OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — The city of Oak Ridge is considering developing a 336-acre parcel of land if ownership can be transferred to the city from the federal government. The plan could potentially add more housing.
In a post, the city emphasized that “nothing is set in stone” for the parcel known as ED-6 and that it is in the early phases of evaluating potential uses. It said that any plan will protect the natural beauty of the nearby Lambert Quarry and Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement (BORCE).
The ED-6 Parcel is currently owned by the U.S. Department of Energy. The city asked that the parcel be donated to it rather than sold to a private developer so that the city can have an active role in preserving portions of the property. See the city’s full statement.
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The city said it is considering building housing on the parcel that matches the lot sizes and character of existing homes. It is considering building denser developments, like townhomes and apartments, as well as a potential school at the bottom of the parcel along Oak Ridge Turnpike, it said. The city called the housing “much-needed.”
The city said that it wants to make sure all voices are heard during the process. It responded to multiple comments on a social media post about ED-6, thanking commenters for feedback. The city also said it wants to include the North Boundary Trail, the North Boundary Greenway to Lambert Quarry and single-track trails in its plans.
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The city said that the plan would include “an unchanged North Boundary Trail at the top of Wisconsin that continues to be connected down to an area on the Oak Ridge Turnpike” and a connection to the Lambert Quarry. The city said the connection to the quarry would be buffered from development and may get a paved parking area with restrooms if there is enough funding…