Disposition Summary

Approve the name change of Coward Mill Road to George Coward Lane as requested by the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the name change of Coward Mill Road to George Coward Lane as requested by the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

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1. The Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works (EPW) has proposed changing the street name of Coward Mill Road because of a street realignment. As described in the applicant's reason for change, a capital improvement project for Coward Mill Road has resulted in two dead-end segments.
2. Both dead-end segments require new names per Addressing and Knox County Emergency Communications District (Knox 911) guidelines and separate applications have been submitted for these segments.
3. Approval of this request will result in the redressing of two of three abutting parcels. On behalf of EPW, Planning coordinated with the property owners adjacent to the disconnected segment of Coward Mill Road for input on the new proposed street name. Despite attempts to reach all property owners, only one owner submitted street names for consideration. Unfortunately, none of the submitted names were approvable by staff.
4. In the third and final letter to property owners, Planning staff provided three pre-approved street names for consideration; however, no responses were received. Consequently, EPW selected George Coward Lane for the proposed street name change based on the history of the mill. EPW also mailed a notice of proposed street name change to owners on February 24, 2025.
5. Planning has received no objections to the renaming of this right-of-way.
6. The name change meets all requirements of the County's Code of Ordinances (Chapter 54, Article II).