Nourishing the Neighborhoods
Plans for District Four

In this fourth installment in plans and proposals for neighborhoods and districts, here are my ideas for turning talk into positive action in District Four.

Overview

When elected as Commissioner of Public Works in April of 1987, the new Hamilton Place Mall was scheduled to open in July. Much of the infrastructure serving the area was substandard. The intersection of Gunbarrel and Shallowford Roads was being widened, but both roads were two-lane for most of the remainder. Igou Gap and Pinewood were dead end roads with no connection between Gunbarrel and Jenkins. East Brainerd Road was a three three-lane thoroughfare. Even the Shallowford Road bridge over Interstate 75 was two-lane. Much of the area still had no sanitary sewers.   In short, we set about to improve things as quickly as possible and most of these more serious deficiencies were corrected within three years.

District Four includes portions of East Brainerd, Concord, Tyner, the old Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant property (now Enterprise South Industrial Park) and the recently annexed area near the Ooltewah-Collegedale interchange of Interstate 75.

Greatest Challenge:

More than any other district, this community of neighborhoods and commercial areas must deal with the rapid and unrelenting pace of growth and development. Unwise and improper development practices in the Concord neighborhood resulted in landslides and floods – ultimately leading to the recent adoption of significant revisions in regulations governing the clearance and development of slopes. These regulations were drafted with the specific cooperation and assistance of professionals from the development community.  Growth remains the greatest challenge.

Greatest Opportunity:

No one actually lives in Enterprise South Industrial Park. In fact, there is little commercial or industrial activity there of any sort at the present time. Although it is a part of District Four simply because of geographic location and the legal need to be included within one of the areas under the responsibility of a single council member, Enterprise South represents the greatest opportunity for District Four plus much of Districts Three, Five and Six. It is envisioned that the new employment provided by this park will support an ever-improving quality and quantity of residential and commercial development in the immediate vicinity.

My Plan and My Pledge

I will move with speed and determination to attract new industry to the Enterprise South Industrial Park to provide a stronger economic base of family wage jobs for the benefit of the district and the entire region.  This time, we will be proactive and prepare the surrounding public infrastructure in advance of the new wave of development pressures.  Unlike Hamilton Place, this time we will be ready for the growth that will come.

I will initiate immediate action to resolve traffic problems and improve road conditions.  I will undertake an aggressive traffic engineering study to determine just how much we can accomplish quickly through signalization and turning lanes.

I will push for rapid completion of active road projects such as Igou Gap and Shallowford between Gunbarrel and Jenkins.

I will push for additional north-south and east-west linkages such as Goodwin Road through to Jenkins and a connection of Murray Lane to the proposed extension of Commons.  By connecting these proposed new streets, we might be able to provide a large measure of relief to area traffic congestion.

I will work to complete the HERITAGE HOUSE and will continue the development of the park.

I will improve storm water conditions in affected neighborhoods in the McCutcheon Road, Standifer Gap, Hickory Valley Road area and elsewhere throughout the district.

I will partner with the private sector in beautifying the ramp at I-75 and Shallowford -  the first impression of Chattanooga for traffic coming from the North.

I will complete the sidewalk connection along the eastern curb line of Gunbarrel from Shallowford to East Brainerd Road (already 90% complete) and will make certain that new road projects include sidewalks in the design and construction.

I will continue to pursue full implementation of the Hamilton Place Community Plan and Land Use Policy and will participate with the citizens in regular reviews and updates.

I will continue to attend and listen to the needs of the people as expressed in the twice-a-year District meetings.