Disposition Summary

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone up to 2.3 du/ac because it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone up to 2.3 du/ac because it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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1. At least 50% of the subject parcel shall be left as undisturbed natural area, per the intent of the RC (Rural Conservation) place type.
2. Access from a future development on the subject property to Tipton Station Road shall only be permitted via Sayne Lane.
3. Sayne Lane will be improved from the access point of a future development to Tipton Station Road, as determined by Knox County Engineering and Public Works.

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PURSUANT TO THE KNOX COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE, ARTICLE 6.30.01, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR ALL REZONINGS (must meet all of these):

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED OR CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE CITY/COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. Properties across Tipton Station Road from the subject property with direct access to W Governor John Sevier Highway that are in the TN (Traditional Neighborhood) place type designation have been approved for rezonings and planned development of residential subdivisions. For the residential rezonings that have occurred there recently, the Knox County Commission has conditioned exclusive access onto W Governor John Sevier Highway in order to preserve rural character and maintain traffic safety to the south where the subject property lies.
2. The subject property is at the edge of a large designated area of the RC (Rural Conservation) place type per the Knox County Comprehensive Plan. This RC area is comprised of large agricultural and rural residential lots among forests and stream beds that have remained unchanged for decades.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of land development which encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. Each planned development shall be compatible with the surrounding or adjacent zones.
2. The subject parcel is almost entirely forested. It is surrounded by large rural residential and agricultural lots, and it neighbors an undeveloped lot with CA (General Business) zoning. There is a closed contour on the rear western side of the lot near Sayne Lane, which could indicate the presence of a sinkhole. The PR zone would enable development that can be responsive to environmental constraints on the site and the rural character of the area.
3. Rezonings should be based on the entire range of uses allowed within a zone to ensure that any development brought forth at a future time would be compatible with the surrounding land uses.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT:
1. The proposed PR density of 2.3 du/ac would be a visual outlier along this rural section of Tipton Station Road. While there is new PR residential development to the north, it is prohibited from accessing Tipton Station Road and landscape buffering is required along that street face. The recommended condition for this rezoning that at least 50% of the subject property be left as an undisturbed natural area would preserve some of the rural character and scenic assets of the area in a manner that is consistent with recent zoning changes.
2. The maximum density possible with the requested rezoning on this 6.95-acre lot is 15 dwelling units, which could produce an estimated addition of 176 vehicle trips per day. The safest way to access Tipton Station Road from the subject property is via Sayne Lane to avoid the hazard of multiple access points in close proximity, which is the basis for conditioning access on Sayne Lane exclusively. However, Sayne Lane is an unstriped local street with 10 to 16 feet of pavement width. The recommended condition to improve Sayne Lane in accordance with requirements by Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the development plan review phase would address transportation capacity and multimodal concerns commensurate with future residential development. A new sidewalk on Sayne Lane and road widening may be required, depending on the scale of future proposed development. County Engineering staff verified that the minimum sight distance of 400 feet is being met in both directions from Sayne Lane onto Tipton Station Road.
3. Development under the PR zone is evaluated by the Planning Commission for consistency with zoning intent, the Comprehensive Plan and the Growth Policy Plan. This review process provides public notice and a forum for community response to future proposed development to address concerns about potential adverse impact to surrounding properties.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS:
1. The PR zone at a density of 2.3 du/ac is partially related to the subject property's RC (Rural Conservation) place type designation in the Comprehensive Plan. The RC place type is designed to conserve forested areas, ridges, wetlands, and other significant natural areas by clustering development and minimizing land disturbance. Generally, these areas conserve between 50% to 70% of a site as natural open space. The rezoning condition to leave at least 50% of the parcel undisturbed supports enforcement of the intent of this place type during the development plan review phase. This condition also aligns the PR zone with primary and secondary uses permissible in this land use category, which are single family or attached residential development in a conservation pattern. This meets the review criteria for a partially related zone to be considered in the RC place type.
2. The rezoning is generally aligned with the subject property's location in the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan. The Planned Growth Area encourages a reasonably compact pattern of development in coordination with the provision of adequate roads, utilities, schools, drainage and other public facilities and services.