Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling, subject to 5 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling, subject to 5 conditions.

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1. Installing a 10-ft Type A landscape buffer south of the proposed driveway as depicted on the plan and meeting all applicable requirements of Article 12 (Landscape) of the zoning ordinance.
2. Recording a plat with the proposed access easement and meeting all applicable requirements of the Subdivision Regulations and standard platting process.
3. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.
4. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Plans Review and Inspections.
5. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Engineering.

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This request is for a one-story duplex with a basement and a 2,425-sq ft building footprint. One unit has one bedroom, while the other has two. The applicant intends to use the basement to store household items and lawn equipment. The development proposes to use an existing 20-ft-wide easement off Cecil Johnson Road that was created by deed, though the property has legal access via a 25-ft-wide easement that runs north of the adjacent western parcels.

The 1.24-acre parcel is part of a previously approved planned district, as indicated by the "(C)" designation on the zoning map. Per Article 1.4.G.1, previously approved planned districts remain in effect, and are subject to the plans, regulations, or conditions of approval. The property was rezoned to the RP-1 (Planned Residential) zone with up to 3 du/ac in 1984 (5-F-84-RZ), so this proposal was evaluated under the May 1984 Zoning Ordinance in effect when the property was rezoned.

The RP-1 zone at the time allowed duplexes as a use by right but required development plan approval, similar to the PR zone in the County. Special uses took the place of uses on review with the adoption of the current zoning ordinance (adopted January 2020), so this project requires special use approval.

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 proposed use is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1, which encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. A two-family dwelling, which is considered low-density residential use, is consistent with the One Year Plan's and South City Sector Plan's LDR (Low Density Residential) land use classification, which specifically lists duplexes as a low density residential use.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The former RP-1 district is intended to provide optional methods of land development that encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems. As mentioned previously, a duplex was a use allowed by right, but still required development plan approval.
B. The proposed duplex yields an approximate density of 1.61 du/ac for the subject parcel and 2.5 du/ac for the RP-1 district, which respectively conform to the effective maximum allowed density for the subject parcel and the allowed density for the entire planned district.
C. The proposed development meets all applicable requirements of the RP-1 districts. For all uses except for single-family dwellings, front setbacks in the RP-1 district are approved by the Planning Commission (Article IV, Section 4a.D.1.a of the 1984 ordinance). The proposed 36-ft front setback is compatible with the surrounding development.
D. Article V, Section 7.A.2 f of the former ordinance requires a 10-ft buffer yard of trees, shrubs, and grass to be installed between the pavement area and the front yard. Since the former ordinance does not specify the number or spacing of plants, staff recommends installing a 10-ft Class A buffer yard in accordance with the current landscape standards of Article 12.

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. The area is primarily composed of single-family dwellings, except for the 12-unit multifamily development on Cecil Johnson Road to the west. Two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses, and the proposed duplex is compatible with other low-density residential uses in the area. The scale of the proposed structures is consistent with that of other residential structures in this area.

4) THE USE WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY INJURE THE VALUE OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR BY NOISE, LIGHTS, FUMES, ODORS, VIBRATION, TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, OR OTHER IMPACTS DETRACT FROM THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT.
A. The proposed development is not expected to significantly injure the value of any adjacent properties. The house on the adjacent southern parcel has no north-facing windows, so there are no apparent concerns about vehicle headlights causing a nuisance. The proposed landscaping will provide a visual buffer for the adjacent house.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. A two-dwelling is not expected to draw substantial traffic through residential streets. The property has easy access to McKamey Road (a major collector) and Western Avenue (a major arterial), which is only 1.08 miles away.

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. The surrounding residential uses pose no hazard or undesirable conditions for the proposed use.