To be heard August 13, 2026Agenda Item No. 12

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 3 du/ac due to safety concerns with access.

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PURSUANT TO THE KNOX COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE, ARTICLE 6.30.01, 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 ZONES AFFECTED, OR IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY.
1. Since the early 1990s, zoning along Crippen Road has incrementally transitioned from A (Agricultural) to the PR (Planned Residential) with up to 3.5 to 5 du/ac and RA (Low Density Residential) zones.
2. Development trends in the surrounding area have been residential and commercial in nature. Commercial development has been concentrated along Maynardville Pike to the west, whereas residential development has been focused east of Maynardville Pike, consisting of single-family dwellings on a range of lot sizes and townhouse developments.
3. A 37-lot subdivision was built in 2020 approximately 850 ft west of the subject property.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE.
1. The PR zone is intended to provide optional methods of land development that encourage more imaginative solutions to environmental design problems and establish residential areas that are characterized by a unified building and site development program.
2. The rear of the subject property is relatively steep with slopes in the 15-25% and 25-40% ranges (Exhibit A: Slope Analysis). The PR zone would be appropriate to consider here, as it would allow density to be clustered away from the hillside.
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 requested zoning would be compatible with the surrounding residential zoning, which consists of properties zoned PR from up to 3.5 to 5 du/ac, RA (Low Density Residential), and RB (General Residential).

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AN AMENDMENT.
1. The requested density of 3 du/ac could yield up to approximately 54 units.
2. The subject property is accessed from Crippen Road, a minor collector street. This section of Crippen Road curves along the majority of the property's frontage and does not have a shoulder on either side. Available sight distance to the east and west is questionable due to this curve, which is exacerbated by a vertical crest in the road (Exhibit B). Planning staff and Engineering staff requested a sight distance certification to confirm if an adequate line of sight is available. The road profile provided by the applicant is not adequate, as it was performed using KGIS, which cannot be used due to the application's margin of error.
3. Multiple automobile accidents have occurred along this curve on Crippen Road between 2016 and 2025 (Exhibit C), which raises safety concerns. The questionable sight distance due to the vertical curve on Crippen Road does not support increasing residential density at this site.
4. The PR zone ensures that site plans undergo a public review process and obtain Planning Commission approval of any proposed developments. The plan would be reviewed to determine whether the proposed development is compatible with the surrounding community.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS.
1. The majority of the subject property is designated SR (Suburban Residential) with a small sliver of property encompassing approximately 6,500 sq ft designated RC (Rural Conservation). Both place types allow consideration of the requested PR zone with up to 3 du/ac.
2. The PR zone is partially related to the SR and RC place types, and additional criteria must be met for partially related zones. The rezoning meets the first criterion, as the allowable housing types in the PR zone with up to 3 du/ac are consistent with the secondary uses recommended for both place types, such as attached residential.
3. The proposed rezoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 5: Create neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. The subject property is within 350 ft of the Halls Senior Center, Halls Community Park, and Halls Greenway, which connects to the Halls Public Library to the north. Additionally, an array of retail and service-oriented uses are available along the Maynardville Pike commercial corridor to the west.
4. However, the requested zoning is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 9.3: Focus growth in areas already served by adequate infrastructure, and Implementation Policy 12: Improve safety for all users. As previously mentioned, the subject property is situated on on a bend in Crippen Road with a notable history of automobile accidents and a vertical curve in the road that appears to limit visibility.
5. The subject property is within the Planned Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which aims to encourage a reasonably compact pattern of development, promote expansion of the Knoxville-Knox County economy, and offer a wide range of housing choices. The proposed rezoning aligns with the intent of the Planned Growth Area.