Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including but not limited to, Article 9.3.J.3 that requires a minimum transparency requirement of 15% for all street facing facades. A revised front elevation must be submitted to Planning staff for review and approval before grading permits are issued.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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TThis request is for conversation of a single family dwelling into a duplex on this triangular-shaped lot of 14,759-sq ft. The applicant proposes to mirror the existing one-story house expansion currently under construction, resulting in a symmetrical front elevation for the overall structure. Each unit comprises 1,093 sq ft and has three bedrooms. Four parking spaces are proposed in the side yard. The existing fence on the property would be retained.

STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING A SPECIAL USE (ARTICLE 16.2.F.2)

1) THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE ONE-YEAR PLAN.
A. The proposed two-family dwelling is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.1 that encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the Center City Sector Plan's TDR (Traditional Neighborhood Residential) land use classification which allows low to medium density residential developments. The TDR classification permits conversion to a duplex via middle housing in lieu of a special use approval, subject to meeting all applicable standards of Article 4.6.
C. The One Year Plan's location criteria states that duplexes should be encouraged in areas designated as appropriate for medium density housing. The area has a mix of TDR, MDR (Medium Density Residential), and MDR/O (Medium Density Residential/Office) land use classifications. With the TDR classification, this 290-ft wide RN-2 zoned lot could be eligible for a fourplex or a small townhouse, which are more intense than the requested one-story duplex. Further, the property is only 200 ft away from College Street, a minor collector street.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 district is intended to accommodate low density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks. Two-family dwellings may be allowed by special use approval.
B. The property meets the minimum lot size requirement of 10,000 sq ft for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 district. Because of the unique triangle shape of the property, a 10-ft long rear boundary is imagined parallel to the front boundary for the purpose of determining the required rear setback.
C. The building, as shown on site plan, conforms to the dimensional standards of the RN-2 district. The proposed addition does not meet the 15% transparency requirement for the front elevation; however, this can be handled during the permitting process as required by the recommended condition. The front elevation, which includes street facing entrances, porch, and windows, meets other aspects of the Principal Use Standards (Article 9.3.J) for a duplex.

3) THE USE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS PROPOSED, AND WITH THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY.
A. The use will be consistent with the character of the area that includes several duplexes and multifamily developments. The Western Heights community, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation's largest affordable housing property with 440 units, is located within a quarter mile of the subject property.
B. The proposed one-story structure will be compatible in size and scale with other houses in the surrounding area.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. Two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses and are compatible with other residential uses in the vicinity.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The proposed addition of one dwelling unit is not expected to significantly impact traffic on surrounding streets.

6) THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS NOT SUCH AS TO POSE A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE PROPOSED USE OR TO CREATE AN UNDESIRABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PROPOSED USE.
A. There are no known uses immediately surrounding the subject property that would pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment for the proposed use.
B. Proximity to Beaumont Magnet Academy and Maynard Elementary schools and several nearby parks makes this property a desirable location for a duplex development.