City council holds public hearing, approves first reading to abandon portion of Old Ringo Road for Osborne Shopping Center redevelopment

The East Ridge City Council on first reading approved Ordinance 12-15, which would abandon a roughly 30-foot-wide section of Old Ringo Road between Wimberley Lane and the northwest corner of 3801 Ringo Road to allow redevelopment of the Osborne Shopping Center.

City planning staff described the proposal as beginning at Wimberley Lane, extending about 682.79 feet west, and creating an opportunity to convert the roadway to a pedestrian walkway as part of a mixed-use redevelopment plan. The council opened a public hearing before taking the vote.

Why it matters: the abandonment would clear a narrow, underused stretch of right-of-way so the property owner can reconfigure parking, create pedestrian connections and street activation. The council and the applicant said the change is meant to improve pedestrian safety, reduce cut-through traffic and support retail activation at a center that has been largely vacant.

City planning staff explained that the abandoned strip is about 30 feet wide; if the city abandons the right-of-way, 15 feet would vest to UrbanStory Ventures (the applicant) and the other 15 feet would vest to adjacent property owners unless those owners sell. The staff presentation also noted aerial power lines and a sewer main run through the area and said easements would be required for utilities if the abandonment is approved. Staff further said the stretch “is not maintained nor owned by TDOT.”

Jimmy White, owner and president of UrbanStory Ventures, said his Chattanooga-based firm bought the center about a year ago and plans to “slow down traffic” and create tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly space. “I see some issues with cars cut-using that as a cut-through. The idea would be that we could program that street with food trucks and things like that on the weekends, activate it, create that pedestrian walkability, landscape it really nicely, and just really activate that center,” White said.

A nearby property owner, Tanner Eaton of 4128 Briar Street (representing ownership at 3638 Weldon Drive), spoke in support, saying the closure would improve neighborhood safety and “foster much needed economic growth and stability.”

Council members asked staff and the applicant practical questions about access, ownership and the potential effect if some adjacent property owners decline to accept their half of the abandoned strip. Staff explained that the city’s abandonment process does not automatically give a single buyer the entire former right-of-way: the typical split results in half going to the purchasing party and half to adjacent owners, and any homeowners that wished to retain access would need easements or arrangements with the developer.

White said UrbanStory Ventures would negotiate with homeowners and could make access accommodations, including easements or maintenance commitments, and said the developer’s intent is “not to burden the existing homeowners. It’s actually to improve that area.”

Council member Witt moved to approve Ordinance 12-15 on first reading; Vice Mayor Tyler seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous: Vice Mayor Tyler yes; Council member Cagle yes; Council member Ezell yes; Council member Witt yes; Mayor Williams yes. The motion passed as approved on first reading.

Next steps: because the council approved first reading, the ordinance will return for next steps required by the city process (additional readings or final adoption per city procedure). Staff and the applicant said final design details, utility easements and property transfers remain to be completed before any physical changes occur.

The public hearing record and staff packet included a master plan illustration for the Osborne Shopping Center redevelopment and the ordinance lists the affected tax map parcel IDs.