Disposition Summary

Deny the plan amendment to GC (General Commercial) because it is incompatible with surrounding land use and infrastructure.

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the plan amendment to GC (General Commercial) because it is incompatible with surrounding land use and infrastructure.

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SECTOR PLAN AMENDMENT REQUIREMENTS FROM GENERAL PLAN (May meet any one of these):

CHANGES OF CONDITIONS WARRANTING AMENDMENT OF THE LAND USE PLAN:
1. There have been no substantial changes in this area over the past 30 years. There are established single family residential properties adjacent to the subject parcel south of Chapman Highway. While there is a commercial-zoned corridor along this section of Chapman Highway to the northwest, much of it is vacant or underutilized. This includes a 30-acre commercial strip center at 6522 Chapman Highway that has been in a state of decline for many years. These conditions do not warrant an expansion of GC (General Commercial) land use at this location.

INTRODUCTION OF SIGNIFICANT NEW ROADS OR UTILITIES THAT WERE NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE PLAN AND MAKE DEVELOPMENT MORE FEASIBLE:
1. The Chapman Highway Corridor Study describes how this section of the major arterial street is generally lacking a median, has infrequent turn lanes and narrow 2 to 4-ft shoulders. Although the accident rate here is lower due to the infrequency of turns, it describes how the crashes are more severe. The plan recommends adding turn lanes, medians and increasing shoulder width as needed. None of these improvements have occurred yet, and there are no known plans to address them.
2. The property is located at a substantial bend in the highway, which makes adequate sight distance a challenge. Approving commercial land uses at this location could result in an increase in traffic and turns at a location in the corridor that does not currently support safe ingress and egress.

AN OBVIOUS OR SIGNIFICANT ERROR OR OMISSION IN THE PLAN:
1. The subject property's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification is consistent with all surrounding properties on the south side of the highway, and is not the result of an error or omission.

TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT, POPULATION OR TRAFFIC THAT WARRANT RECONSIDERATION OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROPOSAL:
1. There are no trends in the surrounding area that support a more intensive land use at this location.

State law regarding amendments of the general plan (which includes Sector Plan amendments) was changed with passage of Public Chapter 1150 by the Tennessee Legislature in 2008. The law now provides for two methods to amend the plan at TCA 13-3-304:
- The Planning Commission may initiate an amendment by adopting a resolution and certifying the amendment to the Legislative Body. Once approved by majority vote of the Legislative Body, the amendment is operative.
- The Legislative Body may also initiate an amendment and transmit the amendment to the Planning Commission. Once the Planning Commission has considered the proposed amendment and approved, not approved, or taken no action, the Legislative Body may approve the amendment by majority vote and the amendment is operative.