Disposition Summary

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development, subject to one condition.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the PR (Planned Residential) zone with up to 4 du/ac because it is consistent with the Knox County Comprehensive Plan and surrounding development, subject to one condition.

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1. The rear of the parcel with slopes of 25% or greater at approximately beyond the 970-contour line shall be left undisturbed.

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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 DISTRICTS AFFECTED, OR IN THE COUNTY GENERALLY:
1. The adjacent subdivision was part of a large rezoning to RA in 1992. There have been several PR rezonings with densities ranging from 2-8 du/ac within the Planned Growth Area along E Governor John Sevier Hwy since the early 2000s.
2. This property was on the boundary of the Planned Growth and Rural Areas in the 2001 Growth Policy Plan and changed from the Rural Area to the Planned Growth Area with the updated Growth Policy Plan and Map, adopted in April, 2024. This change in designation allows consideration of over 2 du/ac, the maximum allowed in the Rural Areas.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSE OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE:
1. The PR zone provides flexibility for residential development on properties with environmental constraints by allowing clustered development in the optimal areas of a property to preserve more environmentally sensitive areas, such as steep slopes and streams.
2. This property has steep slopes along the rear of the property, so the PR zone would permit clustered development in the less sloped areas, enabling preservation of steep slopes and forested areas.
3. PR up to 4 du/ac on this 11.4-acre property would allow up to 45 units where dwellings may be clustered. PR up to 5 du/ac would allow 57 units. Houses, duplexes and multi-dwelling structures and developments are permitted in the PR zone.
4. 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 PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ANY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY, NOR SHALL ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ADVERSE EFFECTS RESULT FROM SUCH AMENDMENT.
1. The RA zone is adjacent to this property and allows houses on 10,000 sq ft lots, which equates to a density just over 4 du/ac. The recommended density of 4 du/ac is not expected to have adverse impacts on that development or on the surrounding A zoned lots since the RA zone only accommodates low density residential development.
2. The impact to the street system will be minimal as the property has direct access to a minor collector street.
3. Considering the environmental constraints, staff recommends approving the PR zone at 4 du/ac with the condition that the area along the rear of the property line with slopes of 25% or higher at the 970-contour line be left undisturbed (see Exhibit B). This condition is would preserve the slopes and forested areas of the property and would aid in stormwater runoff mitigation. The condition to leave the areas above the 970-ft contour line undisturbed supported by the Comprehensive Plan's development policy 7, to encourage development practices that conserve and connect natural features and habitat. The requested PR zone has flexible development standards that allow clustering development to the least constrained portions of a property, which aligns with goals 7.2 and 7.6 to encourage conservation subdivisions and consider the recommendations of the Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan.
4. PR zoning requires that development plans be submitted for Planning Commission review. At that time, issues such as topography surrounding character, and access are evaluated, and community input may be provided regarding the proposed development plan.

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 subject property's place type in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan is SR (Suburban Residential), and the PR district with a density no greater than 12 du/ac can be considered as a partially related zone. PR up to 4 du/ac is consistent with the SR place type, which is predominantly single family subdivisions with lots smaller than one acre and attached residential such as duplexes, multiplexes, and townhomes that have the scale of a single family home.
2. This property is approximately 1 mile from a commercial node at Chapman Hwy and E Governor John Sevier Hwy and is 150 ft outside of the New Hopewell Elementary School Parental Responsibility zone. Residential development at this location is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's implementation policy 5, Create neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity.
3. The PR zone is listed as partially related in the SR place type per Appendix H (Place Type and Zoning Correspondence Matrix) of the Knox County Comprehensive Plan. Partially related zoning districts may be appropriate but must meet one of three criteria listed in Appendix H. The proposed PR zoning with the recommended conditions and required development plan review by the Planning Commission is compatible with the current zoning of adjacent sites.