Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-1 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-1 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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This request is for a two-story duplex with a footprint of 1,762 sq ft on this 15,100-sq ft lot. Each unit has three bedrooms and an attached garage. In 2021, the Planning Commission approved a similar special use application for this property for a different duplex plan (8-A-21-SU); however, the site has remained vacant and the previous approval is now expired.

STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING A SPECIAL USE (ARTICLE 16.2.F.2)

1) THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE ONE-YEAR PLAN.
A. The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.1 that encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. A two-family dwelling, which is considered low-density residential use, is consistent with the South City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification.
C. The proposed use is consistent with the One Year Plan's location criteria for a duplex as this development would provide a buffer between the residential properties to the northeast and the southwestern property with the partial C-H-2 zone that could accommodate intense non-residential uses.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-1 district is intended to accommodate low density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks. Two-family dwellings may be allowed by special use approval.
B. The RN-1 district requires a minimum lot size of 15,000 sq ft for two-family dwellings and the subject property meets the requirement. The site plan and building elevations as provided conform to the dimensional standards (Article 4.3) and the Principal Use Standards (Article 9.3.J) for duplexes in the RN-1 district.

3) THE USE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS PROPOSED, AND WITH THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY.
A. The use will be compatible with the character of the area that includes nonresidential uses along Chapman Highway and single-family houses away from the throughfare.
B. The proposed two-story structure will be consistent in size and scale with other houses in the surrounding area.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. Two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses and are compatible with other residential uses in the vicinity.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. Two additional units are not expected to significantly impact traffic on surrounding streets.

6) THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS NOT SUCH AS TO POSE A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE PROPOSED USE OR TO CREATE AN UNDESIRABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PROPOSED USE.
A. There are no known uses immediately surrounding the subject property that would pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment for the proposed use.