Disposition Summary

Approve the request to remove the previously approved planned district (C) designation because the property is in harmony with the intent of the current zoning code and adopted plans for the area.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request to remove the previously approved planned district designation because the property is in harmony with the intent of the current zoning code and adopted plans for the area.

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STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING A SPECIAL USE (ARTICLE 16.2.F.2)

1) THE USE IS CONSISTENT WITH ADOPTED PLANS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE ONE-YEAR PLAN.
A. The subject property is a portion of the Deane Hill Apartment community, which was zoned RP-1 (Planned Residential) prior to the adoption of the current City of Knoxville zoning ordinance and map, effective on January 1, 2020.. A development plan for the subject parcel (see Exhibit A) was submitted and approved in 1991 as part of an annexation rezoning case, which changed the zoning from PR (Planned Residential) in the County to RP-1 in the City (6-I-91-RZ).
B. This Special Use request is to remove the previously approved planned district designation, which requires that the layout, regulations and/or conditions of the 1991 plan be maintained. There is no development proposal tied to this request to remove the previously approved planned district, denoted with a (C). The intent is to allow the current RN-5 (General Residential Neighborhood) zoning district to determine future residential infill potential on the site.
C. The removal of a former planned district to comply with the uses allowed in RN-5 is supported by the General Plan's development policy 8.1 to encourage growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
D. The planned district removal is not in conflict with the One Year Plan or West City Sector Plan's MDR (Medium Density Residential) land use classification for the property. The current residential build-out of the subject parcel is approximately 100 units on 7.11 acres, which equates to a density of 14 du/ac. The MDR classification allows consideration of residential densities between 6 and 24 du/ac, so a potential increase within that range would not be out of compliance with the land use criteria.
E. The property is within the HP (Hillside Protection) overlay, and site plans would be required to meet the overlay zone requirements.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. RN-5 zoning is intended to accommodate medium density residential neighborhoods comprising a heterogeneous mix of single-family, two-family, townhouse, and multi-family dwellings. The district may also serve as a functional transition between traditionally single-family and two-family residential neighborhoods and more intensely developed commercial areas.
B. The Deane Hill Apartment community offers a range of multifamily housing forms, and is located between single-family residential neighborhoods to the south and the West Town Mall commercial node to the north across Gleason Drive. These conditions are consistent with the purpose of RN-5 zoning and support consideration of future development that is permitted within the RN-5 district.

3) THE USE IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS PROPOSED, AND WITH THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY.
A. This area has an established multifamly presence with several other apartment communities being located to the west. Residential infill within the boundaries of the apartment community is in character with surrounding development.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. Removing the former planned district designation is not anticipated to cause adverse impact on adjacent properties. Any potential residential development would adhere to the RN-5 dimensional standards and other relevent zoning criteria to protect adjacent properties.
B. The property is within the HP (Hillside Protection) overlay, but most of the property was cleared and graded prior to the adoption of the overlay district. Any further development would likely occur in the area that has been previously disturbed, and would not impact the forest buffer along the south and west sides.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. Since Gleason Drive is an arterial street with adequate pavement width, it can easily accommodate an increase in traffic should more residential density be pursued here.

6) THE NATURE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SURROUNDING AREA IS NOT SUCH AS TO POSE A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE PROPOSED USE OR TO CREATE AN UNDESIRABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PROPOSED USE.
A. There is a blue-line stream running across the south end of the parcel. City Engineering would enforce a minimum 30-ft buffer on either side of the stream if further development was considered there. There are no other aspects of the property that may pose a potential risk to the multifamily community.