Disposition Summary

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 5 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan, subject to 1 condition.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 5 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan, subject to 1 condition.

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1. Widening Hammer Road to 20 ft from the intersection with E Governor John Sevier Highway to the subject property's access point.

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This partial rezoning request is for the 19.17-acre portion of the subject parcel located south of Hammer Road. The northern portion of the parcel that contains a house would retain its Agricultural zone.

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. Since the late 1990s, several large agricultural lots in this area have transitioned into residential developments, including the Governors Landing subdivision and the Rivers Run East subdivision. The most recent development in this area is a 611,000-sq ft medical equipment distribution center located north of the subject property constructed in 2020.
2. The property is located one-mile south of a service-oriented commercial corridor along Asheville Highway which supports consideration of more residential intensity in this area.

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 land development which encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. The subject property is partially within the HP (Hillside Protection) area with some steep slopes along the rear boundary. The PR zone would enable concentrated development in the optimal portions of the property.
2. Houses, duplexes and multi-dwelling structures and developments are permitted in the PR zone. At 5 du/ac, up to 95 dwelling units could be accommodated on this 19.17 acres land.
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 current condition of Hammer Road, an unstriped local road with a pavement width of 17 ft, is inadequate for additional residential intensity. However, improving the access road is a condition of this rezoning which would benefit the entire area. Additionally, if the proposed development generates more than 750 trips, a traffic study would be required.
2. No significant adverse impacts are anticipated to occur with the PR zone. Any development under the PR zone would require development plan approval by the Planning Commission to ensure that the development is compatible with the surrounding area.

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 proposed rezoning under the recommended condition of improving Hammer Road is consistent with the subject property's location in the Urban Growth Boundary of the Growth Policy Plan, which encourages a reasonably compact pattern of development, particularly with regard to provision of adequate roads and other infrastructure.
2. The proposed rezoning is compatible with the property's RC (Rural Conservation) place, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan. The RC place type allows consideration of the PR zone with a density of up to 5 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 5 du/ac is appropriate here because it would permit uses and development forms that are consistent with the primary and secondary uses described in the place type (criteria 1 of this section).
4. The recommended condition to widen Hammer Road is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 9, which encourages coordinating infrastructure improvements with development.
5. The rezoning request is not in conflict with any other adopted plans for this area including the East Knox Community Plan (2017). The plan describes that the community's preferred neighborhood development style is "Houses Clustered and Land Preserved" (p. 18), which aligns with the intent of the PR zone.