Disposition Summary

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac because it is compatible with surrounding development and consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac because it is compatible with surrounding development and consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan.

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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 COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. The 2024 update to the Growth Policy Plan reclassified this area from Rural Area to Planned Growth Area. The Planned Growth Area promotes a reasonably compact development pattern and a wide range of housing choices, and this change supports the proposed PR zone, allowing for more concentrated development than the current A zone.
2. Since the early 2000s, there have been several PR rezonings with densities ranging from 2 to 18 du/ac within the nearby Planned Growth Area along E Governor John Sevier Hwy. In 2024, an 11.4-acre property located approximately 800 ft east of the subject parcel was rezoned to PR with a density of up to 3.5 du/ac (7-V-24-RZ).

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The PR zone is intended to provide flexibility for different types of residential development. Houses, duplexes, and multi-dwelling structures and developments are permitted in the PR zone, along with some nonresidential uses.
2. At 4 du/ac, up to 22 dwelling units could be accommodated on this 5.69-acre land, subject to verifying the acreage with a final plat. The requested PR up to 5 du/ac would allow 28 units.
3. 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 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. The proposed PR zone at the recommended density of 4 du/ac is not expected to have adverse impacts on the surrounding development. The PR zone at this density is compatible with the surrounding single-family subdivisions with the RA zone and the residential properties with the A zone. The RA zone allows houses on 10,000 sq ft lots, which equates to an approximate density of 4 du/ac.
2. Any development under the PR zone would require development plan approval by the Planning Commission, which involves a public hearing process, to ensure that the development is compatible with the surrounding area and access is supported by the existing infrastructure.

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. As mentioned before, the proposed amendment is consistent with the subject property's location in the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan.
2. The proposed rezoning is compatible with the property's SR (Suburban Residential) place type, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan. The SR place type allows consideration of the PR zone with a density of up to 12 du/ac as a partially related zone.
3. Partially related zone considerations must meet additional criteria provided in Appendix H of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure their compatibility with the place type. The PR zone with 4 du/ac is deemed appropriate here because it would permit uses and development forms that are consistent with the primary and secondary uses described in the place type (criterion 1), and it is compatible with the current zoning of adjacent sites (criterion 2).
4. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 5, which promotes neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. This property is approximately 1 mile from a commercial hub at Chapman Highway and E Governor John Sevier Highway, and the New Hopewell Elementary School on Kimberlin Heights Road.