Chattanooga

Hamilton Planners Back 118 Homes on Dallas Lake Road and a Bank at the Old Buck’s BBQ Site

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, recommended approval of a 118-lot single-family plan at a borrow pit site at 1815 Dallas Lake Road and a rezoning for a new bank at the former Buck’s Pit Barbecue site on South Broad. On Oct. 13, City Council deni

Tracy King

14 Oct 2026 • 6 min read

Chattanooga-Hamilton County planners recommended a 118-home Dallas Lake Road plan on Oct. 12, 2026. Illustrative photo.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, recommended approval for a 118-lot single-family development at the site of a borrow pit at 1815 Dallas Lake Road, Chattanoogan.com reported. The zoning request is to go from A-1 to R-1 on the 63.1-acre property, near Hamilton County Memorial Park.

The same afternoon, the commission recommended a rezoning that would let a new bank replace the log cabin at 3147 Broad Street that first opened as Buck’s Pit Barbecue. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Chattanooga City Council denied a separate rezoning sought by developer John Wise at the Whiskey Cowgirl and Southside Social site.

Together, the three decisions show how local officials are weighing new homes in the county, drive-thru uses on South Broad and public safety near downtown nightlife.

Dallas Lake Road: 118 homes on a former borrow pit

The plan came to the commission as two Hamilton County cases. HCZA-26-10 asks to rezone 1815 Dallas Lake Road from A-1 Agricultural to R-1 Single-Family Residential. HCZA-26-11 is a special permit for a planned unit development on the same parcels, Tax Map 075, Parcels 096 and 026, in Hamilton County District 1.

The county’s staff report lists Michael Price as applicant and describes the site as undeveloped and used as a borrow pit, next to a cemetery and single-family homes. A narrative in the packet says the owner, Matthew Hamilton, requested the rezoning. Chattanoogan.com described Price as representing the applicant. He told the commission lots would be between 45 feet and 65 feet wide.

Staff noted the property was rezoned from A-1 to R-1 once before, in 1997, so it has held that designation. Staff recommended approval of the rezoning and approval of the PUD with conditions.

Conditions and a requested change

The staff report lists four PUD conditions:

Leave the 30-foot tree buffer in place along Dallas Lake Road and the perimeter of the entire property.
Develop a steep slope policy for slopes greater than 25%.
Complete a traffic study.
Add a turn lane for safety on the two-lane road, given more than 100 homes and one entrance/exit.

Chattanoogan.com summarized the staff conditions as including the 30-foot tree buffer, a plan for steep slopes of 25 percent or higher, a traffic study and “only one entrance and exit.” Price asked for some changes, including setting the steep-slope requirement at 33 percent and over and a 10-foot tree buffer.

How much land stays open

The two sources describe the open space differently. Price told the commission that over 40 percent of the 63.1-acre property will be left as community property, according to Chattanoogan.com. The applicant’s written narrative describes approximately 30 acres of community space, about 48% of the total development area, at a density of roughly 1.87 units per acre.

Oct. 12–13 decisions at a glance

Case	Location	Request	Staff	Outcome
HCZA-26-10	1815 Dallas Lake Road (County District 1)	A-1 to R-1	Approve	Recommended approval, Oct. 12 (Chattanoogan.com)
HCZA-26-11	1815 Dallas Lake Road	PUD special permit, 118 lots	Approve with conditions	Recommended approval, Oct. 12 (Chattanoogan.com)
2026-0125	3147 Broad Street (City District 7)	C-MU-1 to C-C	Deny	Recommended approval, Oct. 12 (Chattanoogan.com)
2026-0124	2105 Hamill Road and 5020 Old Godsey Lane (City District 3)	RN-1-6 to C-C	Deny request; approve INST	Heard Oct. 12
John Wise rezoning	Whiskey Cowgirl, 1819 Broad St.; Southside Social, 1818 Chestnut	Urban Commercial Mixed Use to Urban Commercial Corridor	—	Denied by City Council, Oct. 13 (Chattanoogan.com)

South Broad: a bank at the Buck’s site

Case 2026-0125 asks to rezone 3147 Broad Street from C-MU-1 Commercial Mixed-Use to C-C Commercial Corridor. The agenda lists the applicant as Vetestate, LLC, c/o Samuel Turnipseed, with a staff recommendation to deny. Chattanoogan.com quoted Chris Collins as the applicant at the meeting.

