Chattanooga, TN (WDEF)- Hamilton County leaders are preparing to vote on Plan Hamilton, a proposal aimed at managing growth in rural and residential areas. The plan, which has drawn input from commissioners, developers, and residents, seeks to balance development while protecting farmland and infrastructure.
Commissioner Lee Helton is offering a compromise that he says will help manage growth more effectively.
“It lowers density, increases setbacks, and makes provisions for managing growth across every metric,” Helton said. “It creates a better situation for the county.”
Local residents, however, expressed concerns about how the plan could impact the community.
“Do you want overdevelopment and congestion to be your legacy, or do you want Hamilton County to be a quality place to live?” one resident asked. “Two thousand acres a day of agricultural land could be paved over, fragmented, or converted for other uses. Is that jeopardizing farming?”
Another topic raised during recent discussions was whether county roads should be incorporated into the plan, particularly after Tuesday night’s flooding.
District 10 Commissioner Jeff Eversole addressed the issue, noting the strain on infrastructure:
“It makes us look at the county roads — where are we with ditches and drains? We know we need to continue to focus on it as development continues, which will put more pressure on our highway department. But we have an outstanding team in the highway department that does a great job.”
The County Commission is scheduled to vote on Plan Hamilton next Wednesday, a decision that could shape development, farmland preservation, and infrastructure planning across Hamilton County for years to come.
