Disposition Summary

Approve the C-H-1 (Highway Commercial) zoning district it is consistent with the sector plan and surrounding development.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the C-H-1 (Highway Commercial) zoning district it is consistent with the sector plan and surrounding development.

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The F (Floodplain) overlay would be retained.

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PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 16.1.E, 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 CITY/COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. The area along the edge of downtown has experienced some major infrastructure developments in recent years, including the multi-use stadium currently under construction. Between 2021-24, the City completed a 5.5-million dollar road expansion and improvement project along the west boundary of the site (I-275 Business Park Access Improvements Project), which entailed a new two-lane road from Fifth Avenue to Bernard Avenue, a new a ten-foot multipurpose trail from Fifth Avenue to Baxter Avenue (Second Creek Greenway), and other nearby sidewalk and intersection improvements.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The C-H-1 district intends to accommodate higher-intensity commercial uses.
2. The existing I-H (Heavy Industrial) zoning district is not reflective of the subject property's current land uses that has been vacant for almost the last ten years. The proposed rezoning will be compatible with other commercial districts in the downtown edge area. The recent road infrastructure improvements support higher-intensity commercial uses here.
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 CITY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT:
1. The proposed down-zoning to C-H-1 is not anticipated to have any adverse impacts. In general, C-H-1 zoning is less likely to produce noxious environmental impacts than the current I-H district.
2. The former industrial site has brownfield status. New developments would be required to comply with appropriate TN Department of Environmental Conservation guidelines during the permitting process.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN OF KNOXVILLE AND KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS:
1. The proposed C-H-1 district is consistent with the sector plan and One Year Plan's MU-SD MU-CC10 (Gateway Corridor Mixed Use District) land use classification, which recommends a mix of uses, including commercial.
2. The I-275/North Central Street Corridor Study (2007) identifies this area as 'Focus Area for Economic and Mixed-Use Development' that encourages development through a mix of use (page 18-19 of the study). The proposed rezoning is consistent with the study's intent.
3. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 9.11 that recommends to locate community-serving commercial areas where they can be easily shared by several neighborhoods. The property's location at the edge of downtown in tandem with recent connectivity improvements makes this property easily accessible by multiple nearby neighborhoods.

ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SCHOOLS, PARKS, POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, ROADS, SANITARY 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. Existing infrastructure and utilities are adequate for the development potential of the C-H-1 zoning district.