Disposition Summary

Approve the C-G-1 (General Commercial) district because it is consistent with surrounding land uses and dimensions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the C-G-1 (General Commercial) district because it is consistent with surrounding land uses and dimensions.

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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. The request to rezone the subject parcel from the C-G-2 (General Commercial) district to the C-G-1 (General Commercial) district is more consistent with adjacent development. Although the parcel to the east is also zoned C-G-2, the retail and office building there, built in 2007, does not conform to the dimensional standards of C-G-2 zoning. The C-G-2 district requires a front build-to zone of 0 to 20 ft, but the building is set back approximately 70 ft, with a parking lot in front. This layout, which is characteristic of other neighboring businesses as well, is more consistent with C-G-1, which does not have a front setback requirement. C-G-1 zoning on the subject parcel would align better with surrounding development conditions.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The C-G-1 district is intended for a heterogeneous mix of retail, personal service, office, and residential uses within and along commercial nodes and corridors.
2. This intent is consistent with the commercial and office uses that characterize the Papermill Drive corridor.

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. There are no adverse impacts anticipated to occur from the proposed zoning change. A 20-ft landscape buffer would be required where the property abuts residential zoning to the north.
2. Permitted uses are the same between C-G-1 and C-G-2. The dimensional standard differences that would occur with the rezoning would be a maximum building height reduction from 70 ft to 45 ft, and the elimination of front setback and minimum build-to requirements. As stated above, the dimensional standards of the adjacent commercial property are more consistent with the requested C-G-1 zoning than its current C-G-2 zoning.
3. In 1993, the subject property was approved for commercial development as part of a former planned district review. The development plan at that time, shown in Exhibit A, reflects a retail establishment with dimensions that are inconsistent with the C-G-2 standards, but do conform with C-G-1. This prior development approval further supports the proposed rezoning.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN OF KNOXVILLE AND KNOX COUNTY, INCLUDING ANY OF ITS ELEMENTS, MAJOR ROAD PLAN, LAND USE PLAN, COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN, AND OTHERS:
1. The proposed C-G-1 zoning district is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.12, which recommends conditions like landscape screening and heigh restrictions to improve land use transitions when commercial uses abut residential property. The zoning oridnance will require landscape screening along the border with the apartment community to the north, and the C-G-1 district is more restrictive of building height than C-G-2.
2. The rezoning is consistent with the recommended Northwest City Sector Plan amendment to the GC (General Commercial) land use classification.

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 a highly developed area with adequate infrastructure capacity for commercial development permitted with the C-G-1 district.