The councilmembers of Lookout Mountain, Ga., opened their monthly meeting with discussion of change, which is coming to the city! In addition to multiple new parks and trails, the council is opening the door to more commercial uses throughout the city. Additionally, a new comprehensive plan that has been underway for two years will be the vision statement that will guide future development. The comprehensive plan was presented at a public hearing in January.
The new city hall building and fire station will anchor the space known as Town Center on Lula Lake Road. The council unanimously accepted the bid from DBS Corporation to build and manage commercial space in front of the new municipal buildings. The single bid resulted in a proposal that matched what the council was looking for, said Mayor David Bennett, and DBS was the contractor for the two new buildings.
At the December council meeting, Rock City requested a change to the city’s zoning for a log cabin it owns at 1402 Patten Road so it could be used for office space. That request has since been withdrawn, and although the application is not currently active, the planning commission recognized the need for a new zone, resulting in the newly-created office residential district. The new zone is not tied to any particular property; it is just an available zone and could be used anywhere in the city. If an application is made to use that designation, the location would be required to go through the rezoning process and to comply with all regulations before being approved. The proposal of adding a new zone has resulted in a lot of comments and concern from residents, said Councilmember Taylor Watson.
Charlie Schlenberg, a resident of Chickamauga Trail, one of the nearby homeowners to the Rock City property, said there is a lot of resistance from residents about changing the zoning, which has always been single family. He said that 140 homeowners signed a petition opposing the encroachment of commercial development and sent it to the council. Mr. Schlenberg said that the reason a lot of neighbors did not come to the council meeting was because Rock City had withdrawn its application for now. The zone is being added on a general basis and not tied to any single location, he said, so that the new office residential district could be used for property throughout the city. He asked the council to consider opposition to additional commercial space coming from the city residents.
City attorney Bill Pickering wrote a proposal for requirements meant to lessen the impact to property surrounding the new zone, including buffers created with berms and plantings, lighting limitations to reduce light pollution, and parking restrictions, among other things.
Two public hearings have been held about the issue, and the planning commission recommended approval of the new zoning designation. The council unanimously approved the new zoning designation on the first reading. The second and final reading to create the new zone will take place at the next council meeting on February 10.
Three years ago, Lookout Mountain passed a home-sharing ordinance that allows homeowners to rent space in their house for short-term use such as vacation rentals on Airbnb. The number allowed in the city was capped at 15. Michelle Warren, owner of 1509 Chickamauga Trail, has listed her home in short term vacation rental programs and has drawn opposition from neighbors during the past year for bringing strangers, speeding traffic and noise from the pool into the neighborhood.
A patio and carport separate the main house from a room that Ms. Warren said she uses as a bedroom for herself. She rents the main house through the STVR program. The single bedroom, carport and the house share a roof, leaving the question of whether the set-up is a separate building.
“This doesn’t seem to meet the spirit of the ordinance,” which says that an “accessory space” cannot be rented, said Mark Jones, who lives next door. If you lived next door to a commercial business, you would be opposed, he told the council members. Charlie Schlenberg, another neighbor, commented that it has had an impact on the neighborhood, and it is a matter of concern.
In the past, inspections have not been made for STVRs; however, the council requested an inspection of this property to ensure that the house meets the qualifications in the ordinance. In the meantime, the application was provisionally approved.
Jimmy Campbell, community volunteer, has guided the development of all the new parks and trails that are being established throughout the city. A master plan for trails has been created by some of the leading trail planners in the Southeast, said Mr. Campbell. Building the network of trails is estimated to cost between $100,000 to $115,000. Plans are to use a state grant to fund 70 percent of the cost, with the city being responsible for 30 percent of it.
The Lookout Mountain Conservancy will soon close on the purchase of the Sims property, said Mayor David Bennett. The five acres once held several houses and a mid-century style motel, but should soon be the site of a lovely new park. Additionally, the area at the top of Red Riding Hood Trail where it intersects Lula Lake Road is also being designed as a green space that will mark the introduction into the city.
Councilman Kevin Leckenby reported that some of the sidewalks along Lula Lake have settled, causing tripping hazards. They have been marked with cones and such, and he asks for walkers to report other spots that might need attention. Residents will be kept informed of where the public works crews will be at the beginning of each week on the city’s website, lookoutmtnga.com, or with a phone call to the department. Leaf and brush piles continue to be removed, and the gas line replacement is now going on near the Lookout Mountain Golf Club. The next dumpster day is Saturday, February 5. Councilman Leckenby gave a special thanks to the public works crews who always make a great effort to keep the streets safe when there is a threat of ice or snow.
Caroline Williams, council liaison with FES, said that COVID-19 has been running rampant at Fairyland School and is at the highest rate since the pandemic began. She said the teachers have not contracted the virus, and the school has managed to stay open. But, visitors are not being allowed in the building without an appointment. In the last month, a huge landscaping project that has been years in the making was completed, and a new fence was built around the playground.
The monthly report from Fire and Police Commissioner Taylor Watson showed officers patrolled 3,995 miles, made 29 traffic stops and issued 11 citations and 29 warnings. She said there were six auto accidents in the last month. Police checked 11 burglar alarms, assisted 11 citizens, three motorists and the Lookout Mountain, Tenn., police five times. There were no burglaries or thefts during the month, but the department responded to six fire calls and 15 medical calls. “I don’t know how many times we need to say it, but lock your cars and doors. Leaving them unlocked is an open invitation, said Councilwoman Watson.
The city’s sewer pump needs to be replaced. The original estimate for the new pump was $950,000, but that has now increased to $1,300,000 said Mr. Jimmy Campbell, representing the sewer board. The money can be borrowed from the state at the rate of .15 percent. A final cost will be determined in February so arrangements can be made to make the funds available on June 1, when the work should begin.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Ga., city council will be February 10 at 6 p.m.
