Could Sequatchie land a grocery store on Walden’s Ridge?
Commissioner says he’s discussing such a project
ASequatchie County, Tennessee, commissioner said Wednesday he’s “very interested” in bringing a grocery store project to the top of Walden’s Ridge not far from where a similar market is proposed.
While a specific site hasn’t been named yet, Commissioner David Hudson said he has talked to Chattanooga attorney John Anderson. Anderson is also trying to rezone land in nearby Walden in Hamilton County for a grocery store and small-shop space.
“We’re in the very beginning of the discussion phase,” Hudson said. “Yes. I’m very interested in bringing the opportunity to my county. I reached out to John Anderson.”
Anderson said he has talked with Hudson, but the Sequatchie project is different from the one
he’s proposing in the town of Walden.
“It’s absolutely unrelated. We’re committed to the property at Timesville Road and Taft Highway,” he said about the 15-acre site on which he’s slated to go before Hamilton County planners for rezoning on Aug. 12.
After hearing opposition from some Walden residents and Hamilton County planners, Anderson has reworked his plans, scaling down the size of the grocery store to 44,000 square feet and moving small-shop space up to Taft Highway.
The grocery store, the identity of which he has declined to give, and the shops would encompass a more town center approach, he said. Anderson is seeking “village commercial” zoning.
Hudson said he’s not trying to leverage interest in a Sequatchie project to pressure approval for
the Walden center.
But he added that “You fail. We’re ready.”
Anderson said there’s no connection between the two possible stores.
“Three years down the road another client has an interest,” he said. “It’s a different project.”
Earlier this week, Hudson brought other Sequatchie County commissioners up to speed on his conversations. He’s looking at preparing a change in an ordinance that requires an entity selling alcohol to be more than 2,000 feet from a church, Hudson said.
“We need to be prepared in case a site is recommended,” he said, adding there’s no desired location within the Lone Oak community on the ridge.
However, Sequatchie County resident Richard Ford said he doesn’t think Anderson is interested in building two grocery stores on the ridge.
Ford also said he doesn’t think a Sequatchie grocery store would generate enough business, and that such a “big box” would change the character of the area.
“We want a small-town, rural atmosphere,” Ford said.
Hudson said that while he has heard from people who object to a potential grocery store project, he’s also receiving “overwhelming support to continue the discussions.”
He said the tax revenues generated by such a project would benefit the entire county.
Last year, the Signal Mountain Town Council voted to deny a rezoning request that would allow a Food City store there. At that time, the Keith Corp. planned to build a 38,000-square-foot Food City behind what is now an existing shopping center.