Disposition Summary

Approve the request to expand the existing residential drug/alcohol treatment facility to 72 beds, with a total floor area of approximately 28,713 square feet, subject to 4 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request to expand the existing residential drug/alcohol treatment facility to 72 beds, with a total floor area of approximately 28,713 square feet, subject to 4 conditions.

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1. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Health Department.
2. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Tennessee Department of Health.
3. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Engineering and City of Knoxville Fire Department.
4. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including but not limited to Article 11 (Off-Street Parking), Article 12 (Landscaping), Article 10.3.L. (Fences and Walls), and Article 10.3.O. (Freestanding Roofed Structures, Pergola, or Gazebo).

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This proposal is for an expansion of the existing Hellen Ross McNabb CenterPointe residential substance use treatment center from 46 to 72 beds. In November of 2021, the facility was approved for an expansion to 66 beds, but this has not been constructed yet. This Special Use application will replace the previous development plan and conditions of approval (11-D-21-SU).

The CenterPointe facility provides residential substance use services on a voluntary basis. There are no involuntary commitments at this location; all residents are there of their own accord. It is adjacent to the established McNabb Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center, which provides residential behavioral health treatment services and houses a mobile crisis unit, crisis stabilization unit and diversion drop-off center.

The proposed expansion to the building is comprised of a 2,020 sq ft addition to the north side with bedrooms and a common area; a 2,022 sq ft addition to the east side for therapy rooms and staff offices; a 3,475 sq ft addition to the west side for an activity room; and a 3,485 sq ft addition to the south for bedrooms and a common area. The parking lot will be reconfigured and provide a total of 70 spaces, 16 of which will be leased to the Urgent Care Center for overflow parking. A volleyball court and gazebo will be added next to the southern and eastern additions. A circular driveway will be added to the southwest side of the building for service vehicle use, and this is where the screened dumpster is located. Access will remain at Ball Camp Pike exclusively. The driveway will be gated, and an open fence installed around the campus. The privacy fence between the campus and the residential neighborhood to the south will remain as is.

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 One Year Plan and Northwest City Sector Plan land use designations for this site are O (Office), which permits the existing O (Office) zoning district. O zoning on the property is consistent with the proposed expansion of the existing use.
b. The General Plan's development policy 8.4 describes protecting residential areas from encroaching commercial development and other incompatible uses. This voluntary residential treatment center expansion differs from the prior 2021 special use approval by removing a driveway connection to Oakbank Ln, a residential street, adding a new open perimeter fence, and increasing the approved bed count by 6 beds. The use and site plan do not conflict with the General Plan or any other adopted plans for the area.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE
a. The O zoning district is intended to provide for an environment of low intensity office and service uses, mixed with residential uses. The O District may additionally serve as a transition between single-family residential areas and more intensely developed areas.
b. The O zoning district allows consideration of a residential drug/alcohol treatment facility as a special use. The property's location between a single-family development to the south and Western Avenue, a major arterial street with commercial corridors, to the north meets the intent of the zoning district.
c. The proposed expansions meet the O zoning dimensional standards and design standards, which include a front façade minimum transparency of 30%, and a continuation of building material and visual elements on the primary frontage to all facades visible from a public right-of-way.

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 residential treatment facility use is well-established in this area. Helen Ross McNabb Center Inc has owned and operated the subject property since 1997.
b. The four additions will have a similar exterior design, scale and finish as the existing facility.

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. The building additions to the side and rear of the structure are significantly set back from the adjacent residential neighborhood. There is a 20-ft buffer between the parking lot and the rear lot line. The rear yard is separated from the abutting residential neighborhood with a 6-ft tall wooden privacy fence, and an open 6-ft tall fence is proposed for all other sides of the perimeter.
b. The proposed sand volleyball court and gazebo are located next to the building within the parking lot border, and are set far back from residential areas. The applicant has stated that volleyball activity would occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., depending on the weather and season.
c. The lighting specifications balance lighting that is sufficient for safety without being a nuisance on neighboring properties.
d. There are no adverse impacts anticipated to occur with the proposed use expansion and site plan.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
a. The existing driveway on Ball Camp Pike, a minor collector street, will remain the only access point to the campus. This section of Ball Camp Pike was significantly improved in 2018 to provide quick access to Western Avenue via Matlock Drive. Sidewalks and crosswalks were also added. This driveway location will not draw additional traffic through residential 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. Hydrological studies were completed in 2022 on two drainage features connected to Third Creek along the northwest side of the subject property. Both evaluations determined that the drainage areas were wet weather conveyances and not streams. Any expansions will adhere to City Engineering stormwater management requirements.
b. The adjacent uses to the south and southeast are residential and will not pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment to the subject property.
c. The Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center to the east is also operated by Helen Ross McNabb.