Disposition Summary

Approve the alternative design standards based on the justification provided by the applicant and recommendations of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Approve the Concept Plan subject to 15 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the alternative design standards based on the justification provided by the applicant and recommendations of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Approve the Concept Plan subject to 15 conditions.

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1. Connection to sanitary sewer and meeting other relevant utility provider requirements.
2. Provision of street names consistent with the Uniform Street Naming and Addressing System within Knox County (County Ord. 91-1-102).
3. If during design plan approval or construction of the development, it is discovered that unforeseen off-site improvements within the right-of-way are necessary as caused by the development, the developer will either enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the County for these improvements or reimburse the County for their direct expenses (if completed by County crews) to make corrections deemed necessary.
4. Implementing the recommendations of the 2921 Bradley Lake Lane Subdivision Transportation Impact Study (TIS) (AJAX Engineering, 2/4/2025) as required by Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the design plan phase, including but not limited to the recommendations to re-examine the southbound left turn lane on Amherst Road at Bradley Lake Lane at full build-out of the 2921 Bradley Lake Lane Subdivision. The applicant must post a bond with Knox County Engineering and Public Works for the estimated cost of the southbound turn lane as recommended by the TIS before the final plat for the first phase of the subdivision is certified to record. Upon full build-out of the subdivision, the applicant must perform traffic counts as recommended by the TIS to determine if the turn lane warrant is met.
5. Entering into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Knox County Engineering and Public Works for completing off-site improvements per Chapter 54, Article V of the Knox County Code (Ord. O-23-4-102). The cost of these improvements is the responsibility of the property owner. These improvements include, but are not limited to, widening the Bradley Lake Lane pavement width to 20 ft from the easternmost access point (Road C) for the proposed subdivision to the Spring Lake Farms subdivision entrance (Jumping Jack Lane), and a sidewalk on one side of Bradley Lake Lane along the subdivision's frontage per the requirements of the Knox County Sidewalk Ordinance (Chapter 54, Article IV of the Knox County Code). The details regarding the road widening and sidewalk will be determined during the design plan phase.
6. Maintaining a 35 ft non-disturbance area and Type 'C' landscape screen (Exhibit C) along the west and south property boundaries, and providing a Type 'C' landscape screen between the attached houses and the east property boundary, per zoning condition #2 (11-K-24-RZ). This does not apply to the portion of the property zoned A (Agricultural). Existing trees that meet the intent of the Type 'C' landscape screen may count toward the screening requirement. A landscape plan must be submitted to the Planning staff for review and approval before grading permits are issued.
7. Installing high-visibility fencing at the edge of the 35-ft non-disturbance area and any existing trees outside the non-disturbance area that are being maintained and counted towards the required Type 'C' landscape screening. The high-visibility fencing must be installed before grading activities commence and maintained until construction is complete.
8. Submitting a geotechnical report for review and approval by Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the design plan phase to determine if any areas shown as closed depression on the concept plan are required to be shown on the final plat as a closed contour sinkhole with a 50 ft buffer as required by Section 3.06.B of the Subdivision Regulations. If any building construction is proposed within the 50 ft buffer area around the designated sinkholes/depressions (including the depressions), a geotechnical report must be prepared by a registered engineer to determine soil stability, and that report must be submitted to the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works for consideration. Any construction in these areas is subject to approval by the County following a review of the report. Engineered footings must be designed for these areas. For those lots that do not have a building site outside of the 50 ft buffer, approval by Knox County will be required prior to final plat approval. The sinkholes/depressions and 50 ft buffer shall be designated on the final plat even if they are approved to be filled.
9. Providing a stream determination study to the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works for review and approval during the design plan phase regarding the potential stream in the southern portion of the site. The required stream buffers must be provided on the final plat if this is determined to be a stream. This may impact the alignment of Road A, and several lots may have to be consolidated or eliminated to provide buildable area outside the stream buffers.
10. The subdivision name for the attached houses may be required to be a different name because there is not an internal road connection with the single-family portion of the development (Section 2.10.G.1 of the Sub Regs).
11. Installation of the sidewalk connection between the turnaround on Road C and Road B, as shown on the concept plan.
12. Provide the A (Agricultural) and I (Industrial) zoning boundary line on lot 1 on the final plat and include the setbacks for those zones in the plat notes.
13. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.
14. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance.
15. Before certification of the final plat for the subdivision, establish a property owners association or other legal entity responsible for maintaining common facilities, such as common areas, amenities, private roads, and/or stormwater drainage systems.

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This subdivision has 32 attached and 53 detached residential lots on the 19.4 acres zoned PR (Planned Residential). In December 2024, the property was rezoned from A (Agricultural) to PR(k) up to 6 du/ac, subject to 4 conditions (11-K-24-RZ). In the northwest corner of the site, 0.39 acres zoned A (Agricultural) is incorporated into lot 1. The total site area is 19.79 acres.

Access to the site is from Bradley Lake Lane, which is required to be widened to a minimum width of 20 ft from the easternmost access point to the Spring Lake Farms subdivision entrance (Jumping Jack Lane), and a sidewalk is required on one side of Bradley Lake Lane along the subdivision's frontage. Providing connections to adjacent properties is limited by topography and the use of a private right-of-way in the case of Road C for the attached houses. There is an internal sidewalk connection between the turnaround on Road C and Road B. The sidewalk on Bradley Lake Lane will provide connectivity to the Spring Lake Farms subdivision and Amherst Road once the gap in the sidewalk between the subject property and Jumping Jack Lane is installed by Knox County. If properties to the west along Bradley Lake Lane are developed in the future, it is anticipated the sidewalk will be further extended to those developments.

ZONING CONDITIONS
1) Improving Bradley Lake Lane to current roadway standards from the access point of the future development on the subject property to the entrance of the Spring Lake Farms subdivision.
2) 35 ft landscape buffer Type 'C' along the existing residence.
3) Traffic impact study.
4) Bradley Lake Ln is to be expanded to 20 ft at the expense of the developer.

With the recommended approval conditions, the concept plan and development plan conform with the zoning conditions.

TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDY (TIS)
The scope of the TIS is to determine and evaluate the potential impacts of the development on the adjacent transportation system. The study includes a review of the primary access roads, the entrance intersections, and the existing adjacent intersection of Amherst Road at Bradley Lake Lane. The most significant conclusion and recommendation is that a left turn lane on Amherst Road at the Bradley Lake Lane intersection is warranted due to the estimated thru traffic generated by an adjacent development that is under construction. The turn lane is not warranted when the estimated thru traffic is not included from this adjacent development. Because the TIS may overestimate the thru traffic volume from the adjacent development, the recommendation is to re-examine the intersection the 2921 Bradley Lake Lane Subdivision is entirely built-out to determine if the turn lane warrant is met.