Disposition Summary

Approve the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone because it is compatible with surrounding development and provides a transition of land use intensity.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone because it is compatible with surrounding development and provides a transition of land use intensity.

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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. In 2011, a capital improvement was completed at the intersection of S Gallaher View Rd and Gleason Drive to widen and straighten these streets, add turn lanes, and provide pedestrian amenities with new sidewalks and signalized crosswalks.
2. The predominant land use around this intersection is multifamily development that has been established for several decades. The subject property is surrounded by apartments, townhouses, a retirement community, outlier single-family independent lots and single-family subdivisions exist further out. There is potential for a small commercial and office node at this intersection, where there is a gas station and convenience store with C-N (Neighborhood Commercial) zoning at the southeast quadrant of the intersection, and OB (Office, Medical and Related Services) zoning adjacent to the south and across the street from the subject property. This request for a rezoning from the RB (General Residential) zone to the OB zone would provide an appropriate transition of land use towards this modest nonresidential node that benefits from roadway improvements.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The purpose of the OB zone is to provide centralized, compact locations for professional and business offices, clinics, medical, and dental offices near residential neighborhoods.
2. This 1.4-acre property is on a major collector street at the edge of several residential communities and next to OB and C-N zoning. This is a location and parcel size that align with the intent of the OB zone.

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 adverse impacts anticipated to occur with the proposed rezoning. The OB zone generally caps building height at 4 stories, whereas the property's current RB zoning permits buildings that exceed 13 stories. The types of uses permitted in the OB zone do not conflict with a residential environment.

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 land use classification for this property in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan is the SMR (Suburban Mixed Residential) place type, which permits consideration of OB as a partially related zone. The OB zone at this location meets the review criteria for partially related zones by being compatible with the current zoning of adjacent sites.
2. This rezoning at a pedestrian-accessible, nonresidential intersection is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 4, to incentivize walkable mixed-use centers, corridors, and neighborhood service nodes as the preferred form of commercial development.