To be heard December 11, 2025Agenda Item No. 30

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the CA (General Business) zone because it is consistent with the Compehensive Plan and provides a compatible transition of land use intensity.

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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 CITY/COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. The subject property contains a single-family dwelling and is located is in a mixed-use corridor comprised of single family lots among industrial, office and heavy commercial properties. In 2022, a fencing company adjacent to the east doubled its footprint with an expanded outdoor storage area in the rear. This changing condition supports consideration of CA (General Business) zone at this location, which will provide a transition buffer of intensity between the fencing operation to the east and the single-family residences adjacent to the west.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE
1. The CA zone is intended for retail businesses and services but not for manufacturing operations. Residential development is also permitted.
2. The service-oriented CA zone is compatible with surrounding development, and it provides a transition of land use intensity from the fencing operation to the east to the single-family residences to the west.

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. There are no adverse effects anticipated to occur with the proposed downzoning from the I (Industrial) zone to the CA zone. The CA zone is less likely to produce noxious environmental impacts next to residences when compared to the I zone.
2. If there is future development on this property that is more intensive than the existing single-family home, sight distance from the lot's access point looking east should be addressed by grading the slope along the frontage. This transportation safety issues would be addressed at the permitting stage.

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 subject property's land use designation is the CMU (Corridor Mixed Use) place type in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan. This rezoning would bring the property into compliance with this place type because the existing I zoning is not permitted in CMU while the CA zone is partially related. The CA zone meets the criteria for consideration of a partially related zone by permitting uses that are compatible with CMU's primary and secondary land uses, which include commercial, office and multifamily or attached residential development.
2. The CA zone is consistent with the subject property's location in the Urban Growth Boundary of the Growth Policy Plan, which supports reasonably compact development to expand the economy and promote housing choices.