Disposition Summary

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 zoning district, subject to 2 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for a two-family dwelling in the RN-2 zoning district, subject to 2 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.

With the conditions noted, this plan meets the requirements for approval in the RN-2 zoning district and the special use criteria for a two-family dwelling.

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The applicant is requesting approval for a two-family dwelling on a 3,071 sq. ft. lot in the RN-2 zoning district. The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) has approved seven variances for this lot on 06/20/2023 (BZ6C23VA), including reduction of front, interior side and rear setbacks, increasing maximum building coverage and impervious surface coverage, a reduction of parking requirements, and a reduction of minimum lot area in the RN-2 district. The seven approved variances are stated below.

1. Reduction of the front setback from 20 feet to 3 feet (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).
2. Reduction of the interior side setback from 15 feet combined to 10 feet combined (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).
3. Reduction of the rear setback from 25 feet to 13.7 feet (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).
4. Increase in the maximum building coverage in a RN-2 zoning district from 30% to 44.5% (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).
5. Increase in the maximum impervious surface coverage in a RN-2 zoning district from 40% to 44.5% (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).
6. Reduction of the parking requirement of 4 to 0 for a Dwelling-Two Family (Article 11.4; Table 11-2).
7. Reduction of the minimum lot area required for a Dwelling-Two Family from 10,000 square feet to 3071 square feet (Article 4.3; Table 4-1).

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 two-family dwelling use is consistent with the General Plan's development policy 8.1 that encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the Central City Sector Plan's TDR (Traditional Neighborhood Residential) land use classification.
C. The proposed use complies with the One Year Plan's location criteria A.3 for a duplex as the area has a gross density exceeding 5 dwelling units per acre and it will not significantly affect the service demands or aesthetics of the area.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The RN-2 zone is intended to accommodate low-density single-family residential development on relatively small lots with smaller setbacks within the City of Knoxville. Two-family dwellings may also be allowed by special use approval. The proposed two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses and it is consistent with the RN-2 district's intent.
B. The site plan as provided complies with the dimensional standards approved by the above-mentioned BZA variances. The elevation as provided conforms to the Principal Use Standards for a two-family dwelling (Article 9.3.J).

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. There are two two-family dwellings (on properties zoned RN-2) located within approximately 250-ft east of the subject property. There are also four multi-family dwellings (on a property zoned RN-3) located approximately 500-ft west of the subject property.
B. The surrounding area is characterized by one-and two-story houses. The proposed one-story structures will be compatible in size and scale with the surrounding single-family houses.

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 two-family dwellings are considered low-density residential uses and are compatible with other low-density residential uses.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. A duplex would be a minor increase in density for the area and would not significantly impact traffic on surrounding streets. Currently, only one dwelling is accessed via Douglas Avenue between Boyd Street and Callaway Street.

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. There are no known uses immediately surrounding the subject property that would pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment for the proposed use. The church on the opposite side of the property is of neighborhood scale.