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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and compatible with the surrounding developments, subject to 1 condition.

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1. Improving Majors Road from the intersection with Emory Road to the development access point for any public or private right-of-way connection to Majors Road or providing suitable access via the abutting eastern stub out(s) with necessary improvements at the connection point(s), as required by the Knox County Engineering and Public Works Department. If a public or private right-of-way connection is proposed to Majors Road, an evaluation of line of sight and need for turn lane at E Emory Road shall be submitted at the time of concept plan application.

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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 COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. The Gibbs area on the north side of Emory Road has been transitioning from agricultural to planned residential zones since early 1990s. The most recent examples are the PR at 2.9 du/ac rezoning for a property northwest of the subject parcel (4-M-22-RZ) and the PR at 4.25 du/ac rezoning for the abutting eastern parcel that now accommodates a single-family subdivision of 189 lots (2-D-20-RZ). The recommended density is consistent with the range of approved densities for the surrounding areas.
2. Gibbs Middle School, located within a one-mile radius of the subject property, was constructed between 2016-2018 that coincided with the sidewalk installation and road widening of Tazewell Pike. There are other completed and planned mobility infrastructure improvements in the Gibbs area, such as the realignment of Thompson School Road intersection at Emory Road (completed between 2019-20), sidewalk installation on a segment of Thomson School Road (funded capital improvement project), and the proposed Beaver Creek East Greenway (Knox County Greenway Corridor Study, 2020).

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The PR zone is intended to encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems by enabling concentrated development in less environmentally sensitive areas of a property. There is a blue line stream within a 100-year FEMA flood zone on the northwest part of the property. The proposed amendment would allow developments to be concentrated in suitable areas of the site.
2. Houses, duplexes and multi-dwelling structures and developments are permitted in the PR zone along with some nonresidential uses. At the requested density of 5 du/ac, up to 148 dwelling units could be accommodated on this 29.65-acre land. The recommended density of 4 du/ac could yield up to 118 units.
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.

THE 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. Majors Road is a narrow local road with line-of-sight concerns at E Emory Road. The two stub outs along the western boundary of the adjacent Thompson Meadows subdivision offers potential access via Grasshopper Lane and Squirrel Run Lane; one is within the cul-de-sac and the other splits the adjoining property lines at Squirrel Run Lane that may limit access. Because of these considerations, staff recommends PR at 4 du/ac and a condition to improve the vehicular connectivity of the property.
2. Any development under the PR zone would require development plan approval by the Planning Commission, which involves a public hearing process. A traffic impact study will be required if the property is developed at its maximum development potential.

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 proposed amendment is consistent with the subject property's location in the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which encourages a reasonably compact pattern of development and wide range of housing choices.
2. The proposed rezoning is compatible with the property's SR (Suburban Residential) place type, as designated in the Comprehensive Plan. The SR place type allows consideration of the PR zone with a density of up to 12 du/ac as a partially related zone.
3. Partially related zone considerations must meet additional criteria provided in Appendix H of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure their compatibility with the place type. The PR zone with 4 du/ac is deemed appropriate here because it would permit uses and development forms that are consistent with the primary and secondary uses described in the place type (criterion 1) and it is compatible with the current zoning of adjacent sites (criterion 2).
4. The proposed rezoning in tandem with the recommended condition is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Policy 9 that encourages to coordinate infrastructure improvements with development.
5. The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Policy 5 that recommends creating neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. The PR zone allows different types of residential development that would be supported by the property's proximity to amenities such the Gibbs schools, Gibbs Ruritan Park, and commercial uses along Tazewell Pike.