The Commission Voted No. Don't Let the Council Stall.

The Planning Commission voted no, 5 to 2. Don't let the Council stall.

The Planning Commission did its job and voted to recommend denying the gondola zoning amendment. But the City Council keeps delaying the final vote while Rock City hosts "listening sessions." Here's how to make your voice heard now.

We can love Rock City (and the people who work there!) and still believe these changes to the Zoning Ordinance aren't right for our community.

Read on

The Commission did its job. The Council keeps delaying.

The Lookout Mountain, Georgia Planning Commission thoroughly researched Rock City's proposed nine-phase gondola system and voted 5 to 2 to recommend denying the zoning amendment to Ordinance No. 292. With that formal recommendation, the Planning Commission completed its legal duty, and the matter moved to the City Council.

But the Council deferred taking action in June, took no vote in July, and has postponed scheduling a decision through the August meeting.

While the Council delays, Rock City is launching a public relations blitz with six "listening sessions." Rock City has signaled publicly that it intends to push the project forward regardless, yet it is holding these sessions to win political cover. The fact remains: they cannot build on City mountain land without the City Council rewriting our town zoning laws.

We have written letters, signed petitions, placed yard signs, and worn red. More than 830 neighbors have signed the petition: 324 in Lookout Mountain, Georgia; 253 in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee; 136 in St. Elmo; and 117 in surrounding areas. Help us reach 1,000 before the August 13 meeting, and share this page with three neighbors on your block.

Your August action plan

Pack City Hall in red (Red Out 2.0)

Thursday, August 13, the City Council's monthly meeting at City Hall, 1214 Lula Lake Road. Wear red. Fill every single seat. When the Council looks out at the audience, let them see a solid wall of red: a clear, visual reminder that more than 830 local voters are watching their every move.

Flood City Hall inboxes today

Email City Manager Kenny Lee at kennylee@lookoutmtnga.com and ask him to forward your message to all council members. Ready-to-use templates are at the bottom of this page.

Jump to the email templates

Attend Rock City's "listening sessions" in red and ask hard questions

Show up in your red shirts and ask the fact-checked community questions below. The full schedule:

Monday, August 17: Lookout Mountain GA City Hall, 12:00 p.m. · South Chattanooga Rec Center, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 18: Flintstone Chapel (3819 Chattanooga Valley Rd), 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 19: Rock City Parking Lot, 8:30 a.m. · Rock City's Grandview, 6:00 p.m.

See the 14 questions

Ask Them On The Record

14 questions to ask Rock City

The facts behind these questions are backed by official public records, state data, and a UTC geology advisory. Bring them to the listening sessions, ask them on the record, and expect real answers.

Category A

Right-of-way, title, and historical boundaries

The Federal Boundary & Ancient Easement Claims: "Your project footprint approaches Federal park land. Can you produce a currently valid paper easement allowing commercial aerial transit? Historical sales published in the 1935 and 1940 Walker County Messenger cite binding covenants in Deed Book 58, Pages 36 and 98. Where is your modern certified title abstract proving these historic rights exist for a commercial gondola?"
Private Property Encroachment & Municipal Access Roads: "Town Commission records confirm that early developers deeded their main roads directly to the town for public surface use (such as the historic Fairyland Bus Line). Why do your current layout and traffic maps show access routes cutting across town-owned land or private residential property?"
Security, Trespassing, and Backyard Privacy: "The gondola line creates a low-altitude commercial transit corridor over private backyards. What specific, legally binding security measures, fencing, and 24/7 surveillance are you funding to protect homeowners from trespassing, littering, and invasion of privacy along the route?"

Category B

Infrastructure, traffic, and tax loops

The Flawed Traffic Displacement Study: "Your study claims this system reduces traffic on Ochs Highway, but tourists must still drive to the valley station. Why does your study ignore the bottlenecking and gridlock this dumps into the narrow choke points of St. Elmo and Chattanooga Valley?"
Cleaner, Simpler Traffic Options: "If the primary goal is truly to reduce vehicle traffic on Ochs Highway, why hasn't Rock City evaluated non-invasive options, such as zero-emission electric shuttles on existing public roads, instead of demanding an overhaul of residential zoning laws?"
The Municipal Tax Loophole: "Because the bottom station and physical footprint sit outside Lookout Mountain, GA municipal limits, this project brings thousands of daily visitors onto mountain roads without generating new commercial sales tax for our town. Why should residents absorb 100% of the traffic and wear-and-tear while Rock City pockets the financial windfall?"
Construction Impact & Multi-Ton Truck Traffic: "Building nine industrial-strength support towers and heavy terminal stations requires months of heavy machinery traffic and concrete mixers navigating narrow mountain streets. What is your exact construction route, and who holds legal liability when multi-ton vehicles damage historic residential roads and stone retaining walls?"

