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Staff Recommendation

Deny the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone because it would be an encroachment of a nonresidential zone at the entrance to a residential subdivision.

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The TO (Technology Overlay) zone would be retained.

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The subject property is currently zoned PR (Planned Residential) with up to 3 du/ac and TO (Technology Overlay). The request is for OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services). The TO zone would be retained.

The decision of this body will be a recommendation to the Planning Commission, which will hear the rezoning request at the October 3rd meeting (10-G-24-RZ).

BACKGROUND: In 2004 (11-F-24-RZ), the property was part of a group of parcels rezoned from A (Agricultural), RA (Low Density Residential), and TO (Technology Overlay) to OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services), TO. The property was part of a larger rezoning again in 2021 from OB, TO to PC (Planned Commercial), RA, and TO in 2021 (8-A-21-RZ). The property was then rezoned from PC, RA, and TO to PR (Planned Residential) with up to 3 du/ac and TO in 2022 (12-P-22-RZ).

PURSUANT TO ARTICLE V, SECTION 1 OF THE TTCDA ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND PROCEDURES, THE DECISION OF THE TTCDA TO APPROVE A REZONING MUST BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

A. CONFORMITY OF THE PROPOSED REZONING WITH THE TTCDA COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (THE EQUIVALENT OF THE TTCDA DESIGN GUIDELINES) AND OTHER PLANS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE TECHNOLOGY OVERLAY.

1. Growth Policy Plan:
a. The subject property is within the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which encourages a reasonably compact development pattern and promotes the expansion of the Knox County economy. The allowable uses and lot sizes in the OB zone align with the intent of the Planned Growth Area.

2. Knox County Comprehensive Plan:
a. The subject property's place type is CMU (Corridor Mixed Use) in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan. The OB zone is listed as directly related to this place type, and the allowed uses in the OB zone align with its intent.
b. The rezoning does not comply with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 2, to ensure that new development is sensitive to existing community character. The subject property is located at the entrance to an established residential neighborhood.

3. Zoning Ordinance:
a. The OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone is intended to provide for professional and business offices and related activities in centralized, compact locations for business offices, clinics, and medical and dental offices. The OB zone allows uses similar to others in the vicinity and is generally considered a transitional use. However, this property is only 0.29 acres in size, and a non-residential use would require a parking lot. Between the building and required parking, the TTCDA development metrics about the ground area coverage and impervious area coverage may be challenging to meet.
b. Rezonings should be based on the entire range of uses allowed within a zone to ensure that any future development is compatible with the surrounding land uses. The OB zone allows some uses that would be problematic for this site, such as clinics or multifamily developments with up to 12 du/ac (which on this property could yield up to three dwellings).

B. THE NEED AND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROPOSED REZONING
1. In 2023, the subject property was subdivided into three lots, and two single-family homes were constructed on the two newly created lots adjacent to the east of the subject property. In 2019, a 328-unit apartment complex was built 361 feet west of the subject property, bringing more residential development to this section of Lovell Road, which is already predominantly residential in this area.

C. EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED REZONING ON THE SURROUNDING AREA
1. The subject property is at the entrance of an established residential neighborhood. The proposed rezoning could bring non-residential traffic to High Meadow Drive, a residential street solely intended to provide access to and from the neighborhood.
2. The subject property is a small 0.29-acre lot that must meet the setback, landscaping, and parking requirements of the TTCDA Guidelines and the Knox County Code. As mentioned previously, the space on the property is limited, and a non-residential use would be challenging to fit on the property and meet these requirements. The needed parking for most service-oriented and office uses could also lead to on-street parking, which could disrupt the neighborhood's residential character.