Disposition Summary

Approve the I-MU (Industrial Mixed-Use) district because it is consistent with the One Year Plan and Central City Sector Plan.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the I-MU (Industrial Mixed-Use) district because it is consistent with the One Year Plan and Central City Sector Plan.

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PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 16.1.E, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET FOR ALL REZONINGS:

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. Development along Hoitt Avenue has remained stable since the 1980s, outside of the minor expansion of existing industrial uses to the east, the construction of two duplexes in the mid-2000s, and a rezoning from RN-2 (Single-Family Residential Neighborhood) to RN-4 (General Residential Neighborhood) in 2023 across the street from the subject property (6-A-23-RZ). The subject property contained a c.1940 single family house that was demolished earlier this year.
2. Hoitt Avenue is a predominantly residential street at the northern edge of a swath of industrial, wholesale, commercial, and office uses that are concentrated along the railroad. The surrounding area has remained generally stable since the 1980s, with some residential infill construction in the neighborhood to the north of the subject property and expansion of existing industrial and heavy commercial operations to the south of the subject property.
3. Community input provided during Recode supported a downzoning of some properties to the south of the subject property along Gillespie Avenue and Grainger Avenue from I-3 (General Industrial) to RN-4 (General Residential Neighborhood) in 2020, which brought existing housing stock into compliance with their zoning and indicates a desire to limit the expansion of industrial and commercial uses into the surrounding residential neighborhood. The I-MU district does allow residential uses and would provide a transition from the industrial-zoned property to the south and the residential uses to the north.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The I-MU district is intended to provide for a mix of light industrial uses and a variety of compatible commercial uses such as entertainment, amusement, and retail establishments. This mix is designed to promote the reuse of older, character-giving structures that may no longer be suitable for their original industrial purposes, but that can accommodate a variety of alternative types of uses. Residential uses are also permitted in the I-MU District, both above the ground floor in mixed-use development, and in multifamily dwellings.
2. The block primarily features residential uses, with heavy commercial, industrial, and wholesale uses concentrated to the south and west. This mix of uses is consistent with the intended environment of the I-MU district. The I-MU district on this corner property would provide a transition from the swath of I-G zoning to the south of the subject property and the residential zoning along the block.

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. 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.
2. Some of the industrial and commercial uses permitted in the I-MU district could have adverse impacts on surrounding residential properties, but the small size of the property would limit the feasibility of these more intensive uses. The I-MU district has design standards intended to mitigate impacts on surrounding residential development and to accommodate a pedestrian environment, and a landscape buffer would be required along the eastern lot line that abuts RN-2 zoning.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND ITS COMPONENT PARTS, INCLUDING ADOPTED SECTOR PLANS, CORRIDOR PLANS, AND RELATED DOCUMENTS.
1. The I-MU district is consistent with the property's LI (Light Industrial) future land use classification in the One Year Plan and the 2014 Central City Sector Plan., so this rezoning would bring the property into compliance with the adopted plans. The I-MU district is the only district allowed in this land use classification that permits residential development and is the least intensive district supported by the LI future land use classification.
2. The rezoning aligns with the General Plan's Development Policy 11.4, to create gradual zoning transition patterns by placing medium intensity zones between single-family residential areas and higher intensity uses. The landscaping, setback, and buffering standards applicable within the I-MU district align with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.12, to improve land use transitions where commercial uses abut residential property by requiring fencing, landscaping screens, earth berms, height restrictions, and/or deeper than usual building setbacks.

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. This is an urbanized area with ample utility and facility infrastructure to support a rezoning of this site.