Disposition Summary

APPROVE the request for a 45-ft tall, 1-story indoor self-storage facility with a building footprint of approximately 16,900 sqft, subject to 9 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

APPROVE the request for a 45-ft tall, 1-story indoor self-storage facility with a building footprint of approximately 16,900 sqft, subject to 9 conditions.

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1) Meeting all requirements of the supplemental regulations for indoor self-storage facilities (Section 4.93.03), including but not limited to the first floor street-facing façade of the building having a minimum transparency of ten percent (10%). For the purposes of this review, the first floor shall be the lower third of the building elevation (15 ft above the finished floor elevation). Revised building elevations must be submitted to Planning Commission staff for review and approval before building permits are issued.
2) Installing the landscaping shown on the landscape plan, and all other required landscaping, before the issuance of an occupancy permit or posting a bond with the Knox County Engineering and Public Works to guarantee its installation.
3) Providing full cut off light fixtures that are deflected, shaded, and focused away from all adjoining property, per section 4.93.03.D. of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance.
4) Revising the required rear setback to 24 ft. The proposed structure is one-story but is 45 ft tall, which is more in line with the maximum 3-story height in the CA zone.
5) If the structure is expanded in the future, a new Use on Review approval is required.
6) Outdoor storage of material or equipment is prohibited unless a new Use on Review application is approved, demonstrating compliance with the CA (General Business) zone and the supplemental regulations for self-storage facilities (Section 4.93).
7) The signage plan must comply with the CA (General Business) sign standards in Section 3.90.
8) Meeting all applicable requirements of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
9) Meeting all applicable requirements of Knox County Engineering and Public Works.

With the conditions noted, this plan meets the CA zone standards, supplemental regulations for indoor self-storage facilities in the CA zone, and the criteria for approval of a use on review.

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The applicant requests approval for an indoor self-storage facility that is 45 ft tall and has a building footprint of approximately 16,900 sqft. The facility is for the U-Box storage containers, which are stacked in an open warehouse-style building. This is why this structure is described as being 1-story. U-Box storage containers are usually filled off-site and returned to the facility for storage. If a customer needs to access the U-Box, it must be retrieved from the storage area and returned by employees.

The indoor self-storage facility supplemental regulations require the ground floor street-facing façade to have 10 percent transparency. This is intended to provide some glass area at the base of the building. The applicant describes this 45-ft tall structure as 1-story, but it is effectively a 3-story structure. To meet the intent of the 10% ground floor transparency standard, staff recommends that this apply to the first 15 ft above the finished floor elevation.

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. The North County Sector Plan recommends a mix of retail, residential, and office uses, including vertical mixed-use (MU-NCO-6 - Halls Mixed Use District).
B. General Plan Policies:
Policy 8.10, Encourage redevelopment of obsolete commercial strip space by providing incentives for "infill" rather than greenfield development. - This proposal is located in the former location of a Kroger grocery store that was demolished between 2011 and 2013.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
A. With the recommended conditions, the self-storage facility meets the supplemental regulations for indoor self-storage facilities, the CA (General Business) zoning standards, and all other requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.

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 45-ft structure is significantly taller than the existing shopping center structure and surrounding residential and non-residential structures. However, the structure is setback significantly from adjacent uses, minimizing its impact.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY.
A. Self-storage uses have a lower daily traffic volume than most commercial uses and are secure facilities. The proposed use is not anticipated to injure adjacent properties' value significantly.

5) THE USE WILL NOT DRAW ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
A. This site is accessed directly from a major arterial street (Maynardville Pike).

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 uses within the development.