Approve the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone.

Disposition Summary

Approve the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone.

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Details of Action

Approve the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone.

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the OB (Office, Medical, and Related Services) zone because it is inconsistent with the surrounding area and sector plan.

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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 COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. Outlet Drive was extended in 2011 to connect Lovell Road to N Campbell Station Road. Additionally, there is a greenway along the frontage of Outlet Drive.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The proposed OB zone is intended to provide areas for professional and business offices and related activities that require separate buildings and building groups surrounded by landscaped yards and open areas. The intent herein is to provide centralized, compact locations for business offices, clinics, medical, and dental offices near residential neighborhoods.
2. The OB zone allows any use permitted in the RB zone. The RB zone allows houses, duplexes, and multi dwelling developments up to 12 dwelling units an acre by right and up to 24 dwelling units an acre through the use on review process and some nonresidential uses. This location is not appropriate for densities above 12 du/ac with single family residential neighborhoods to the east. These are zoned RA, which, when calculating the density using the minimum lot size, allows approximately 4.356 du/ac. At the existing density of 12 du/ac on this 18.24-acre property, a maximum of 218 units could be built. At the maximum density of 24 du/ac allowed by the OB zone, a maximum of 437 units could be built.
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. There is a small section of the property in the HP (Hillside Protection) area. The southern half of the site has slopes in the 15-25% range and in the 25-40% range. If plans for this site include a multifamily development with a density of up to 24 du/ac, the dwellings would be clustered together on the northern portion of the site. There are also closed contours on the site, which indicate the potential presence of sinkholes on the property. These environmental challenges make the current zoning of PR up to 12 du/ac an appropriate zone for the property since the units would be clustered together, yielding a higher density over the developed portion of the property.
2. The current PR up to 12 du/ac zoning would require development plan approval.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN OF KNOXVILLE AND KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS:
1. The proposed rezoning to OB is in conflict with the current Northwest County Sector Plan land use classification MDR (Medium Density Residential).
2. This property is within Farragut's Urban Growth Boundary in the Growth Policy Plan. The Town of Farragut has submitted comments on this request (Exhibit B), citing similar concerns regarding density, the character of the area, and potential access issues.
3. The proposed OB rezoning introduces more intensive uses and higher densities that are not consistent with the General Plan's development policy 9.3 to ensure that the context of new development, including scale and compatibility, does not impact existing neighborhoods and communities or policy 11.5 to avoid abrupt, incompatible changes in density, scale, and building appearance from one development to another.