Chattanooga-Hamilton County panel denies plan for new homes at upscale Ooltewah gated community

May 11—A bid for new home lots in the upscale Hampton Creek gated community by the owner of the Ooltewah development's golf course was denied by a planning panel on Monday.

Chattanooga attorney John Anderson, who represented a number of homeowners against the proposal for 10 new home sites, said there's already 200 residences served by one entrance and exit road.

He said the location of a proposed new emergency road required by the fire marshal was "nebulous." Anderson said such a major decision should be included before the county approves any planned unit development, or PUD.

Course owner Rick Stern's The Champions Club LLC wanted approval from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission to create the home lots inside Hampton Creek off Snow Hill Road.

Mike Price of MAP Engineers, who is representing Stern, said the golf course owner was seeking an amendment to the PUD. He said the site at Hampton Creek that is to hold the 10 proposed new lots has been an overflow parking area and green space.

While Stern initially was seeking 11 home sites, that was reduced to 10, Price said. In addition, he said, homes built there would be "rear-loaded lots," or have a private alley in the rear so garages don't face Gentle Mist Circle.

"We've listened to the neighborhood," Price said.

But longtime resident Joan Rose said Stern had a plan to develop the lots when he purchased the golf course. She said he offered to sell her the site for $1 million.

Rose said the neighborhood was later "blind-sided" by the announcement that Stern wanted to change the PUD.

"Facebook is how I got the message," she said.

Steve Ray, another longtime resident and former homeowners association president, said the proposal has split the neighborhood.

He said he planned to continue to fight the proposal when it's slated to go before the Hamilton County Commission in a few weeks.

Jason Farmer, a panel member who voted against the proposal, said he was worried the planning commission would "set dangerous precedent." He noted that Sterns wasn't the developer of Hampton Creek nor representing the homeowners association.

"What gives that person the right ... to change a PUD?" Farmer asked. "I've serious concerns of moving this forward."

City Councilman Darrin Ledford, who also is a member of the planning panel, said that identifying the location of the emergency exit is important for the community.

"That question for me still lingers out there," he said.

Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Martin, who serves on the panel, said an alley behind the proposed new home lots would help the flow of traffic.

Price said it would be far safer to have that traffic flow rather than 10 driveways.

Last year, The Champions Club at Hampton Creek was renamed to The Ooltewah Club. The rebranding marked the completion of a more than $1 million renovation to the facilities and coincided with the new ownership, according to a report.

The Champions Club had grown out of the former Hampton Creek golf course originally developed by Phil Martin and Delwin Huggins. The course has had a series of owners through its history, including Toby McKenzie who filed for bankruptcy in 2009, and a couple of banks before Chattanooga businessman Henry Luken acquired the course nearly a decade ago.

In 2019, the course was bought by Jim Brunjak and three of his neighbors — John McCormick, Bill Cronin and Derek Steele, before Stern purchased the site.

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.