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Staff Recommendation

Deny the PR (Planned Residential) zone up to 4.5 du/ac because the property is inconsistent with the zone's intent and would create a nonconformity.

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In 2023, a duplex was built on this 19,368 sq ft lot. Duplexes are allowed in the RA zone as a use on review when the lot is at least 10,000 sq ft and sewer is available.

The property has no zoning history, which means it has been zoned RA since before 1980. All adjacent lots are RA. Less than 0.25 miles away, there is a 3-acre multi-family development on Wright Road close to Oak Ridge Highway zoned PR up to 8 du/ac.

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 1996, there have been a few rezonings to PR in the area, ranging from 8 to 12 du/ac closer to Harrell Road, a major collector street.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The PR zone is intended to provide flexibility for different types of residential development and encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. However, PR on this 0.44-acre lot is inappropriate. This property is too small to provide a clustered development and too narrow to meet the required peripheral boundary. Approving the PR zone would create a nonconformity with regard to setbacks.
2. The peripheral boundary in the PR zone can only be reduced to 15 ft by the Planning Commission. If the lot was subdivided, it would create a nonconformity because the sides of the existing duplex would encroach into the peripheral boundary along the northern and southern sides of the site as it is built 12 ft from the property line.
3. PR up to 4.5 du/ac would not allow any additional units. To allow the lot to be subdivided so that each unit would be on its own lot in the PR zone, the applicant would have to seek variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals to reduce the peripheral boundary from 15 ft to 12 ft.

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 rezoning would not create additional traffic in the neighborhood or any expected adverse conditions.

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 PR up to 4.5 du/ac zone is partially related and can be considered in the current SR (Suburban Residential) place type.
2. The proposed zoning district is consistent with the secondary uses of the subject site's place type.
3. The requested zoning district at this location is not in conflict with any other adopted plans.