Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 2 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development, with the condition that the disturbed area be limited to the recommended disturbance budget in the slope analysis.

Disposition Summary

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 2 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development, with the condition that the disturbed area be limited to the recommended disturbance budget in the slope analysis.

---

Details of Action

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 2 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development, with the condition that the disturbed area be limited to the recommended disturbance budget in the slope analysis.

---

Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 2 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development.

---

This plan was submitted prior to the adoption of the Knox County Comprehensive Land Use and Transportation Plan. The new Comprehensive Land Use and Transportation Plan was adopted on April 26, 2024 and this request was evaluated under it.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED OR CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AND DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE CITY/COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. Since 1992, there have been A to PR rezonings at densities ranging from up to 0.5-5 du/ac in the area, with PR up to 4 du/ac across the street. This area along Hardin Valley Rd consists of small and medium-sized lots with single family detached residential houses and large agricultural tracts.
2. This property is 0.5 miles to the east from a commercial node and Pellissippi Community College along Hardin Valley Rd, and 0.5 miles to the west is Hardin Valley Academy and Elementary schools.
3. In 2003, Hardin Valley Rd was widened from 2 lanes to 3 lanes with a turn lane and sidewalks.

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. The property has some Hillside Protection Area at the rear. The flexibility of the PR zone makes it an appropriate zone to consider.
2. At the requested density of 2 du/ac, this 2.1-acre property could have up to 4 dwellings. Houses, duplexes and multi-dwelling structures and developments are permitted in the PR zone along with some nonresidential uses.
3. The PR zone with up to 1 du/ac that this property is a part of is actually built out to 0.94 du/ac. The zone would still meet the density requirement if the subject property was removed from this zone.
4. 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.

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. The Hardin Valley Mobility Plan 2019 calls for widening Hardin Valley Rd from Scheffer Rd to Steele Rd to a median-divided facility with a multi-use path and driveway consolidation for safety and congestion issues. Four dwellings are not expected to significantly impact traffic on the minor arterial street.
2. This property has some steep slopes within the Hillside Protection Area that runs through the rear of the property. The Hillside Protection area includes 1.1 acres on this 2.1-acre site. The recommended density Hillside & Ridgetop Protection Plan is 2.09 du/ac.
3. The PR zone requires development plans to be submitted for Planning Commission review. At that time, issues such as access, surrounding character, and community input may be provided regarding the proposed development plan.

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 PR zone is consistent with the subject property's location in the Planned Growth boundary of the 2024 amended Growth Policy Plan, which encourages a reasonably compact pattern of development and wide range of housing choices.
2. This application was submitted under The General Plan, which designated this property as the LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification. The LDR land use class allowed consideration of the PR zone with a density of up to 5 du/ac.
3. Under the Comprehensive Plan, the subject property is designated with the TN (Traditional Neighborhood) place type, which allows consideration of up to 24 du/ac in the County's Planned Growth Area. The PR zone at 2 du/ac is consistent with this plan.
4. Residential development at the proposed 2 du/ac is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's implementation policy 2, the intent of which is ensure that the context of new development, including scale and compatibility, does not impact existing neighborhoods and communities. This property abuts the single family subdivision Hardin Valley Woods. The lots range in size from 0.29 to 8.23 acres and the subdivision spans three zones, PR up to 1 du/ac, PR up to 3 du/ac, and RA/TO.
5. The requested rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's development policy 7, to encourage development practices that conserve and connect natural features and habitat. The requested PR zone has flexible development standards that allow clustering development to the least constrained portions of a property, which aligns with policies 7.2 and 7.6 to encourage conservation subdivisions and considering the recommendations of the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan.