the existing comprehensive plan designates only four “character areas” which are less fine-grained than actual land uses and zoning. The four areas are labeled town center, traditional neighborhoods, rural-residential, and regional activity centers.

 As for population statistics, the 2000 census listed 1,617 residents, 618 households, and 441 families.

 The complete build-out scenario using the existing policies would increase the city population to 2,568. Single-family housing units would increase by 423. Multi-family housing units would increase by 148.

 Traffic from the completed build-out scenario could increase nearly 40 percent. The sewer system could accommodate 200 of the 571 new housing units. The Fairyland School would hit capacity with 225 of 571 new housing units. The environment and character of the city would sustain substantial impacts.

 The draft plan showed data for two growth scenarios. A “highest density” scenario allows 60,000 sq. ft. lot density in the south side of the city and the most expansive high-density north of the town center. A “lowest density” scenario allows three-acre lot density in the south side and the least expansive high-density north of the town center.

 Single-family detached units would then increase by 503 for the highest density scenario and 224 for the lowest density scenario. Multi-family units would increase by 723 for the highest density scenario and 204 for the lowest density scenario. Total population for the highest density scenario would increase 1,748 and for the lowest density scenario, would increase 990.

 Resident Gail Bryan said Lookout Mountain has the opportunity with this draft plan to be on the cutting edge of land use development. She thanked the Walker Collaborative for helping the community draft the plan.

 Mayor Tom Gifford also thanked the Walker Collaborative, the residents, the city council, and the steering committee for all the hard work in developing this draft plan. He urged everyone to continue to move the process forward. “There is not a quick-fix,” he said, “but this does give us a place to start.”

 Dana Wilbourn:  dbwilbourn@yahoo.com