Disposition Summary

Approve the One Year Plan amendment to the NC (Neighborhood Commercial) land use classification because it is compatible with surrounding development.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the One Year Plan amendment to the NC (Neighborhood Commercial) land use classification because it is compatible with surrounding development.

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PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE ONE YEAR PLAN, CHAPTER 1, PLAN AMENDMENT, ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MUST BE MET FOR ALL ONE YEAR PLAN AMENDMENTS (may meet any of these):

AN ERROR IN THE PLAN:
1. The existing MDR (Medium Density Residential) land use classification in this area of the Fort Sanders neighborhood is inconsistent with the predominant zoning districts of RN-5 (General Residential Neighborhood) and RN-6 (Multi-Family Residential Neighborhood). MDR does not currently permit these more intensive residential districts.
2. The requested NC (Neighborhood Commercial) and use classification would be paired with a rezoning to the C-N (Neighborhood Commercial) district. This would eliminate a zoning and land use conflict in the One Year Plan.

A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN, OR THE COMPLETION OF A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT (ROAD, PARK, SEWER), WHICH CHANGES THE BASIS ON WHICH THE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED FOR AN AREA:
1. There have been significant capital improvements in the Fort Sanders community in recent years. In particular, the Cumberland Avenue Corridor Project was completed in 2017 in response to a recommended "road diet" in the Cumberland Avenue Corridor Plan, adopted in 2007. Improvements to this main thoroughfare included installing new underground utilities, narrowing Cumberland Avenue from four lanes to three (one of which is a median/turn lane), widening sidewalks, installing street trees and other landscaping, adding street furniture, providing accommodations for transit and transit users, and adding new crosswalks. This pedestrian-oriented transformation of Cumberland Avenue significantly altered the character of the neighborhood and made it safer and more walkable for residents.
2. The requested sector plan amendment from the MDR to the NC land use classification is consistent with improved walkability and utility infrastructure in the neighborhood. The NC land use enables consideration of small-scale, service-oriented commercial amenities in a location where they can be easily accessed by a growing population of surrounding residents.
3. The Fort Sanders community has been one of the fastest growing areas in Knoxville for over a decade. This can be attributed in part to the Cumberland Avenue Form-Based Code adopted in 2013, as well as certain areas of more intensive residential zoning adopted with the current zoning code in 2020. The ongoing increase in residents and subsequent increase in commercial service demand warrants consideration of this plan amendment to better integrate neighborhood commercial services amd mixed-use development in this populous, walkable residential area.

A CHANGE IN PUBLIC POLICY, UNANTICIPATED BY THE PLAN:
1. There has been no change in public policy regarding the NC land use classification or this area in general.

NEW INFORMATION (INCLUDING NEW PLANS AND STUDIES PRODUCED BY KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY PLANNING) BECOMING AVAILABLE, WHICH REVEALS THE NEED FOR A PLAN AMENDMENT:
1. There are no new plans or studies that pertain to the requested NC land use classification.