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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for 2 two-family dwellings in the RN-2 zone, subject to 3 conditions.

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1. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance, including but not limited to Article 9.3.J (Principal Use Standards- Dwelling-Two-family).
2. Meeting all requirements of the Hillside Protection Level II Certificate of Appropriateness (9-B-26-HPA).
3. Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Department of Engineering.

With the conditions noted, this plan meets the requirements for approval in the RN-2 District and the criteria for approval of a special use.

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The applicant is requesting approval for 2 new two-family dwellings on approximately 14,000 sq ft lots located on Richmond Ave. A Hillside Protection Level II Certificate of Appropriateness was approved in September 2026 (9-B-26-HPA). Conditions of approval require reforesting approximately 10,870 sq ft along the eastern side of the subject property with 135 native tree seedlings, as shown in Exhibit B. A reforestation plan shall be subject to approval by the City of Knoxville Urban Forestry Division, and they shall be notified when planting is complete so a site inspection can occur.

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 use of a two-family dwelling is consistent with the Central City Sector Plan and One Year plan TDR (Traditional Neighborhood Residential) land use designation.
B. The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 8.1 that encourages growth in the existing urban area through infill housing opportunities.

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.
B. The RN-2 zone requires a minimum lot size of 10,000 sq. ft. for two-family dwellings. The proposed lots meet the minimum lot size in the RN-2 district. The site plan and building elevations conform to the other dimensional standards (Article 4.3) and the Principal Use Standards (Article 9.3.J) for duplexes in the RN-2 district. For example, the entrances for both units are dominant features on the front elevation, using porches with a gable roof, and the street-facing elevation meets the 15% transparency requirement.
C. A Levell II Hillside Protection Certificate of Appropriateness was approved on September 10, 2026 (9-B-26-SU) with reforestation conditions, as noted above.

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. The use is compatible with the character of the neighborhood. There is a duplex next door to the west, and there is a small-house development nearby on Orchard House Way. The proposed two-story structures are approximately 25 ft tall and are consistent in size and scale with other houses in the surrounding area.

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 a low-density residential use 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. Four dwelling units are not expected to significantly impact traffic on surrounding residential streets.

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 ENVIORNMENT FOR THE PROPOSED USE.
A. There are no known uses immediately surrounding the subject site that would pose a potential hazard or undesirable environment for the proposed use.