Disposition Summary

Deny the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 7 du/ac because it is inconsistent with the intent of the zone.

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 7 du/ac because it is inconsistent with the intent of the zone.

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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 CITY/COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. Since 2022, four large properties within a 1/3 mile radius were rezoned to PR (Planned Residential) with densities ranging from 4 du/ac to 18 du/ac. The smallest lot among those rezonings was 4.84 acres.
2. The subject property is 1 acre in size, which aligns with the general lot size of the single-family detached properties immediately surrounding this parcel on Abner Cruze Road. Many of these properties have longstanding RB (General Residential) zoning, which permits densities up to 12 du/ac by right, but the zone's permitted intensity does not reflect the established single-family land use on this local residential street.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE
1. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of development that encourage imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. Residential areas are characterized by a unified building and site development plan, and density can be clustered in the optimal areas of a property away from environmental constraints like streams or steep slopes.
2. This property has no apparent environmental restrictions. The property is mostly cleared, and there are no steep slopes, sinkholes or streams. The small size of the parcel is misaligned with the unified development intent of this zone. The PR zone's standard 35-ft periphery boundary also limits buildable area on this 1-acre lot.

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. There are no significant adverse impacts expected to occur with the proposed rezoning. While 7 dwellings on this lot would be an outlier in the context of existing development, there should be no adverse impacts on traffic due to the property's proximity to W Governor John Sevier Highway.

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 requested PR zone at 7 du/ac can be considered as a partially related zone under the subject property's SR (Suburban Residential) place type in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan. It meets the additional criteria for a partially related zone by being consistent with the secondary uses of the SR place type, which include attached residential development.
2. This rezoning would not be consistent with General Plan's Implementation Policy 2, to ensure that development is sensitive to existing community character, since the surrounding residential development is more sparse than what is proposed. However, it would be aligned with Implementation Policy 5, to Create neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. The potential development of 7 homes here would be well served by the commercial amenities of the South Grove shopping center 3/4-mile northeast of the subject property. This commercial node includes a grocery store, home improvement store, medical services, and a Knoxville Area Transit bus route.
3. If this rezoning is to be approved, staff recommend that approval be conditioned upon the installation of a Type 'B' Landscape Screen along the W. Governor John Sevier Highway side of the property. This would align future development with the Governor John Sevier Scenic Highway Corridor Study, which recommends a 50-ft landscape buffer along the major arterial street. Because of the subject property's size, the full 50-ft buffer depth is not practical. The Type 'B' Landscape Screen is consistent with the screening installed on the adjacent property to the east.