To be heard December 11, 2025Agenda Item No. 17

---

Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for approximately 948 sq ft expansion of the animal care facility, subject to 3 conditions.

---

1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including, but not limited to, Article 9.3 (Principal Use Standards) and Article 11.4 (Required Off-Street Parking Spaces).
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.

---

In 2020, the Planning Commission approved a special use request for a small animal care facility at this location (11-B-20-SU). The applicant proposes an approximately 948 sq ft expansion to the existing 3,738 sq ft veterinary clinic, located on the northern side of the one-story structure. The expansion includes a new veterinary office, a dental suite, a workstation for staff, and a lounge. The horizontal siding and stonework on the walls of the proposed addition, as well as the roofing material, will match the existing structure. The application states that the maximum number of animals that can be treated simultaneously is six. The operating hours remain the same: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays and 8:00 am to noon on Saturdays, with Sundays closed.

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 animal care facility with the proposed expansion is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1, which encourages locating community-serving commercial areas where they can be easily shared by several neighborhoods. The subject property is within close proximity to several communities, including Pond Gap, Forest Heights, and Sequoyah Hills.
B. The One Year Plan's and the West City Sector Plan's MU-SD, WC-1 (Mixed Use-Special District, Bearden Village) land use classification promotes office uses along the side and back streets of the district and encourages pedestrian-oriented development. The property's location at the intersection of Chambliss Avenue and Lebanon Street, along with its nearby sidewalk connections, is consistent with the adopted plans.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The O district is intended to provide for an environment of low intensity office and service uses, mixed with residential uses. Animal care facilities for small animals may be allowed by special use approval.
B. The proposed expansion conforms to the dimensional standards of the O district (Article 5.3) and the Principal Use Standards for animal care facilities (Article 9.3.A1). For example, no exterior exercise areas are provided with this expansion, as they are not allowed in the O district.

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 is consistent with the character of this segment of the Pond Gap community, which has several small-scale office uses along Chambliss Avenue. The proposed expansion's roof and exterior surface materials are intended to blend seamlessly with the existing building, and the one-story structure is compatible with other residential and nonresidential structures in the 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. The animal care facility has been operating at this location since 2021-22 without any record of noise complaints, according to the City of Knoxville Record Search. The proposed expansion is not expected to significantly injure the value of any adjacent properties. The operating hours remain the same, and the establishment provides no permanent boarding facilities except for outpatient services.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The proposed use is not expected to significantly impact traffic on surrounding residential streets. Traffic will be transferred to nearby arterial streets, Sutherland Avenue and Kingston Pike.

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.