How can we stop this from happening?

The decision rests with our Hamilton County Commissioners and the Chattanooga City Council, who will both review and vote on the proposed plan.

If it passes at the local level, the proposal will move to the U.S. Interior Department for federal approval, and because a majority of our elected officials pre-endorsed the proposal before it was made public, community input now is more critical than ever.

Contact the County Commissioner and City Council representatives and tell them you oppose rezoning and development on Enterprise South Nature Park land. You can email, call or most importantly, show up to meetings and use public comment. If you have questions we are happy to help. Email us at: SaveESNP@gmail.com

If officials say they’ll only rezone a small part of Enterprise South Nature Park, why is that a problem?

Even a small zoning change sets a powerful legal and political precedent. Once any portion of Enterprise South Nature Park is rezoned, for example, from protected parkland to industrial use, it becomes significantly easier to rezone the surrounding land in the future.

Zoning decisions are made through a process that weighs “compatibility” with neighboring parcels. That means once one section is zoned for development, the land beside it can suddenly be considered “consistent” with that new use. In other words, what starts as a “small parcel” exception can open the door to much broader development, fundamentally changing the purpose and accessibility of the park over time.

Protecting the park’s entire footprint under its current designation is the only way to ensure it remains a natural, public space free from the gradual creep of rezoning and development pressure.

Officials say this proposal will bring “net conservation acres” to Hamilton County. Isn’t that a good thing?

Adding protected land is always valuable, but acreage alone doesn’t tell the whole story. A park’s benefit comes not just from how many acres are protected, but who can actually access and enjoy them.

Enterprise South Nature Park is uniquely positioned near major neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces, within a 20-minute drive for roughly 182,000 residents. By contrast, McDonald Farm serves a much smaller population, with about 5,000 residents living within the same distance.

So while transferring acreage might technically increase the total amount of “protected” land on paper, it would reduce access for tens of thousands of people who currently rely on Enterprise South for recreation, education, and connection to nature.

You can check out this video here to learn more and be sure to see our graphic here.

The county says Hilltop Extension will relieve traffic congestion and that selling surrounding parcels to manufacturers will help pay for it, saving taxpayers money. Isn’t that a good thing?

Improving traffic flow sounds positive in theory, but the plan as proposed could actually create more congestion, not less.

The Hilltop Extension is being promoted as a relief route for Ooltewah traffic at Exit 11. However, officials’ plans also include selling adjoining parcels of land to large industrial and manufacturing operations to help fund the road’s construction. Once that happens, the new road wouldn’t just carry existing local traffic, it would also introduce heavy truck traffic, employee commutes, and delivery routes, placing even greater strain on surrounding roads.

What begins as a project to “reduce congestion” can quickly become a magnet for industrial traffic, fundamentally changing the area’s character and worsening travel times for residents.

While saving taxpayer money is important, the hidden costs such as increased traffic, noise, pollution, and long-term infrastructure demands often outweigh short-term budget relief.

How many residents live near Enterprise South Nature Park?

Accessibility is one of the most important factors in how often people use parks. Enterprise South Nature Park’s location is just minutes from major neighborhoods, schools, and employers making it one of the most accessible natural spaces in Hamilton County.

Roughly 182,000 residents live within a 20-minute drive of Enterprise South Nature Park compared with about 5,000 residents near McDonald Farm. That’s a 34× greater reach for ESNP, meaning more families, schools, and community groups can access it quickly and safely.

I'm a homeowner who backs up to the proposed industrial-use land. How does this affect me?

If hundreds of acres of protected parkland are converted to industrial use, we’ll experience:

• Lower property values: Homes near natural areas consistently sell for more than those near manufacturing or industrial zones. Losing the forested buffer can directly reduce home appeal and resale value.

• Increased pollution: Industrial activity brings more emissions, dust, and runoff that affect air and water quality.

• Higher flood risk: Forested land naturally absorbs storm water. When trees are removed and replaced with pavement or roofs, runoff increases and nearby neighborhoods face greater flooding potential.

• More noise: Industrial operations run longer hours and use heavy equipment, while loss of trees removes the natural sound barrier that currently buffers traffic noise.

• Brighter nights: Industrial lighting and 24-hour facilities create light pollution that disrupts wildlife and reduces the natural dark-sky environment many residents enjoy.

• Heavier traffic: Employee commutes, material deliveries, and freight routes all add congestion to local roads.

• Hotter summers and higher energy bills: Trees help cool the local area and reduce the “urban heat island” (UHI) effect. Removing them increases ambient temperatures and home cooling costs.

• Loss of wildlife: The park’s forest provides habitat for countless species. Once cleared, displaced animals have nowhere to go.