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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac, subject to three conditions:

1) Development must provide street connectivity to Maroon Bells Road and Signal View Road, subject to review and approval by Knox County Engineering and Public Works.
2) Development must provide stub-outs to the west and east for future street connectivity, subject to review and approval by Knox County Engineering and Public Works.
3) Development must provide a 30-ft greenway easement along Conner Creek.

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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 ZONES AFFECTED, OR IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY.
1. The Hardin Valley area has experienced rapid growth over the last 20 years, with numerous attached and detached residential subdivisions constructed within 1 mile of the subject property along Hardin Valley Road. In 2022, the Brooke at Hardin Valley, a 42-lot detached subdivision abutting the subject property on the east side, was completed, and the Haven at Hardin Valley, a 372-unit detached residential subdivision, is under construction directly to the north.
2. Since the early 2000s, the surrounding area has gradually transitioned from the A (Agricultural) zone to the PR (Planned Residential) zone from up to 2 to up to 8 du/ac. There has also been a small node of CA (General Business) zoning established 0.5 miles to the east.
3. In 2024, the Knoxville-Farragut-Knox County Growth Policy Plan was updated to expand the Planned Growth Area based on existing conditions, infrastructure, trends in land use, the natural environment, and input provided by citizens and a wide variety of governmental service providers. The subject property was included in the expanded Planned Growth Area, which was previously designated as Rural.
4. In 2025, Hardin Valley Academy expanded with a new 43,861 sq ft building to accommodate growing student enrollment.
5. Phase I of the Hardin Valley Road Improvement Project is anticipated to begin construction in Fall 2026. The two-phased project will widen Hardin Valley Road to five lanes from Solway Road to Award Winning Way, and widen the section of Hardin Valley Road from three-lanes to five-lanes from Award Winning Way to N Campbell Station Road, roughly 0.25 miles east of the subject property.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE.
1. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of land development which encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. Residential areas thus established would be characterized by a unified building and site development program.
2. Conner Creek and the FEMA 100-yr creek floodway run through the middle of the subject (Exhibit B: FEMA Flood Map). The PR zone would be appropriate here, as it allows development to be clustered on more optimal sections of the site away from environmentally sensitive areas.
3. A non-distubance buffer will be required along Conner Creek, restricting development and alteration of the land adjacent to the creek. Creek crossings will need approval from the Tennessee Department of Environment Conservation, which would occur during permitting.
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 requested PR zone with up to 4 du/ac is compatible with the surrounding residential zoning, which consists of properties zoned PR up to 2 to 4.4 du/ac.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AN AMENDMENT.
1. The PR zone with up to 4 du/ac could yield up to 434 dwelling units, which would require a Traffic Impact Study to be conducted during the concept and development plan phase.
2. The PR zone ensures that site plans undergo a public review process and obtain Planning Commission approval before construction begins. The plan would be reviewed to determine whether the proposed development is compatible with the surrounding community.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS.
1. The subject property has two place types. The approximately 40-acre section south of Conner Creek is designated TN (Traditional Neighborhood), and the approximately 68-acre section north of the creek is designated SR (Suburban Residential). The TN place type is intended for areas that feature a mix of housing with a walkable block pattern and nearby amenities such as parks and schools. The SR place type is intended for areas with a primarily single-family residential development with lot sizes generally less than one acre, and may feature a range of lot sizes and housing sizes and styles.
2. The PR zone with up to 4 du/ac is partially related to both place types. Partially related zones must meet additional review criteria. The proposed rezoning meets the first criterion, as the allowable uses and housing types in the PR zone are consistent with secondary uses of the TN and SR place types.
3. The 2020 Knox County Greenway Corridor Study identified Conner Creek as a potential Greenway route to serve and connect the Hardin Valley area and surrounding communities. A condition requiring a 30-ft greenway easement along Conner Creek is recommended. This condition aligns with the TN place type, which calls for more public open space in the form of neighborhood and community parks and preserved passive open space.
4. The easement is also supported by the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 21: Connect a system of greenways, and Implementation Policy 21.3: Set aside rights-of-way or easements for future greenways as neighborhoods are planned.
5. The SR place type recommends that street connections to adjacent residential areas be provided in new subdivisions. The recommended conditions for connectivity to the subdivision under construction to the north and providing opportunities for future connections to the west and east align with the recommendations of the SR place type. Furthermore, the recommended conditions are supported by the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 11: Promote connectivity with new development, Policy 11.1: Evaluate new residential subdivisions to provide vehicle and pedestrian connections to adjacent subdivisions, and Policy 14: Promote network efficiency to reduce congestion and improve redundancy.
6. The subject property is within the study area of the 2019 Hardin Valley Mobility Plan, which identified the Hardin Valley area as having limited north-south connections due to topographical constraints. The study notes that, because of the limited north-south connections, "it is anticipated that the area's major roadways will likely become more congested [over time] and local roadways could begin to see more traffic if alternative routes are not constructed." As such, "as future development occurs, it is recommended that additional roadway connections be put in place to serve additional residents and relieve stress on the existing system" (pg. 14). The recommended condition to require street connectivity to Maroon Bells Road and Signal View Road to the north supports the Hardin Valley Mobility Study's goal of encouraging north-south connections.
7. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 5: Create neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. The subject property is within 0.5 miles of the Hardin Valley Schools campus and the commercial node at the intersection of Steele Road and Hardin Valley Road, which features retail and service-oriented uses.
8. The subject property is within the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which aims to encourage a reasonably compact pattern of development, promote expansion of the Knoxville-Knox County economy, and offer a wide range of housing choices. The proposed rezoning aligns with the intent of the Planned Growth Area.