Disposition Summary

Withdraw per the applicant's request.

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Staff Recommendation

Withdraw per the applicant's request.

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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. Nearby to the west there is significant ongoing office park and business park development, providing job hubs which may draw more residents to the area seeking closer proximity to employment. Multifamily residential development is anticipated at the intersection of Mabry Hood Road and Dutchtown Road.
2. These changing conditions support consideration of an increase in residential intensity at this location through the PR (Planned Residential) zone, where there is growing workforce opportunity and residential development.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE
1. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of land development that are responsive to environmental issues on a property. Residential density can be clustered in the more accommodating areas of a lot to preserve more environmentally sensitive areas.
2. The topographic information on KGIS reveals that there are five large closed contours on the lot, which could be evidence of sinkholes. Sinkholes can significantly impact the development potential of a site. Considering the size and quantity of potential sinkholes here, staff recommend limiting the density to no more than 5 du/ac, rather than the 8.5 du/ac requested. A 50-ft buffer area will be required around the outer rim of each closed contour unless a geotechnical study is provided that shows the closed contours are not sinkholes.

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. Hall Road and Annis May Lane are unstriped, narrow residential streets, but the property sits a very short distance from Dutchtown Road, which is a minor arterial street with sidewalks and a center turn lane.
2. There is a diverse mix of uses surrounding the lot, including a mobile home park, an auto salvage yard, an office warehouse, a landscaping company, a church, and single-family detached residences. Residential development at this location is not anticipated to have an adverse impact on surrounding properties.

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. PR at 5 du/ac is a partially related zone in the SMR (Suburban Mixed Residential) place type designation on this property in the Comprehensive Plan. It meets the criteria required of a partially related zone by being consistent with the secondary uses of the SMR place type, which contemplates a greater mix of housing types including multiplexes and townhouses at a house-like scale. The PR zone at 5 du/ac would accomplish this, especially considering the clustering of density that is likely to occur with the geotechnical conditions on this lot.
2. Reducing the PR density from the requested 8.5 du/ac to the recommended 5 du/ac is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 7, to encourage development practices that conserve and connect natural features and habitat. This lot is entirely wooded with natural sunken features that are not conducive to overdevelopment. A lower density reduces the pressure to overdevelop what appears to be an ecologically sensitive area.