Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling as depicted on the site plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling as depicted on the site plan, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department, including, but not limited to, plat and easement requirements for the issuance of a building permit (Section 22.5-40, Stormwater and Street Ordinance).
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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This request is for a two-story duplex facing Avenue B, with alley access from the rear side. The duplex has a footprint of 1,998 sq ft, with three bedrooms on the second floor. The parcel includes the entirety of Lot 15 and a portion of Lot 14 in the Southland Park subdivision, and the applicant proposes removing the interior lot line to merge the lots.

STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING A SPECIAL USE (ARTICLE 16.2.F.2)

1) THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE ONE-YEAR PLAN.
A. The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1, which encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. A two-family dwelling, which is considered low-density residential use, is consistent with the One Year Plan's and South City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 district is intended to accommodate low density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks. Two-family dwellings may be allowed by special use approval.
B. The RN-2 district requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq ft for two-family dwellings, and the subject parcel meets this requirement. The site plan and building elevations as provided conform to the dimensional standards (Article 4.3) and the Principal Use Standards (Article 9.3.J) for duplexes in the RN-2 district. For example, the street-facing elevation exceeds the 15% minimum transparency requirements and includes architectural elements to avoid the appearance of blank walls.
C. The applicant proposes to remove the existing driveway off of Avenue B and use the alley as the primary means of vehicular ingress and egress, as required by 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. This part of the Vestal community is primarily composed of single-family dwellings, with a few duplexes, small-scale multifamily developments, and places of worship interspersed. The proposed use is compatible with the mix of uses, and the scale of the two-story structures is generally consistent with other residential structures in this area.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. The proposed development is not expected to significantly injure the value of any adjacent properties.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. Two dwelling units are not expected to draw substantial traffic through residential streets. The subject parcel is within 0.16 miles of a transit stop on Avenue A and 0.4 miles of Maryville Pike, a minor arterial road.

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. The uses immediately surrounding the subject property will not pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment. Proximity to Community Unity Park and Joe B Foster Park, along with walkable access to transit stops, makes this property a desirable location for the minor increase in housing density.