Disposition Summary

Approve the OB (Office, Medical and Related Services) zone and the PR (Planned Residential) zone up to 5 du/ac, as specified in the exhibit map, because they are minor extensions that are compatible with surrounding development.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the OB (Office, Medical and Related Services) zone and the PR (Planned Residential) zone up to 5 du/ac, as specified in the exhibit map, because they are minor extensions that are compatible with surrounding development.

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PURSUANT TO THE KNOX COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE, ARTICLE 6.30.01, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR ALL REZONINGS (must meet all of these):

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED OR CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. This area of Southwest Knox County bordering the City jurisdiction has seen rapid commercial and residential development over the past 10 to 15 years. In particular, nearby properties to the northwest along Kinston Pike were converted from pasture and forest to retail commercial centers between 2008 and 2020. Similarly, farmland and forest to the south and southwest of the subject property have been converted into single family and multifamily residential communities since 2000. The subject property is now an outlier with its existing agricultural land use.
2. The proposed rezonings of approximately 23.91 acres to the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone and 32.5 acres to the PR (Planned Residential) zone, as shown in the Exhibit B map, are minor extensions that reflect surrounding development.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The purpose of the OB zone is to provide areas for professional and business offices and related activities. Buildings and building groups are surrounded by landscaped yards and open areas. Uses permitted in the RB (General Residential) zone are also permitted in OB.
2. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of development that encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. Development is characterized by a unified building plan and site development program and should be compatible with surrounding or adjacent zones.
3. As stated, the subject property is in a transitional area between offices and planned residential communities. The proposed rezoning is a continuation of this compatible transition of land uses, and meets the intent of both zone districts. The proposed PR intensity of 5 dwelling units per acre is compatible with adjacent and surrounding PR developments, which range from 0.5 du/ac to 9 du/ac.
4. Rezonings should be based on the entire range of uses allowed within a zone to ensure that any development brought forth at a future time would be compatible with the surrounding land uses.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT.
1. There are no adverse impacts anticipated to occur with the proposed rezonings, which are a minor extension of both districts.
2. If the maximum unit potential of residential development were pursued for the 32.5 acres that are proposed for PR zoning at a density of 5 du/ac, it would result in 162 units. This many units would require a transportation impact study to evaluate the development's effect on traffic conditions and identify roadway improvements that may be necessary. This study would be incorporated into a public review of the deveopment plan, where community input can be provided to the Planning Commission.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN OF KNOXVILLE AND KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS:
1. The rezonings are consistent with the Southwest County Sector Plan as amended.
2. The proposed area for the PR zone up to 5 du/ac is supported by the General Plan's development policy 4.1 to avoid creating small, isolated pockets of residential development. In addition to access on Ebenezer Rd, there are three stub-outs from other neighborhoods to the property that would enable better connectivity between these residential communities.
3. The requested OB and PR zones align with the General Plan's development policy 5.2 to encourage development in areas with excess utility capacity, or in areas where utilities may be easily extended. This property is in the Urban Growth Boundary of the Growth Policy Plan, where more compact development is encouraged because of existing utility infrastructure.