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Staff Recommendation

Deny the CR (Rural Commercial) zone because it is not consistent with the adopted plans.

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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 1980s, the surrounding area has experienced a gradual transition away from A (Agricultural) zoning. Rezonings to commercial, industrial, and office zones have been concentrated near the Strawberry Plains Pike and I-40 interchange to the west, while RA (Low-Density Residential) and PR (Planned Residential) with up to 5 to 8 du/ac rezonings have been focused to the east.
2. There has been a significant increase in residential development in the area since 2021. The Hunters Woods 39-lot single-family subdivision and the Universal at Strawberry Plains, a 349-unit housing development featuring apartment and townhouse dwellings, are both under construction approximately 0.25 miles to the west.
3. Nonresidential development has included a mix of service-oriented establishments, trucking and warehousing, lodging establishments, and medical and dental clinics, primarily concentrated near existing commercial nodes. A new indoor pickleball facility was established on the subject property in November 2024, and a small multi-tenant commercial building was constructed 0.12 miles to the east in February 2025.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE.
1. The CR (Rural Commercial) zone is intended to provide opportunities to locate limited retail and service uses in a manner convenient to outlying rural areas. This zoning should be placed on properties that are located at or near intersections of arterial and/or collector streets in order to maximize accessibility from surrounding areas. The subject property is removed from the small node of commercial zoning to the east and the established node to the west and does not meet the intent of the CR zone.
2. 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 range of uses permitted in the CR zone is limited to those generally patronized by area residents on a frequent basis.

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 CR zone at this location would create a disjointed segment of commercial zoning along a section of Strawberry Plains Pike that has primarily experienced increased residential development.
2. The CR zone has development performance standards, such as increased setbacks and landscaping requirements when adjacent to residential zones, to maximize compatibility between commercial uses and surrounding areas (Article 5, Section 5.37.06-09).

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 is designated SR (Suburban Residential) in the Knox County Comprehensive Plan, which does not allow consideration of the CR zone. A plan amendment to accommodate this request is not recommended.
2. The proposed rezoning is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 2: Ensure that development is sensitive to existing community character. A mid-block commercial rezoning could catalyze future commercial rezonings along Strawberry Plains Pike, disrupting an established residential character.
3. The proposed rezoning is aligned with the property's location within the Urban Growth Area of the Growth Policy Plan, which encourages a reasonably compact pattern of development and promotes the expansion of the Knoxville-Knox County economy.