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

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) zoning district because it is consistent with the adopted plans and surrounding development.

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This is a request to rezone a portion of two neighboring parcels. The City-County line runs through these parcels at an angle, resulting in dual zoning for each parcel. The majority of parcel 122LB011 is in the I-G zone in the City where most of the buildable area (outside of the setbacks) is located. The majority of parcel 122LB012 is in the County. A tiny sliver of that parcel is in the City zoned I-G. It is not large enough to build in and lies within the setback area. Rezoning that sliver of land keeps it from being a disjointed segment of I-G zoning.

PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 16.1.E, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR ALL REZONINGS:

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED OR CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE CITY GENERALLY.
1. Development trends east of Maryville Pike have primarily been residential in nature, consisting of single-family dwellings and large multi-family complexes.
2. Since 1984, there have been five rezonings from industrial zones to RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) in the City and RA (Low Density Residential) in the County within 650 ft of the subject property.
3. The subject properties have lot areas that are under 6,000 sq ft, and the current I-G (General Industrial) zoning district requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq ft. The proposed rezoning would bring parcel 122LB011 into compliance, as the minimum lot size in the RN-2 district is 5,000 sq ft.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THIS CODE.
1. The RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) zoning district is intended to accommodate low density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks. The subject property meets the intent of the RN-2 district.
2. 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 RN-2 district is compatible with the neighboring RA (Low Density Residential) zone and existing RN-2 zoning across the street.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE CITY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT.
1. The subject property is accessed off Tippins Drive, a narrow unstriped local street that dead ends near the north corner of the lot. The character of Tippins Drive does not support the heavy trucking traffic often required for industrial uses and is more appropriately suited for low-density residential development.
2. The proposed rezoning is not anticipated to negatively impact the surrounding area.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND ITS COMPONENT PARTS, INCLUDING ADOPTED SECTOR PLANS, CORRIDOR PLANS, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS.
1. The City's One Year Plan and South County Sector Plan do not recognize the Industrial zoning in this area, as both designate this property as the LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification, which is described as primarily residential in character with development mainly consisting of single-family and two-family dwellings and permits the RN-2 zoning district.
2. The rezoning would align zoning with the adopted plans, as the I-G district does not support residential development and therefore conflicts with the intent of the LDR land use class.
3. The proposed rezoning complies with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1, to develop infill housing on vacant lots and redevelopment parcels. Infill housing should be compatible with neighboring residences in scale, design, and site layout. The RN-2 district would permit residential development on a vacant lot that is compatible with the neighborhood.

WHETHER ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, ROADS, SANITARY SEWERS, STORM SEWERS, AND WATER LINES, OR ARE REASONABLY CAPABLE OF BEING PROVIDED PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IF THE AMENDMENT WERE ADOPTED.
1. There are three Knoxville Area Transit bus stops within 0.25 miles of the subject property.
2. The Community Unity, Joe B Foster, and Alcoa Optimist Community Parks are within one mile of the subject property.