To be heard June 11, 2026Agenda Item No. 20

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 2 du/ac due to environmental constraints with the site. The F (Floodway) designation would be retained.

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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 ZONES AFFECTED, OR IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY.
1. Development northwest of Rutledge Pike has remained stable with little change over the last 20 years. New development in the area has been limited, mainly consisting of trash and waste collection services operations abutting the subject property to the south and the sporadic construction of single-family dwellings on existing lots.
2. Rezoning trends have been focused along and southeast of Rutledge Pike, where there has been more consistent non-residential and residential development. The intersection of Roberts Road and Rutledge Pike has gradually transitioned to a node of commercial and light industrial zoning. However, residential rezonings have been limited, with the most recent rezoning request occurring in 1996, roughly 0.41 miles to the north.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE.
1. The PR (Planned Residential) zone is intended to provide optional methods of land development that encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems by allowing residential development to be clustered on more optimal sections of the property.
2. Roseberry Creek runs through the eastern side of the subject property, and the creek floodway encompasses the majority of the site. Though the PR zone allows clustered development, most of the property is within the 100-yr and 500-yr floodplains (Exhibit B: FEMA Flood Map). Additionally, the area outside of the floodplains is in the HP (Hillside Protection) area, and has steep slopes in the 15-25% and 25-40% ranges. These environmental factors would make clustering development at this location challenging.
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 PR zone with up to 2 du/ac would be compatible with surrounding residential development, which consists of single-family dwellings on a wide range of lot sizes.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AN AMENDMENT.
1. The PR zone with up to 2 du/ac would permit up to 6 units on the site. Though the PR zone allows development to be clustered away from environmentally sensitive areas, only a small portion of the property is outside the floodplains and a portion of the property is constrained with steep slopes. The significant environmental constraints on the site do not support increasing residential intensity.

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 subject property is designated RC (Rural Conservation) in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan, which is intended to conserve forested areas, ridges, wetlands, and other natural features by clustering development and minimizing land disturbance. In growth areas, corridors and pockets of rural conservation indicate places that may be subject to development similar to the adjacent place types, but where more compact and low impact site design is expected.
2. The PR zone is partially related to the RC place type. Partially related zones are required to meet additional review criteria. The proposed rezoning meets the first criterion, as the allowable uses in the PR zone with up to 2 du/ac are consistent with the RC place type's recommended land use mix.
3. The subject property is within the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which is intended to promote a more compact pattern of development and a wide range of housing choices. The proposed rezoning supports the intent of the Planned Growth Area.