Another resident moved there in the 1960s when she was five years old. One family is descended from the actual founders and developers of Reflection Riding.

While the howling of the wolves could be found charming by some, a nuisance by others, the actual concerns of neighbors are regarding the A-1 Urban Agricultural Farming zone that Reflection Riding seeks. Most agriculture zones do not keep animals whose noises carry for 10 miles, and the wolf sanctuary is better compared to a zoo enclosure or dog kennel.

Most importantly, it was built 65 feet across the neighboring residential property line. This means that whenever the wolves arrived at their sanctuary, it was already a zone violation. Many residents intend for their homes and land here to be handed down to future generations, and none of us know what values future leadership of RR might bring when it changes hands, as it inevitably does.
Reflection Riding has communicated their intentions to correct current zoning issues. It is appropriate for them to submit a plan for the future relocation of the animal enclosures that fit within the new A-1 Urban Agriculture zoning. Residents of Garden Road agree that a zoning change that would grandfather in a currently illegal structure would not be in anyone’s best interest.

In 2020, a roomier and seemingly more humane enclosure location was described in Reflection Riding’s master plan. The residents now expect Reflection Riding to follow through and to correct where they illegally - due to lack of surveys - constructed the current shelter and enclosure. Why not have a statement in the zoning recommendations that this will be corrected in the future? Surely, we can all agree that Reflection Riding would not presume to break the zoning rules, and that the planning commission would take a closer look at the available GIS maps that show that the current enclosure does not exist on Reflection Riding’s property.

Isn't it in Reflection Riding’s interest to be good neighbors? In the end wouldn't that be better for the wolves, too?

This is not the first time that Chattanooga Nature Center has built significantly across residential property lines.

Missy Luce

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The best way to keep the howls of the wolves from traveling 10 miles is to take the microphone away so the sound system they utilize can’t project their voices so far.

I’ve not heard them here. We live two miles west, not on what was a farm but on land that has been in the family since about 1925. My grandfather arrived in this cove around 1905.  The original stakeholders long prior got to go much further West on this very road, Kelly Ferry Road as it was known back in the day, to ride down the river a ways on their relocation to Oklahoma.

What we hear from our place eastward much nearer to Reflection Riding are the assemblage of trains well into the night at Wauhatchie Railyard. That yard postdates my family's arrival but they are neighbors in old world terminology so we accept their presence. We couldn’t expect much from telling them to couple cars quietly; maybe I hear young, inexperienced engineers doing their work. 

 We do have here howl wise a resident population of coyotes. Just five nights ago one or three let off a chorus for a bit two doors to the east. Our fauna we watch carefully as coyotes find domestic animals easier to eat than resident squirrels, rabbits and turkeys. And I feel certain the resident coyote population on the Western slope of Lookout Mountain come serenade the red wolves.  

I know here human commands have little response so my take holds true for that realm. We personally do not shoot coyotes. Unlike Garden Road there is a U.S. highway that goes through this cove. It is subject to phone navigation systems telling drivers the interstate is slow, go that way. Then our semi-rural main road is a major thoroughfare.

So my plea to the neighbors in conflict with Reflection Riding, the Nature Center, whatever the current iteration is of that estate, my plea is, be a neighbor, have a sit down, join a board meeting if neighbors are welcomed or allowed. You’ll still be a neighbor after the zoning process ends unless you move.  

Another thing, zoning rules for outbuildings in R-1 allow 10-foot setback from side property lines for outbuildings.

One last thought, check out Alligator River Wildlife Refuge, it is native habitat for the Red Wolf. It's on Highway 64, same highway that goes through just east of here.

Prentice Hicks