Disposition Summary

Approve the CA (General Business) zone, as specified in the case boundary map, because it is a minor extension that is consistent with surrounding development, subject to 1 condition.

---

Staff Recommendation

Approve the CA (General Business) zone, as specified in the case boundary map, because it is a minor extension that is consistent with surrounding development, subject to 1 condition.

---

1) Before grading and building permits are issued on the site, development plan approval by the Planning Commission is required for consideration of the mixed use district design principles in Table 12 (page 30) of the South County Sector Plan (Exhibit B).

---

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. In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) widened Chapman Hwy to include a middle turn lane from the county line to the Highland View Drive intersection. These improvements included realigning the W. Simpson Road intersection and installing an eastbound deceleration lane at this intersection.
2. According to the TDOT website for the Chapman Hwy improvements, as of October 3, 2023, work on a new water line has moved to Simpson Road and is progressing north. A new gas line has been installed to Simpson Road.
3. Approximately 7.7 acres of the property along Chapman Hwy is already zoned CA. Since the 1950s, long segments of Chapman Hwy were zoned commercial on both sides with a 200 to 250-ft depth. The SC (Shopping Center) zone to the west has also been there since the 1950s. Commercial zoning in this area has remained relatively unchanged with the exception of some minor extensions and removals to the southeast near the County line.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. This request is to rezone approximately 12.5 acres of the eastern portion of this 27-acre property from RA (Low Density Residential) to CA (General Business). The remaining portion of the property to the west zoned RA is proposed to be rezoned to PR (Planned Residential) up to 5 du/ac (1-N-24-RZ).
2. The CA zone is intended to provide for general retail business and services but not for manufacturing or for processing materials other than farm products.
3. The proposed rezoning will be consistent with the zone's intent and the surrounding area, which includes a mix of commercial, public/quasi-public, and residential uses.
4. The recommended condition of development plan approval by the Planning Commission will allow consistency in the zoning of the commercial portion of the property and will allow consideration of the design principles outlined in Table 12 of the South County Sector Plan (Exhibit C).
5. 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 is 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. This portion of the subject property has frontage on Chapman Hwy, Highland View Drive, and W. Simpson Road., and two right-of-way stub-outs for access, one to the north (Highland View Circle) and one to the south (W. Simpson Road). The multiple options for access could allow for vehicle traffic to be distributed rather than concentrated and for general connectivity. Pedestrian and vehicle connections from the residential portion of the property (1-N-24-RZ) should be considered during the development plan review. In general, vehicle connections through existing residential areas are discouraged but can be considered when there are mutual benefits.
2. If a future development proposal includes a connection to W. Simpson Road, the developer must design the road or driveway to meet the requirements of the natural gas provider where it crosses the pipeline.

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. This rezoning with the recommended condition is consistent with the South County Sector Plan as amended. The MU-SD, SCo-1 land use class recommends commercial, office, and residential zoning that requires site plan review. Table 12 on p. 30 of the South County Sector Plan provides a list of design criteria to be considered (see Exhibit C).
2. The requested rezoning, with the recommended condition, is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.12, to ensure adequate screening and/or development restrictions near residential, and 9.3, to ensure that the context of new development, including scale and compatibility, does not impact existing neighborhoods and communities. The recommended condition of development plan approval will allow the Planning Commission to consider the scale and compatibility of the development.