The new city hall building and fire station will anchor the space known as Town Center on Lula Lake Road. The council unanimously accepted the bid from DBS Corporation to build and manage commercial space in front of the new municipal buildings. The single bid resulted in a proposal that matched what the council was looking for, said Mayor David Bennett, and DBS was the contractor for the two new buildings.
At the December council meeting, Rock City requested a change to the city’s zoning for a log cabin it owns at 1402 Patten Road so it could be used for office space. That request has since been withdrawn, and although the application is not currently active, the planning commission recognized the need for a new zone, resulting in the newly-created office residential district. The new zone is not tied to any particular property; it is just an available zone and could be used anywhere in the city. If an application is made to use that designation, the location would be required to go through the rezoning process and to comply with all regulations before being approved. The proposal of adding a new zone has resulted in a lot of comments and concern from residents, said Councilmember Taylor Watson.
Charlie Schlenberg, a resident of Chickamauga Trail, one of the nearby homeowners to the Rock City property, said there is a lot of resistance from residents about changing the zoning, which has always been single family. He said that 140 homeowners signed a petition opposing the encroachment of commercial development and sent it to the council. Mr. Schlenberg said that the reason a lot of neighbors did not come to the council meeting was because Rock City had withdrawn its application for now. The zone is being added on a general basis and not tied to any single location, he said, so that the new office residential district could be used for property throughout the city. He asked the council to consider opposition to additional commercial space coming from the city residents.
City attorney Bill Pickering wrote a proposal for requirements meant to lessen the impact to property surrounding the new zone, including buffers created with berms and plantings, lighting limitations to reduce light pollution, and parking restrictions, among other things.
Two public hearings have been held about the issue, and the planning commission recommended approval of the new zoning designation. The council unanimously approved the new zoning designation on the first reading. The second and final reading to create the new zone will take place at the next council meeting on February 10.
Three years ago, Lookout Mountain passed a home-sharing ordinance that allows homeowners to rent space in their house for short-term use such as vacation rentals on Airbnb. The number allowed in the city was capped at 15. Michelle Warren, owner of 1509 Chickamauga Trail, has listed her home in short term vacation rental programs and has drawn opposition from neighbors during the past year for bringing strangers, speeding traffic and noise from the pool into the neighborhood.
A patio and carport separate the main house from a room that Ms. Warren said she uses as a bedroom for herself. She rents the main house through the STVR program. The single bedroom, carport and the house share a roof, leaving the question of whether the set-up is a separate building.
“This doesn’t seem to meet the spirit of the ordinance,” which says that an “accessory space” cannot be rented, said Mark Jones, who lives next door. If you lived next door to a commercial business, you would be opposed, he told the council members. Charlie Schlenberg, another neighbor, commented that it has had an impact on the neighborhood, and it is a matter of concern.
In the past, inspections have not been made for STVRs; however, the council requested an inspection of this property to ensure that the house meets the qualifications in the ordinance. In the meantime, the application was provisionally approved.
Jimmy Campbell, community volunteer, has guided the development of all the new parks and trails that are being established throughout the city. A master plan for trails has been created by some of the leading trail planners in the Southeast, said Mr. Campbell. Building the network of trails is estimated to cost between $100,000 to $115,000. Plans are to use a state grant to fund 70 percent of the cost, with the city being responsible for 30 percent of it.
The Lookout Mountain Conservancy will soon close on the purchase of the Sims property, said Mayor David Bennett. The five acres once held several houses and a mid-century style motel, but should soon be the site of a lovely new park. Additionally, the area at the top of Red Riding Hood Trail where it intersects Lula Lake Road is also being designed as a green space that will mark the introduction into the city.
Councilman Kevin Leckenby reported that some of the sidewalks along Lula Lake have settled, causing tripping hazards. They have been marked with cones and such, and he asks for walkers to report other spots that might need attention. Residents will be kept informed of where the public works crews will be at the beginning of each week on the city’s website, lookoutmtnga.com, or with a phone call to the department. Leaf and brush piles continue to be removed, and the gas line replacement is now going on near the Lookout Mountain Golf Club. The next dumpster day is Saturday, February 5. Councilman Leckenby gave a special thanks to the public works crews who always make a great effort to keep the streets safe when there is a threat of ice or snow.
Caroline Williams, council liaison with FES, said that COVID-19 has been running rampant at Fairyland School and is at the highest rate since the pandemic began. She said the teachers have not contracted the virus, and the school has managed to stay open. But, visitors are not being allowed in the building without an appointment. In the last month, a huge landscaping project that has been years in the making was completed, and a new fence was built around the playground.
The monthly report from Fire and Police Commissioner Taylor Watson showed officers patrolled 3,995 miles, made 29 traffic stops and issued 11 citations and 29 warnings. She said there were six auto accidents in the last month. Police checked 11 burglar alarms, assisted 11 citizens, three motorists and the Lookout Mountain, Tenn., police five times. There were no burglaries or thefts during the month, but the department responded to six fire calls and 15 medical calls. “I don’t know how many times we need to say it, but lock your cars and doors. Leaving them unlocked is an open invitation, said Councilwoman Watson.
The city’s sewer pump needs to be replaced. The original estimate for the new pump was $950,000, but that has now increased to $1,300,000 said Mr. Jimmy Campbell, representing the sewer board. The money can be borrowed from the state at the rate of .15 percent. A final cost will be determined in February so arrangements can be made to make the funds available on June 1, when the work should begin.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Ga., city council will be February 10 at 6 p.m.
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