Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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This request is for a two-family dwelling on a 12,273-sf vacant lot in the RN-2 district. The Planning Commission approved a rezoning request for this property from RN-1 to the RN-2 district (10-M-23-RZ). Each unit of the proposed one-story structure includes two bedrooms and an open dining/living space, and both units share a front porch.

STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING A SPECIAL USE (ARTICLE 16.2.F.2) 1) THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE ONE-YEAR PLAN.
A. The proposed two-family dwelling is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.1 that encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the North City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification.
C. The One Year Plan states that duplexes may be permitted in low density areas where their development will not significantly affect service demands or aesthetics of the area.
D. Two additional units are not expected to significantly affect the service demand of this urbanized area. The principal use standards of the zoning ordinance (Article 9.3.J) intend to protect neighborhood aesthetics by stipulating design elements for duplexes, and the proposed duplex meets those standards.
E. The Inskip Small Area Plan (2011) states that duplexes and apartment buildings make up 56 percent of the housing units in this area (p. 9). The neighborhood conservation concept of the small area plan indicates that a duplex is appropriate for this property if it meets the dimensional standards (p. 22 - 24).

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 zone is intended to accommodate low-density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks within the City of Knoxville. Two-family dwellings may also be allowed by special use approval.
B. The property meets the 10,000-sf minimum lot size requirement for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 district. The site plan and elevations conform to the dimensional standards for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 zoning district. The submitted drawings also conform to the principal use standards for a two-family dwelling, as mentioned above.

3) THE USE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS PROPOSED, AND WITH THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY.
A. There are numerous duplex developments in Inskip neighborhood, including a number of duplex subdivisions within 2000 ft of the subject lot on properties zoned RN-3. Additionally, there are several nearby multifamily structures on properties zoned RN3 through RN-5, including an apartment complex on the adjacent property to the northwest.
B. The proposed one-story structure will be compatible in size and scale with the surrounding area, which is characterized by a wide range of housing forms. The duplex will be consistent with nearby single family houses in terms of height, footprint, and frontage.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. The proposed two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses and are compatible with other residential uses in the vicinity.
B. The duplex will provide a desirable buffer between the single-family houses and the higher density multifamily development on the northwest.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. A duplex is not expected to significantly impact traffic on surrounding streets.

6) THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS NOT SUCH AS TO POSE A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE PROPOSED USE OR TO CREATE AN UNDESIRABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PROPOSED USE.
A. There are no known uses immediately surrounding the subject property that would pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment for the proposed use.