Disposition Summary

Approve the requested for an expansion to a place of worship, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the requested for an expansion to a place of worship, 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) Replacing the 6 trees proposed to be removed, including at least 2 canopy trees, elsewhere on the campus. Provide a planting plan for review by Planning prior to permitting.

With the conditions noted above, this request meets the criteria for approval of a special use for a place of worship in the RN-1 zoning district.

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This proposal is for a 3,492-sf expansion at the northwest end of an existing place of worship called Church of the Savior. The Sanctuary and Chancel will be reconfigured to accommodate a total of 218 seats. The parking lot will be reconfigured and modestly expanded to provide 62 spaces. A total of 6 trees will be removed to make room for the church expansion and 2 new ADA parking spaces and sidewalk to the building. The trailhead for the Papermill Bluff Greenway is located near the church's driveway access on N Weisgarber Road, and the trail runs along the southeast side and through the southernmost portion of the subject property.

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 minor expansion of a place of worship at the edge of the Weisgarber Heights neighborhood is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 4.6 to provide support for the development of neighborhood and community organizations.
B. Condition 3 to replace the 6 trees proposed to be removed is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 7.2 to protect water resources by reducing pollution and retaining trees and ground cover on ridges near stream, rivers, lakes and sinkholes. The north half of the property slopes toward a blue line stream on the property that feeds into Fourth Creek, which is located just across N Weisgarber Road to the west. Replanting trees in this location helps meet the intent of the development policy.
C. The Church of the Savior property is consistent with the One Year Plan's location criteria for churches, in that it is located in close proximity to major residential areas and affords safe and convenient access to both local and through traffic.
D. The land use classification for this property in both the One Year Plan and the Northwest City Sector Plan is CI (Civic Institutional), which is intended for public and quasi-public institutions such as churches.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The subject property's zoning district is RN-1 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood), which permits limited nonresidential uses that are compatible with the character of the neighborhood. A church as existed on this site since at least 1968.
B. The church expansion provides a total of 218 seats for members. The off-street parking requirement is a minimum of .25 spaces and a maximum of .5 spaces per seat in the main assembly. The 62 spaces proposed are within those thresholds.

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. The proposed 3,492 sf building addition is consistent in height and aesthetic with the main building.
B. The property's location between a single-family residential neighborhood and N Weisgarber Road, a minor arterial street, provides a compatible buffer between land use intensities.

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 enclosed building addition is not anticipated to have a negative impact on adjacent properties.
B. The location of the addition will require the removal of two large evergreen trees. The requirement in Condition 3 that at least two canopy trees be replanted mitigates the impact of this development on the immediate environment.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The 62 parking spaces proposed is far below the 109-space maximum permitted.
B. The property's primary entrance is on an arterial street. Its access to Redsaile Road, a local street, is not anticipated to cause an undue burden on neighboring residents during Sunday church service.

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 aspects of the property that present an apparent hazard to the minor expansion of the existing place of worship.