Walden TN Grocery Store

12/18/2023

As you may have heard, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s vote regarding the square footage cap was not in our favor. We are disappointed with the outcome, but we are looking to see if there are any alternative options to provide the much needed and wanted developments for Walden and the Signal Mountain community. Thank you for your continued support throughout this process.

11/10/2023

Fellow Friends,

The Walden Planning Commission has met over the proposed changes to the TC-MU zone voted on during the October Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting and has still recommended there be a 30,000 square footage cap on the town center developments!

On Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen will vote to either adopt the Walden Planning Commission’s recommendations or move forward with the significant size restrictions voted on during last month’s meeting.

This will be the last chance to persuade Alderwoman Lizzy Schmidt to change her vote or the grocery store will no longer be possible. Please email her at [email protected] or call her at 423-903-1514 and urge her to reverse her vote.

Community members will also have the opportunity to speak at the Town Hall meeting so please plan to attend and vocally show your support.

Spread the word!

11/08/2023

The Walden Planning Commission has met over the proposed changes to the TC-MU zone voted on during the October Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting and has still recommended there be NO square footage cap on the town center developments!

On Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen will vote to either adopt the Walden Planning Commission’s recommendations or move forward with the significant size restrictions voted on during last month’s meeting.

As one of the original supporters of the Walden View development and grocery store, we urge you to reach out directly to Alderwoman Lizzy Schmidt at [email protected] and ask her to vote to adopt the Planning Commission’s recommendation!

Community members will also have the opportunity to speak at the Town Hall meeting so please plan to attend and vocally show your support.

Spread the word!

10/26/2023

Fellow friends,
The future Walden View Town Center project with its desired grocery store, village green, and 10-acre park is in jeopardy unless you take action IMMEDIATELY.
The Town of Walden Board of Mayor and Aldermen met on October 17 to consider a recommendation from the Walden Planning Commission (WPC) to adopt a new zoning code in compliance with the Land Use Plan. Neither contained a square footage cap on the commercial buildings planned for the Walden View Town Center.
Alderwomen Lizzie Schmidt and Angela Davis voted directly against the recommendation of the WPC and instead proposed an amendment to the new zoning code that imposes an arbitrary 15,000 square cap on the size of commercial buildings. This is so restrictive it would prohibit the small but essential grocery component of the Walden View Town Center which is only 29,000 SF in size.
The developer cannot make an application for the Walden View Town Center project once the proposed cap is put in place. Mayor Lee Davis continued to show his support and voted to support the adoption of the zoning code without a size cap, which was recommended by the WPC, in respect for and consistent with the extensive work of town citizen volunteers on both the WPC and the Land Use Plan committee.
Schmidt and Cassidy’s amendment to the zoning code, which would kill Walden View Town Center, goes back to the Town Board for further action on November 14, so it is not set in stone just yet. There is a brief window of time to act before final adoption by the Town Board.
As one of the original supporters of the Walden View development and grocery store, we urge you to reach out directly to Alderwoman Schmidt and persuade her to change her mind. She still has the opportunity to rescind her vote on the 15,000 SF cap and vote otherwise on November 14.
The Walden View Town Center can move forward if the building cap is moved up to 30,000 square feet, which will allow the small but essential 29,000-square-foot grocery store to be built. You can suggest this to Alderwoman Schmidt or simply tell her you want her to find a way to allow a grocery store larger than 15,000 square feet to be built inside the Town Center.
If this development is not approved for the Walden Town Square, the grocery store will have no choice but to move into Sequatchie County, taking thousands of dollars of tax revenue from the town of Walden that could be used for education, parks and improving our roads. It will also move the store much further out from Taft Highway, which denies easy access to senior citizens and young families.
Without the grocery store, the Walden View Town Center will not move forward and its restaurants, village green, entertainment venues and new park will be taken away from the citizens of Walden.
We still have the chance to see the development through and help the city of Walden and the Signal Mountain and Walden Ridge area thrive.
Again, please reach out directly to Alderwoman Lizzy Schmidt at [email protected] and urge her to reverse her decision on capping the square footage, so the entire Walden View Town Center can become a reality.
The process of moving the Walden View development forward has been long and tedious. Thank you to all the supporters who have patiently stood by, shared information and voiced their support of Walden View! We aren’t done yet!
– Friends of Walden, TN Grocery Store

10/13/2023

On Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, the Southeast Tennessee Development District will review the proposed zoning amendments to the new TC-MU zone during a public workshop. A vote will follow at 6:30 p.m. during the regularly scheduled Walden Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, also held at Town Hall.
As supporters of the Walden View development, we highly encourage you to attend the public workshop and the meeting that will follow. Please be prepared to vocally support the adoption of the TC-MU zone as was recommended by the Walden Planning Commission.
While this meeting and vote are not specifically about the Walden View development, the passing of the new zoning is incredibly impactful to any future development success in and around Walden’s town center.
Spread the word!
The process to move the Walden View development forward has been long and tedious. Thank you to all the supporters who have patiently stood by, shared information and voiced their support of Walden View!

09/18/2023

Congratulations to our supporters for their continued dedication to the Walden View development! Thanks to your efforts, we are closer than ever to seeing the new TC-MU zone accepted, allowing us to move forward with the development project. On Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, there will be a public workshop meeting with the planning staff to discuss the zoning code. The vote will follow at 6:30 p.m. during the monthly Board of the Mayor and Alderman meeting.
While we are close to making the development a reality, it has never been more important to contact your elected officials and attend the upcoming meeting! Please plan to vocally support accepting the new zoning code without a square footage cap, as was recommended by the Walden Planning Commission. Thank you for all that you have done to bring the Walden View development to fruition.

