Disposition Summary

Approve the request for three two-family dwellings on individual lots as depicted on the site plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for three two-family dwellings on individual lots as depicted on the site plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including, but not limited to, maximum impervious surface coverage requirements.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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This request is for three two-story duplexes on individual lots, each facing Knott Avenue. The westernmost duplex is accessed from Knoxwood Drive and the other two structures are accessed from Knott Road. The structures are essentially identical, but the two corner units are mirrored to meet the relevant principal use standards related to street facing elevations. They have a footprint of 1,887 sq ft, with one bedroom on the ground floor and two on the second floor.

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 use is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1, which encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. The General Plan's Development Policy 8.4 recommends protecting residential areas from encroaching commercial development and other incompatible uses. There are warehousing and industrial uses across the street, and the proposed duplexes will provide a buffer for the single-family neighborhood to the north.
C. Three two-family dwellings, which are considered low-density residential use, are consistent with the One Year Plan's and Northwest City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 district is intended to accommodate low density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks. Two-family dwellings may be allowed by special use approval.
B. The RN-2 district requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq ft for two-family dwellings, and the subject lots meet this requirement. The site plan and building elevations as provided conform to most of the dimensional standards (Article 4.3) and the Principal Use Standards (Article 9.3.J) for duplexes in the RN-2 district. For example, each elevation facing a street (Knott Avenue, Woodglen Drive, and Knoxwood Drive) meets the 15% minimum transparency requirements and includes architectural elements to avoid the appearance of blank walls.
C. Lot 1R-R2 (the middle lot) does not appear to meet the maximum impervious surface coverage of 40%. However, this can be addressed during permitting by using permeable materials for the paved area.
D. The two westernmost lots have the HP overlay, and the slope analysis recommends a maximum disturbance budget of 49.7% for Lot 1R-R1 (the westernmost lot) and 46.1% for Lot 1R-R2 (the middle lot). However, these properties have been previously disturbed and are therefore exempt from the HP regulations per Article 8.9.B.4.

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 Glenwood Park neighborhood is bordered by several warehousing and industrial uses on two sides and is primarily composed of single-family dwellings, with the exception of one duplex, one small-scale multifamily development, a church, and an automotive service. The proposed use is compatible with the mix of uses, and the scale of the two-story structures is generally compatible with other residential structures in this area.

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 development is not expected to significantly injure the value of any adjacent properties. On the contrary, it will provide a buffer between the single-family houses and the industrial uses on both sides of Knott Avenue.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The proposed development is not expected to draw substantial traffic through residential streets. The subject parcels are easily accessible from Middlebrook Pike, a major arterial road.

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. Although the subject parcels are across from warehousing and industrial uses, these intense developments are required to comply with Article 10.2 (Exterior Lighting) and Article 10.5 (Environmental Performance Standards), which regulate light, noise, odor, dust, air pollution, and odor impacts. Proximity to Middlebrook Pike makes this property a desirable location for the proposed use.