Category C

Financial transparency and governance

Capitalization Structure and Private Equity: "What is the exact capitalization structure for this multi-million-dollar expansion, and are outside private equity firms funding or controlling any portion of this project?"
Board Member Transparency: "Who are the current members of the Rock City Board of Directors, and why is this corporate governance information not transparently disclosed to the impacted community?"
Future 'Phase Creep' Safeguards: "This proposal is explicitly labeled as a 'nine-phase plan.' Once the initial line and stations are established, what legally binding guarantees will you provide that future phases won't introduce expanded commercial retail, parking decks, or additional transit corridors into residential zones?"

Category D

Environmental hazards, geology, and safety standards

The Unstudied Karst & Underground Cave Hazard: "USGS IC-29 documents a sensitive karst aquifer in this valley, and UTC Geology Professor Dr. Amy Brock-Hon confirmed that karst areas require a full geotechnical assessment before heavy construction. Georgia's State Geologist was never consulted. Why is the Council being asked to rewrite zoning laws before this subsurface safety assessment takes place?"
Wind Shear, Microclimates & Aerial Safety: "Lookout Mountain regularly experiences sudden wind shears, heavy fog, and ice storms. At what exact wind speed or weather threshold will the gondola be forced to shut down operations, where will passengers be held during sudden stoppages, and what is your plan to prevent dangerous cable-sway over homes below?"
Low-Frequency Mechanical Noise & Privacy Disruption: "Commercial gondola systems produce continuous mechanical noise from terminal machinery and tower sheave trains. What is the exact decibel rating of these towers at residential property lines, what specific noise-mitigation infrastructure will be installed, and how will impacted homeowners be compensated for degraded property values?"
Vegetation Clearance & Safety Standards (ANSI B77.1): "ANSI B77.1 safety standards for passenger ropeways mandate strict clearance zones to prevent adjacent trees from interfering with cables. What specific tree-clearing footprint and erosion-control plans are required under ANSI B77.1, and will full engineering specs be released to the public prior to any Council vote?"

Email templates for City Hall

Pick one option below, personalize the bracketed line, and send it to City Manager Kenny Lee at kennylee@lookoutmtnga.com. Ask him to forward your message to all council members.

Option A: Geological & environmental hazards

Subject: Geological safety concerns regarding Ordinance #292 / Vote NO on Gondola Amendment

Dear City Manager Lee and Council Members,

As a resident of Lookout Mountain, I am writing to urge you to uphold the Planning Commission's decisive 5–2 recommendation and vote NO on amending Ordinance #292.

[Personalize here: Insert 1–2 sentences about how long you have lived here or your concern for the mountain's character.]

I am deeply alarmed by the lack of geological transparency regarding this project. UTC Geology Professor Dr. Amy Brock-Hon explicitly advised that areas susceptible to karst hazards must undergo a full geotechnical assessment before heavy construction. Yet, Georgia's State Geologist confirms his office was never consulted, and the Regional Commission confirmed that no formal DRI application has been submitted.

Asking this Council to rewrite zoning laws before conducting the basic subsurface karst assessments recommended by regional geologists puts our community at risk. We urge you to listen to scientific experts and the 830 local voters who signed petitions against this project: protect our mountain and reject Ordinance #292.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

Start this email

Option B: Flawed traffic & infrastructure

Subject: Flawed traffic study for Ordinance #292 / Shifting the traffic bottleneck / Vote NO

Dear City Manager Lee and Council Members,

I am writing to voice my firm opposition to the proposed Rock City gondola project and the requested changes to our residential zoning codes.

[Personalize here: Insert a quick sentence about your daily commute or road safety concerns.]

The developer's traffic claims are fundamentally flawed. While the proposal claims to reduce vehicle traffic on Ochs Highway, it simply displaces vehicle flow, forcing massive gridlock and safety hazards directly into the narrow residential choke points of Chattanooga Valley and St. Elmo. Furthermore, historical town records show that primary mountain access roads were deeded to the town for public surface access, not overhead private commercial transit.

With 830 tri-state residents officially signing petitions against this project, we expect our elected officials to protect local infrastructure, respect town rights-of-way, and vote NO.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

Start this email

Option C: Council accountability & delays

Subject: Postponed vote on Ordinance #292 / Council representation & state DRI requirements

Dear City Manager Lee and Council Members,

I am writing to express my growing concern regarding the repeated delays of the vote on Ordinance #292 following the Planning Commission's clear 5–2 recommendation to deny the zoning amendment.

[Personalize here: Insert a brief sentence stating that you expect transparency and swift action from local leaders.]

Stalling this vote while Rock City hosts public relations meetings creates a troubling impression. Furthermore, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission confirmed in writing that no formal application beyond a conceptual presentation has been submitted. Voting on a zoning text amendment before completing mandatory state DRI reviews and proper geotechnical assessments compromises our city's legal standing.

You were elected to represent the citizens of Lookout Mountain, not to act as a buffer for commercial expansion. We stand strong with 830 signed neighbors and demand that you honor the Planning Commission's vote and reject this amendment.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

Start this email