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Staff Recommendation

Approve the requested neighborhood nonresidential reuse of a church for office spaces, subject to 5 conditions.

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1. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including, but not limited to, Article 10.2 (Exterior Lighting), Article 12 (Landscape), and Article 13 (Signs).
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.
4. During the permitting phase, merging parcel 109AF006 with parcel 109AF005 in accordance with all applicable requirements of the Subdivision Regulations and standard platting process.
5. Before a permit is issued for the proposed picnic tables on parcel 109AF018, merging this parcel with parcels 109AF005 and 109AF006 in accordance with all applicable requirements of the Subdivision Regulations and standard platting process. The lot boundary can remain as is if no accessory structure is proposed for this lot.

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The applicant proposes redeveloping a church into flexible office spaces available for rent. Although new office structures are not permitted in the RN-2 district, a nonresidential reuse of a structure originally constructed for a nonresidential use within a residential neighborhood can be approved via special use review, subject to the Principal Use Standards of Neighborhood Nonresidential Reuse (Article 9.3.V).

The property comprises three parcels. Parcel 109AF005 (520 Yarnell Ave) contains two structures, the main church structure comprising 2,500 sq ft, and a smaller, 650 sq ft structure directly adjacent to but not connected to the church. There is also a shed behind the church. The parcel to the rear of the site (109AF006, 2409 Atchley St) contains an overflow parking area that would remain.

The applicant proposes converting the main church structure into nine individual office suites and the smaller structure into a single flexible office space. Additionally, the applicant intends to install outdoor tables as a future development on the western parcel (109AF018, 510 Yarnell Ave), which would be used as a picnic and smoking area. These would replace the tables and overhead structures seen on the Aerial Map in Exhibit A, as these have been removed. The planned office hours are from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with tenant access allowed at any time.

A subdivision plat combining the eastern two subject parcels is required because the RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) district does not permit standalone parking areas. The western parcel would not need to be merged with the other two parcels unless a permit was requested for an accessory structure. All applicable requirements for accessory structures (Article 10.3) can be verified during the permitting process.

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 General Plan does not include any specific policy regarding office uses in residential areas, but Development Policy 4.12 and 5.13 generally support the reuse of vacant buildings. The plan's Development Policy 8.2 encourages locating neighborhood commercial services to enhance, rather than hinder, the stability of residential areas. The request to renovate the church into small-scale office spaces maintains the stability of this community-serving nonresidential space.
B. The One Year Plan's and the South City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification is primarily intended for residential development. However, compatible, lower-intensity nonresidential uses may be considered in this area, provided they are permitted by the zoning district.
C. The South Waterfront Vision Plan (2006) acknowledges the nonresidential use of this property, and the proposed reuse has no conflicts with the plan.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 district intends to accommodate low density single-family residential development and permits a limited range of nonresidential uses that are compatible with the character of the district. As mentioned above, office uses can be permitted as neighborhood nonresidential reuse via special use approval.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the Principal Use Standards (9.3.V) and must operate within the applicable restrictions. For example, all business and storage uses must be located within the structure, and signs shall be limited to one monument sign and one attached sign (wall or projecting) on each street-facing façade. Any change of an approved use to another nonresidential use would require a new special use approval.
C. The Principal Use Standards state that no off-street parking is required, but existing parking must be maintained. The applicant proposes to remove two existing parking spaces at each end of the front parking area to provide safer access to Yarnell Avenue, as required by the Engineering Department.
D. Article 12.8 requires a 10-ft Class A landscape buffer for nonresidential uses located within a residential district. This shall be reviewed by the Plans Review and Inspections Department during the permitting process.

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 one-story church structure has existed at this location since the 1980s. The proposed conversion into small-scale office suites is intended for individual professionals and small businesses, and they will primarily serve the surrounding Old Sevier community. This use is compatible with the surrounding residential context.

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 required Type A landscape buffer will provide a visual separation between these different land uses. The development is required to comply with Articles 10.2 (Exterior Lighting), 10.5 (Environmental Performance Standards), and 13 (Signs), which regulate light, noise, sign illumination, and other impacts.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. The proposed use is not anticipated to draw substantial additional traffic into this residential area. For comparison, the estimated average daily vehicle trips for a 3,150-sq-ft small office building are 45, and for a similar-sized church, they are 21 and 99 on weekdays and Sundays, respectively.
B. The parking area will largely function in a similar capacity to the previous church that operated in this building for many years. Four bike parking spaces are proposed to accommodate nearby users.

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 aspects of the property or the surrounding context that pose a risk to the requested office use.