Disposition Summary

Approve the request for an office-warehouse development in the PC (Planned Commercial) zone, subject to five conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for an office-warehouse development in the PC (Planned Commercial) zone, subject to five conditions.

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1) Installation of all landscaping as shown on the development plan within six months of the issuance of an occupancy permit, or posting a bond with the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works to guarantee such installation.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance.
4) Meeting all requirements and conditions of the TTCDA approval.
5) Obtaining approval of signage in a separate application if signage is desired in the future.

With the conditions noted, this plan meets the requirements for approval of a Concept Plan and a Use-on-Review.

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The applicant is requesting approval of an office warehouse with an area of approximately 14,763 sq ft.
Access would be off of Corridor Park Boulevard, a local road one block north of Dutchtown Road, a minor arterial. The building features loading dock doors on the right side of the front façade, which is located in the farthest corner of the building from the street. The building is angled in such a way that the loading dock door is not readily visible from the street.

The 2.31-acre site is zoned PC (Planned Commercial) / TO (Technology Overlay). Office warehouses are allowed in the PC zone, but per Section 5.33.13 of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance, applications in the PC zone require approval through the use on review process. Additionally, applications in the TO zone require approval by the TTCDA (Section 5.90.01). The request was approved by the TTCDA on April 11, 2022 (Case 5-A-22-TOB).

The proposed ground area coverage (GAC), Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and Impervious Area Ratio (IAR) are in compliance with the TTCDA Design Guidelines.

The TTCDA approved a waiver reducing the front parking lot setback to allow the maximum number of spaces allowed by the TTCDA Guidelines. TTCDA would require between 28 and 42 spaces, and the County Zoning Ordinance would require a minimum of 23 spaces with no maximum. The proposed 42 spaces meet both sets of requirements.

The landscape plan and lighting plan meet TTCDA Guideline requirements.

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR USES PERMITTED ON REVIEW (ARTICLE 4.10 - SECTION 2)
The planning commission, in the exercise of its administrative judgment, shall be guided by adopted plans and policies, including the general plan and the following general standards:

1) THE PROPOSED USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND SECTOR PLAN.
A. For this special use application to be approved in the TP land use classification, the Planning Commission must find that the proposed use is "consistent with, and not in conflict with" the sector plan.
B. The property is designated TP (Technology Park) on the Northwest County Sector Plan. The TP land use has the following description: "This land use primarily includes offices and research and development facilities. The target area for such development has been the Pellissippi Technology Corridor."
C. The TP land use classification allows the PC zone, which in turn allows light distribution centers.
D. The proposed office-warehouse use is consistent with the sector plan and One Year Plan.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
A. The Knox County Zoning Ordinance describes the PC (Planned Commercial) zone as, "intended to provide for a unified grouping of commercial buildings which do not require or desire a central business district location…It is not the intent of this zone to restrict potential development by limiting uses. In general, uses permitted shall include office, commercial services and light distribution centers."
B. The proposed office-warehouse development is compatible with the above description of the PC zone.

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 office-warehouse is compatible with the surrounding area. The surrounding area consists of mostly office buildings, research and development facilities, and office-warehouse uses.
B. The building will be a one story structure of a similar square footage as some of the surrounding buildings in the vicinity, though there are some that are much larger structures than what is proposed. This building will have a similar aesthetic as other buildings in the vicinity.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY.
A. The proposed office-warehouse is not expected to significantly injure the value of adjacent properties. Surrounding properties consist of office, light industrial, and commercial uses.

5) THE USE WILL NOT DRAW ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
A. No traffic through residential subdivisions or side streets is required to access this property since Corridor Park Boulevard is one block north of Dutchtown Road, which connects directly to Pellissippi Parkway.

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 in the area that could be a potential hazard or create an undesirable environment for the proposed development.