Nourishing the Neighborhoods
Plans for District Three

This is the third installment in my series on Chattanooga neighborhoods. For the sake of communication with members of the City Council, I have organized comments according to Council Districts. I have been a neighborhood resident for 37 years.  I am not a new comer to neighborhood issues.  Running for Mayor means listening to people and then finding ways to turn talk into action. Here's what I've learned from those living in District Three, and here's what I plan to do for them.

Overview

District Three includes many of the community's post-WW II neighborhoods and some older areas.  Principal neighborhoods are Hixson on the north side of the Tennessee River / Chickamauga Lake and Murray Hills on the south.

Challenges

District Three is the site of the proposed reconstruction of the Chickamauga Lock.  This will be a major project involving months of effort and employing large numbers of skilled construction workers. As such, it is important to Chattanooga's economy in both a short term and long-term manner. It will be disruptive to some extent – requiring the rerouting of local traffic and crowding areas near the dam.  However, the ultimate effect will assure the continued importance of Chattanooga as a transportation hub.

Identified Needs: 

1. Pursue road and traffic improvements with special emphasis on intersections and new developments on North 153. Seek extension of Dupont Parkway and the ring road around Northgate.

2. Implement further measures to eliminate or minimize storm water problems in residential neighborhoods such as Valleybrook and other areas throughout the district.

3. Bike facilities, sidewalks and greenways – especially connecting schools with residential areas and commercial centers.

4. Work with sports enthusiasts, parents and recreation professionals to develop more playing fields and facilities for all outdoor athletics.

5. Pursue expansion of the new Hixson Civic Center into a full service recreation center with more programs for senior citizens.

6. Add streetscaping and landscaping to rights-of-way. Improve neighborhood parks and public spaces.  Protect, promote and continue to invest in Greenway Farm. Partner with Hamilton County to develop Murray Hills Park.

7. Manage infill development of vacant lots and larger undeveloped tracts. Pay special attention to environmental protection on slopes and ridges and near water.

Greatest Opportunity:

District Three contains some of the city's most important parks and open spaces.  Green way Farm and the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway are significant regional assets. The continued development and extension of these properties is essential. However, the total development of the Dupont property on Access Road offers the greatest opportunity to produce a new public space of citywide or regional importance. Several soccer fields have already been constructed on the back portions of this large riverside tract. Soon, a portion of the frontage will become the new home of the Animal Care Trust – a state of the art shelter designed to provide better housing, increase adoptions and promote improved service for stray, abandoned or unwanted dogs and cats.

My Plan and My Pledge

I will use my experience in public works and my credibility with all stakeholders to make progress on the inadequate roads and other long-standing developmental bottlenecks affecting much of the district. As the only candidate that has ever built a road or dealt effectively with traffic and drainage problems, I absolutely know how to address these problems.  A number of traffic improvements are

needed in the Northgate area.  I will revive discussion of extension of Dupont Parkway and the rebuilding of Hamill Road west of 153 to Hixson Pike.  The railroad crossing on Hamill east of 153 is a chronic problem, but I will continue to seek some permanent grade separation.  Further, I will continue to pursue the ring road around Northgate Center.  In the North Highway 153 area, I will push for action on improvements such as the redesign and reconstruction of Gadd Road at Norcross and will support additional efforts to deal with congestion near the new retail developments.  I am familiar with the storm water problems of the district and will move to implement recommendations for corrective actions to address needs in residential subdivisions such as Valleybrook and elsewhere.  I am committed to the development of new recreational facilities, to the total development of the Dupont property – including the new Animal Care Trust shelter and adoption center.  Years ago, I was an advocate on the City Commission that purchased the Spangler Farm – now known as Greenway Farm – and will continue to conserve and invest in this unique property. More recently, I supported the purchase of the Hixson Civic Center and will help to expand such facilities and programs needed to serve the districts growing adult and elderly population. I will work with the County to develop Murray Hills Park.  In the Hixson and Murray Hills area, I will urge careful management of infill development on remaining lots and tracts. Some of such property will present development challenges. We've already taken steps to protect some of the more environmentally fragile areas. The specific regulations limiting development of slopes and hillsides adopted by the current City Council will be helpful. As in other districts, I am devoted to sidewalks and the expansion of our trails and greenways. Of course, I will also join Congressman Wamp, Mayor Ramsey and other state and local officials in making sure that the reconstruction of the Chickamauga Lock remains on schedule.  As Mayor, I won't need on-the-job training.  I pledge to quickly move forward on addressing these needs and capitalizing on these opportunities. I'm ready to go to work for District Three and all of Chattanooga.