Disposition Summary

Approve the A (Agricultural) zone because it is consistent with the sector plan and surrounding development. The F (Floodway) zone would be retained.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the A (Agricultural) zone because it is consistent with the sector plan and surrounding development. The F (Floodway) zone would be retained.

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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. The area surrounding the subject property was developed in the 1980s and 1990s and consists primarily of residential and undeveloped land. With the proximity of the Holston River and the FEMA floodplains, A zoning is appropriate within the AG (Agricultural) land use classification and is consistent with the surrounding development, as property to the south of Clift Road is still zoned A.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The A zone provides for a wide range of agricultural, industrial, and residential uses with low population densities and other compatible uses which generally require large areas or open spaces. This property is 2.92 acres in size and meets the dimensional standards for A zoning.
2. This area is comprised of low residential densities and large tracts of open undeveloped land zoned both I (Industrial), and A.
3. While the immediately adjacent properties to the south are zoned RA, they are all over 1 acre in size, which is consistent with the minimum lot size of the A zone. Rezoning the subject property to the A zone is consistent with the character of the area.
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. The subject property sits on the Holston River, and a significant portion of the property is in FEMA floodplains and a floodway. It is also within the stream protection area. Knox County regulations allow the outer half of the distance between the outer edge of the FEMA floodway and 100-year floodplain to be filled. This is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 7.6, to limit uses to 50 percent of the flood fringe area.
2. While it is not in a Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Area, the property does contain moderate slopes between 15% to 25% near the Holston River.

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 subject property is designated with the AG land use classification in the East County Sector Plan, which allows consideration of the A zone in the Rural Residential areas of the Growth Policy Plan.
2. The requested rezoning is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 9.3, the intent of which is to ensure that the context of new development, including scale and compatibility, does not impact existing neighborhoods and communities.