On Thursday, the East Ridge City Council will vote on the rezoning request for Swope Drive. 

Over the last week, I’ve heard from residents who have lived in East Ridge for 10, 20, and even 47 years. They are frustrated, disappointed, and honestly feel betrayed. Betrayed by the feeling that residents come second to business interests, that neighborhoods change one decision at a time, slowly, until one day they’re unrecognizable.

A man who has lived on Swope Drive for nearly 20 years is now being forced to move because another property is being bought and demolished for commercial expansion. A home will be torn down so a metal commercial building can be placed in a residential neighborhood.

At some point, East Ridge has to decide what it values.

On Thursday, I hope the City Council chooses it values the residents of East Ridge. I hope they choose to keep neighborhoods as neighborhoods.

Because once they’re gone, you don’t get them back.

And if our elected leaders won’t stand up for the citizens of East Ridge, it might be time to elect new ones in November.

_ Tucker McClendon