With the project attracting concerns from neighbors, Hamilton County commissioners will next week take up a request to rezone more than 80 acres for a $135 million senior living community in Ooltewah.
Thrive Senior Living, based in Atlanta, plans to build a 447-unit neighborhood at the old Brooks Dairy Farm at 9101 Amos Road. The community would be age-restricted, and 80% of the units must be home to at least one resident age 55 or older. It would consist of duplexes, quadplexes, single-family lots and 149 units of independent, assisted and memory care living for seniors.
"There are only so many sites of that size in a well-located area with good access to churches, schools, interchanges, shopping where the families of our residents might spend their time," Alan Moise, a partner with Thrive Senior Living, said in an interview after Wednesday's meeting. "Our residents in this community will range from probably people in their 60s up into people in their 90s."
(READ MORE: $135 million senior living community in Ooltewah wins rezoning from planning panel)
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency staff are recommending the County Commission deny the request, noting it proposes a housing density higher than what is recommended in the 2007 Wolftever Creek land use plan. Bryan Shults, director of development services with the planning agency, told commissioners the document is outdated, but it remains relevant until officials adopt a new plan, which is still about six months away.
Attorney John Konvalinka told commissioners he represents at least 40 residents along Snow Hill Road who have concerns about the project. In a phone call, Konvalinka said there are already traffic issues in that area, which would only be compounded by this development and others. The housing density of the project is also incompatible with surrounding properties.
Snow Hill Road was two lanes when the Wolftever Creek plan was adopted in 2007, Konvalinka said, and it has not been expanded since.
"Until there's a determination as to what you're going to do with that road and how you're going to widen that road to account for this traffic, this is a traffic nightmare," Konvalinka told commissioners.
Kim Helton, who lives on Snow Hill Road, said the sight distances for two proposed entrances on Snow Hill should be measured before officials approve the development.
"This is a very dangerous portion of Snow Hill Road with limited sight distance, many wrecks, as well as fatalities," she told commissioners. "High school students travel this road daily."
Mike Price of MAP Engineers said the Wolftever Creek plan was finalized before the pandemic, the Great Recession and, more importantly, before Volkswagen opened its production facility in Chattanooga.
"Our world in Chattanooga is totally different than when that plan was developed 17 years ago," Price told commissioners.
As part of a list of 11 conditions, the developers would commit to installing a 50-foot planted buffer along Snow Hill Road, setting aside 15 acres for community space, adding a clubhouse, pool, dog park and pickleball court and constructing a center left turn bay on Snow Hill Road. That would start near Amos Road and run north to Forest Creek Lane, Price said.
"That's almost a half a mile of road improvements on Snow Hill Road," he said. "Guess who doesn't have to pay for that now — the county."
Price said the project would not cause a burden on the school system, with projections indicating there would be no more than 25 students in grades 1-12 living in community.
"This property is no longer going to be a dairy farm," Price said. "Given that fact, when you look at this development and what's proposed, this is the best use one could possible ask for."
With this being an age-restricted community, residents won't travel as much, Price added, meaning it wouldn't have the same traffic impact as a single-family subdivision.
"I'm 55-plus," Gary Boles, who lives on Mountain Pass Drive in Ooltewah, told commissioners. "I'm 70 years old. I drive all the time. Many of you are 55-plus, and I know you drive all the time. Don't try to tell me this is going to lessen traffic or this is going to make it better. It isn't."
Commissioner Warren Mackey, D-Lake Vista, told his colleagues government shouldn't restrict how people use their property, adding the revenue generated through housing projects like this have helped keep taxes low.
Tax revenue garnered from thousands of homes in that area have had little impact on roads, Commissioner Steve Highlander, R-Ooltewah, said during the meeting. He's thankful developers are proposing street improvements with the project, Highlander said, but there are twisting, winding roads in his district that need attention. The housing development would sit next to Ooltewah High School.
"Whether this goes through or not, I strongly, strongly urge you to use some of this tax money to make road improvements," Highlander told commissioners. "I have one grandchild driving to Ooltewah High School. I am scared to death, and I have to pray every day he drives there right now."
The County Commission will consider the item during its next regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. March 20 on the fourth floor of the Hamilton County Courthouse, 625 Georgia Ave.
Contact David Floyd at dfloyd@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.
Contributed rendering / A site plan shows a proposed senior living community envisioned for Ooltewah. Four hundred forty-seven units are planned for the project.