Disposition Summary

Approve the RN-5 (General Residential Neighborhood) zoning district because it aligns with the City of Knoxville's One Year Plan and Northwest City Sector Plan. The HP (Hillside Protection Overlay) would be retained.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the RN-5 (General Residential Neighborhood) zoning district because it aligns with the City of Knoxville's One Year Plan and Northwest City Sector Plan. The HP (Hillside Protection Overlay) would be retained.

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PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 16.1.E, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR ALL REZONINGS:

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED OR CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE CITY GENERALLY.
1. Since the 1980s, development trends in the surrounding area have largely been residential and commercial in nature. Commercial development has been concentrated along Clinton Highway, a major commercial corridor 400 ft north of the subject property. Multi-family residential development has been concentrated along or near Clinton Highway, whereas single-family and two-family developments have mainly been focused to the south.
2. The subject property is within 1.15 miles of two major commercial nodes that extend off of Clinton Highway at intersections with other classified streets. The node at Schaad Road is roughly 1.15 miles west of the subject property, and the node at Merchant Drive is roughly 1 mile to the east. Both areas have experienced an increase in infill development including an array of office, commercial, retail, and service-oriented amenities.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THIS CODE.
1. The RN-5 (General Residential Neighborhood) zoning district is intended to accommodate medium density residential neighborhoods in the City of Knoxville comprising a heterogenous mix of single-family, two-family, townhouse, and multi-family dwellings.
2. The RN-5 District may also serve as a functional transition between traditionally single-family and two-family residential neighborhoods and more intensely developed residential or commercial areas. The subject property meets this description as it is located between commercial properties zoned C-H-1 (Highway Commercial) and residential properties zoned RN-1 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) and RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood).
3. Rezonings should be based on the entire range of uses allowed within a zone to ensure that any development brought forth in the future would be compatible with the surrounding land uses. The RN-5 zoning district permits limited nonresidential uses that support a residential environment.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE CITY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT.
1. The RN-5 district is intended to support a variety of housing types and provide for a residential environment. As such, it is not anticipated to negatively impact the surrounding area, which features a mix of residential and nonresidential uses.
2. Murray Drive is a major collector street with an uneven pavement width ranging from 17 to 20 ft. Due to its uneven width, Murray Drive may have to be widened to comply with the minimum pavement width standards recommended by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
3. Looking westward, Murray Drive also has a crest in the road that may limit sight distance. If sight distance verification cannot be met, road improvements to address sight distance may be required. The extent to which improvements are needed would be determined during the design phase.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND ITS COMPONENT PARTS, INCLUDING ADOPTED SECTOR PLANS, CORRIDOR PLANS, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS.
1. The subject property has the MDR (Medium Density Residential) land use classification in the City's One Year Plan and Northwest City Sector Plan. The MDR land use is intended for areas with a primarily residential character featuring a variety of housing types, including single-family, two-family, townhouses, and multi-family developments. The RN-5 district supports the intent of the MDR land use classification.
2. The recommended rezoning supports the General Plan's Development Policy 11.4, to create gradual zoning transition patterns by placing medium intensity zones between single-family residential areas and higher intensity uses. It also supports Development Policy 8.4, to protect residential areas from encroaching commercial development and other incompatible uses, since the RN-5 zoning district would provide buffering between the higher intensity commercial uses along Clinton Highway and the single-family residential neighborhood to the south.

WHETHER ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, ROADS, SANITARY SEWERS, STORM SEWERS, AND WATER LINES, OR ARE REASONABLY CAPABLE OF BEING PROVIDED PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IF THE AMENDMENT WERE ADOPTED.
1. As previously mentioned, the subject property is located within 400 ft of the Clinton Highway Commercial Corridor and roughly a mile from commercial nodes at Clinton Highway along Schaad Road and Merchant Drive, which feature a wide array of retail and service-oriented amenities.
2. A Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) bus stop is within 400 feet of the subject property on Clinton Highway.