Disposition Summary

Approve the request for the expansion of a parking lot for a place of worship for up to 74 additional spaces, subject to 3 conditions.

---

Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for the expansion of a parking lot for a place of worship for up to 74 additional spaces, subject to 3 conditions.

---

1. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including, but not limited to, Article 12 (Landscape).
2. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Plans Review and Inspections.
3. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Engineering.

---

The subject parcel contains a place of worship with a large parking lot accessed via East Walker Springs Lane. The applicant requests an expansion of the parking lot by 74 additional spaces, for a total of 329 parking spaces for the church.

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 parking lot expansion is not expected to adversely impact any existing neighborhoods and communities, which is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 9.3.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the One Year Plan's and Northwest City Sector Plan's CI (Civic/Institutional) land use classification.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-1 district is intended to accommodate traditional low density residential neighborhoods, exhibiting a predominant development pattern of single-family homes on relatively large lots and with generous setbacks. A place of worship is allowed by special use approval.
B. The site plan notes that 35% of the site will be impervious, which meets the maximum 40% impervious surface coverage requirement of the RN-1 district. The landscape plan shows a 10-ft perimeter landscape yard (Article 12.5) and interior parking lot landscapes (Article 12.6) will be provided on the site. These shall be reviewed by the City's Plans Review & Inspection Department during the permitting phase to ensure compliance with 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 church has operated at this location since the 1960s, predating the multifamily residential and office uses along East Walker Springs Lane. The proposed addition will be consistent with the area's mixed-use character.

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 use is not expected to have any significant adverse impacts on adjacent properties.
B. The parking lot expansion occurs on the southern end of the property away from the single family residential neighborhoods. It connects to the Jean Teague Greenway, and the applicant proposes no modifications to the trailhead located southeast of the proposed addition.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The subject property has easy access to N Gallaher View Rd, a minor arterial street. The proposed expansion is not expected to draw substantial traffic through residential streets.

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 or environmental factors immediately surrounding the subject property that would pose a potential hazard or have an undesirable impact on the proposed use.