by Judy Frank
posted July 9, 2007
A proposal to relocate portions of Brow Road on Signal Mountain so developers can build condominiums in the scenic area generated lots of heat during Monday night’s town meeting, despite the fact it wasn’t even on the agenda.
During the portion of the meeting set aside for public comment, would-be developer Frank Grove said he and his partner, Ernie York, “got into this because I’m so tired of home maintenance issues, and Ernie feels the same.”
The proposed road relocation is on the agenda for the town council’s next regular meeting, on Aug. 6. First though, it must be considered by Signal Mountain Planning Commission members during their Aug. 2 meeting.
But just in case there’s any question about how he and other residents of the affected area feel about the proposal, Fern Trail homeowner Roger Castleberry came to Monday night’s meeting to say allowing development of multi-residential housing in the area would be a horrible mistake.
“Signal Mountain has a poop problem, folks,” he said, noting that the town’s problems with sewage and e-coli-contaminated streams would be exacerbated by allowing high-density developments to be built in the area.
Further, Mr. Castleberry emphasized, Brow Road is renowned for its scenic view of Chattanooga and the valley around it.
Relocating the road so that the only people who get to see that view are those who can afford to buy one of the $500,000 condominiums blocking it is unfair to the public at large, he said.
Mr. Grove, in a brief rebuttal, said that if the planned condominiums are built, about 80 percent of the property in question will remain green.
He indicated that he and his partner are considering a number of options for developing about 17 acres of land they purchased in the north Palisades area of Signal Mountain.
Their first choice, which involves relocation of Brow Road, is to construct condominiums on the site, he said.
If the road relocation is not approved, he said, they will consider an alternate plan for building condominiums.
Should that plan also prove to be impossible, he said, they can divide the property into half-acre lots and put single-family homes on it.
In other action, the town council began planning for a series of public meetings on the proposed annexation of Fox Run and Windtree subdivisions into Signal Mountain.
The town planning commission has recommended annexing one of the two areas this year, and the other in 2008.
“It’s up to us which one would be annexed first,” officials said.
Current plans are to schedule a meeting aimed primarily at residents of the targeted areas in late August or in September, where town officials can explain why they think annexation is a good idea and affected property owners can ask questions.
A separate hearing for the general public also would be held, they said.
Officials emphasized the no decision has been made regarding either of the proposed annexations.
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