Walden officials appear near a vote that could clear a path for a new grocery store as part of a planned multimillion-dollar town center and potentially end years of tension over such a project.

09/14/2023

Without prior notice, on Tuesday evening we were informed that there would be no vote on the new TC-MU zone and that the vote would be pushed until the following meeting in October. While we are disappointed the vote did not take place, we were very encouraged by the mayor’s support regarding the developer’s work on this project and the time and effort put forth by the Walden Planning Commission with their recommendation to pass the zoning ordinance without a square footage cap.

On Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, there will be a public workshop meeting to discuss the new TC-MU zone, with the vote to follow at 6:30 p.m. during the regularly scheduled Walden Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, also held at Town Hall.

As a supporter of the Walden View development, we highly encourage you to attend the public workshop and the meeting that will follow it. Please be prepared to vocally support the adoption of the TC-MU zone without a square footage cap, as was recommended by the planning commission. While this meeting and vote are not specifically about the Walden View development, the passing of the new zoning without a square footage cap is incredibly impactful to any future development success in and around Walden’s town center.

Spread the word!

In addition, please continue sharing your thoughts here and reaching out to your elected officials to express your support.
The process to move the Walden View development forward has been long and tedious. Thank you to all the supporters who have patiently stood by, shared information and voiced their support of Walden View!

09/12/2023

The Walden Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting is TODAY at 6:30 p.m. at the McCoy Farm & Gardens, and the town council will be voting on whether to accept the new TC-1 zone (now called the TC-MU zone) without a square footage limit.

While this meeting and vote are not specifically about the Walden View development, a zoning code without a square footage cap is necessary to make the Walden View development possible, and in general, incredibly impactful to any future development success in and around Walden’s town center.

As a supporter of the Walden View development, please plan to attend the meeting and be prepared to vocally express your support for the adoption of the TC-MU zone without a square footage limit, as was recommended by the planning commission.

Simply sign in as a speaker when you arrive if you wish to address the town council. *If you do not sign in, you will not be allowed to speak, so please sign in.*

NOW is the time for action. Voice your support and show up! Spread the word!

09/08/2023

We have an exciting update. The Walden Planning Commission has recommended that the new TC–1 zoning be passed without a square footage limit. However, Mayor Davis and Alderpersons Schmidt and Cassidy must approve this before it becomes final. NOW is the time for action, to voice your support and to show up!

As a supporter of the Walden View development, please plan to attend the next Walden Board Mayor and Alderman meeting, set for this Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the McCoy Farm & Gardens, and be prepared to vocally express your support for the adoption of the TC-1 zone as recommended by the planning commission. While this meeting and vote are not specifically about the Walden View development, a zoning code without a square footage cap is necessary to make the Walden View development possible, and in general, incredibly impactful to any future development success in and around Walden’s town center.

When you arrive at the meeting, simply sign in as a speaker if you wish to address the town officials on this topic, as there is a sign-in sheet provided by the town. Attendees must sign in to be permitted to speak at the meeting.

Spread the word!

In addition, please continue sharing your thoughts here and reaching out to your elected officials to express your support.

The process to move the Walden View development forward has been long and tedious. Thank you to all the supporters who have patiently stood by, shared information and voiced their support of Walden View!

08/16/2023

With the school year officially started, we want to know what school supplies you would like to see at the new Walden grocery store? Let us know in the comments! ⬇️

07/21/2023

Set the Date: Tuesday Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m.

As a supporter of a new grocery store and Walden View, please plan to attend the next Walden Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting on Tuesday Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall and be prepared to vocally express your support for adoption of a TC-1 zone without a size limit. It is critical to voice your support now, as this TC-1 zone will dictate the permitted footprint of Walden View! This meeting is incredibly impactful to be able to move the project forward.

NOW is the time for action, to voice your support and to show up! Spread the word!

07/13/2023

We are getting positive feedback that possibly the majority of the Walden Planning Commission is in favor of new TC – 1 zoning that would allow a 30,000 SF grocery store. However, the final decision will be made by Mayor Davis and Alderpersons Scmidt and Cassidy. NOW is the time for action, to voice your support and to show up!

As a supporter of a new grocery store and Walden View, please plan to attend the next Walden Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, set for Tuesday Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, and be prepared to vocally express your support for adoption of a TC-1 zone without a size limit. This meeting will have the first reading of the proposed TC-1 zoning district, which would be applied to the land for the Walden View project. While the meeting is not specifically about the Walden View development, if the TC-1 zone that is adopted includes an arbitrary cap on the size of the grocery store of anything less than 30,000 square feet in building size, then the Walden View development could not proceed. This meeting is incredibly impactful to be able to move the project forward. It is critical to voice your support now, as this TC-1 zone will dictate the permitted footprint of Walden View.

When you arrive at the meeting, simply sign in as a speaker if you wish to address the town officials on this topic, as there is a sign-in sheet provided by the town. Attendees must sign in to be permitted to speak at the meeting.

Spread the word!

In addition, please continue sharing your thoughts here and reaching out to your elected officials to express your support.

The process to move the Walden View development forward has been long and tedious. Thank you to all the supporters who have patiently stood by, shared information and voiced their support of Walden View!