Lookout Mountain City Council on April 23 deferred a proposed PUD ordinance and has turned its attention to building a revised comprehensive plan.

According to Mayor Thomas Gifford, the PUD ordinance has been deferred until the comprehensive plan is completed and has direction.

“In no way are we throwing it out,” he said.

The city hired Phil Walker, of the Walker Collaborative, to review the proposed ordinance.

“We have followed his advice, and his advice was that we would be better served in the long run to review our comprehensive plan with citizen involvement, and then address the zoning issues, either through PUD or any other appropriate vehicle,” Gifford said.

Gifford said citizens have showed support for the decision, though he feels some may be disappointed and would have preferred to have gone through with the PUD.

“We certainly had citizens who are on both sides of the issue,” Gifford said. “It is a very complex topic and we sought the advice from professionals and made the best decision that we could. We are good with it.”

The PUD ordinance has gained focus in light of a proposed community called Chapelbrow and the renovation of the downtown district, heavily damaged by a fire two years ago. Chapelbrow is a proposed community of 150 to 200 single-family and multi-family homes which includes independent and assisted-living units.

Walker’s review is on the Lookout Mountain website at http://www.lookoutmtnga.com/page/news/council-approves-comprehensive-plan.

“We have reached a decision point where we can move forward with the plan and hopefully get everybody on board and have a positive experience in doing this, and it will be something that will have long-term benefits to the community,” Gifford said.