Bryan Shults of the planning staff said multiple studies have urged Broad Street to move away from auto-oriented uses toward an urban format with buildings close to the street. Collins said the group wants to continue the longtime use with a drive-thru window, placed at the rear closer to St. Elmo Avenue. He said building up to the street would not be feasible because of the drive-thru traffic.

The log cabin is to be torn down before the bank is built. Officials said the state will allow only one curb cut onto Broad Street instead of the current two. “The final decision will be by the City Council,” Chattanoogan.com reported. For background on the drive-thru debate, read Chattanooga Planners Keep South Broad Drive-Through Ban — For Now.

Hamill Road medical offices

Also on Monday’s agenda, case 2026-0124 asked for C-C zoning at 2105 Hamill Road and 5020 Old Godsey Lane. Staff recommended denying the request and approving the INST Institutional zone instead. Chattanoogan.com reported a medical office complex is planned on 3.21 acres near CommonSpirit Memorial Northpark, and that the applicants asked for commercial zoning while ruling out auto-related uses, liquor stores, smoke and vape shops and dry cleaners.

Council denies Whiskey Cowgirl rezoning

On Oct. 13, City Council denied John Wise’s request to move the Whiskey Cowgirl and Southside Social site from Urban Commercial Mixed Use to Urban Commercial Corridor zoning. Wise had proposed activating the area along W. 20th Street, including a mini golf course.

Chattanoogan.com reported that the councilwoman cited 531 calls for service between Oct. 12, 2025, and Oct. 12, 2026, in the area between Broad, 20th, Chestnut and Main streets, including 139 at Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl. The story spells her name both Raquetta Dotson and Dotley.

What it means for Chattanooga-area homeowners

For owners near Dallas Lake Road, the plan would add 118 new homes on lots 45 to 65 feet wide, with the tree buffer, steep-slope and traffic conditions still to be settled. New-construction homes nearby give buyers another option, so sellers should price against both resale and new builds.

On South Broad, the bank request shows businesses still want drive-thru access despite plans for a more urban street. Homeowners in St. Elmo and the Broad Street corridor should follow the council vote. For earlier context on the Dallas Lake plan, see Hamilton Planners Set Oct. 12 on 118-Home Dallas Lake Road PUD.

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What did planners decide about 1815 Dallas Lake Road?

On Oct. 12, 2026, the Regional Planning Commission recommended approval for a 118-lot single-family development at the borrow pit site, with a zoning request from A-1 to R-1, Chattanoogan.com reported.

What conditions did staff propose for the Dallas Lake Road PUD?

The staff report lists a 30-foot tree buffer, a steep slope policy for slopes greater than 25%, a traffic study and a turn lane on the two-lane road with one entrance/exit.

How big is the Dallas Lake Road property?

The property is 63.1 acres. Mike Price told planners over 40 percent will be community property; the applicant’s narrative describes about 30 acres, roughly 48%, as community space.

What is planned at the old Buck’s Pit Barbecue site?

Planners recommended rezoning 3147 Broad Street for a new bank with a rear drive-thru. Staff had recommended denial, and the final decision will be by the City Council, Chattanoogan.com reported.

Why did City Council deny the Whiskey Cowgirl rezoning?

The councilwoman cited public safety concerns, including 531 calls for service in the surrounding area between Oct. 12, 2025, and Oct. 12, 2026, with 139 at Southside Social and Whiskey Cowgirl.