January 12, 2023
Planning Commission meeting

Public Comments

18 Comments

Rebekkah
37918

1-E-23-DP
Rebekkah (37918), December 20, 2022 at 11:14 AM

I understand the need to build more residential areas. However, the growth that the Gibbs/Corryton has/is experiencing is rapid and without much forethought.

The amount of traffic congestion on Emory Rd has become hazardous. Multiple wrecks and near misses are a common occurrence. On Beeler, Beeler Farms has brought increased traffic, which the small, barely two-lane road can handle. As Beeler Farms was being built, water lines lines ruptured and power was lost, multiple times. It seems that building plans for quick build (not well built) residences are rubber stamped without much concern for the impact on the current residents or the future impact on the community. The infrastructure is being over-burdened. The schools are past capacity. Roads are congested and unable to handle the amount of cars that have been brought in. The land is being destroyed and paved over. We're losing the beauty of the area and replacing it with cheaply built, cookie cutter homes or condos. Please, slow down and plan accordingly.

December 20, 2022
at 11:14 AM

1-E-23-DP

Justin
37918

1-E-23-DP
Justin (37918), December 22, 2022 at 9:16 PM

Beeler Road remains much too narrow to support additional traffic. Since Beeler Farms has been constructed, I'm seeing more instances of vehicles meeting mirror to mirror on that narrow stretch with the blind hill.

I'm not against developments, but the infrastructure must be upgraded to facilitate them. Knox County must widen Beeler Rd prior to allowing any more development.

December 22, 2022
at 9:16 PM

1-A-23-UR

Kevin
37918

1-A-23-UR
Kevin (37918), January 4, 2023 at 11:22 AM

An outdoor shooting range introduces substantial noise pollution into our county's environment. The impact on neighboring residents is not mitigated by vegetation or topography. Gunfire travels, and the Use on Review application proposes no mitigations to this.

As an example: I live 13,500 feet from the Sheriff's office shooting range. When they are training out there, I can clearly hear the gunfire inside my residence, with windows/doors closed.

An outdoor shooting range will significantly injure the value of adjacent property due to unmitigated noise and does not meet the standard set forth in 4.10.17.

January 4, 2023
at 11:22 AM

1-G-23-DP

Kevin
37918

1-G-23-DP
Kevin (37918), January 4, 2023 at 11:34 AM

Hello - the development plan in the transportation analysis appears to depict a bunch of unconnected thermometer streets (cul-de-sacs). There is opportunity to create a more walkable, connected community by connecting some of those cul-de-sacs with streets, as encouraged by the Subdivision Regulations.

Internal sidewalks should be required to connect to Carter Mill Dr, and from thence along Carter Mill Dr to the adjacent Paschal Carter Park. If available from Knox County Parks, pedestrian access towards the rear of the subdivision should be available as well; neighborhoods connected directly to parks are a feature seen in urban and suburban areas that are desirable, vs funneling all pedestrian access onto a roadway.

January 4, 2023
at 11:34 AM

1-V-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-V-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 5, 2023 at 8:20 AM

Two issues with this rezoning request I'd like to highlight: 1. The parcel surrounds an existing residence on 3 sides that is zoned Ag, and is adjacent to residential uses on other sides. Many of the uses allowed by right in the CA zone will conflict with adjacent rural residential and Ag uses in place. The configuration of the parcel means that uses MUST be in harmony with adjacent uses, otherwise there will be significant injury to adjacent property. 2. The requested CA zoning is too intense. Neighborhood or Rural Commercial should be considered, as they have landscaping and lighting standards that CA does not have. The East Knox Community Plan has substantial discussion regarding this interchange, which encourages limits on future intense development.

January 5, 2023
at 8:20 AM

1-T-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-T-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 5, 2023 at 8:29 AM

The requested CA zoning is adjacent to existing residential uses. It is located in the Planned Growth Area. The CA zone does not have lighting or landscaping standards, and allows substantial signage. While this is on a major arterial, KCPA urges commission to consider Neighborhood Commercial zone instead, which would be more compatible with the adjacent residential uses and even the existing MDR sector plan designation.

January 5, 2023
at 8:29 AM

1-K-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-K-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 5, 2023 at 9:32 AM

The requested PR density of up to 2 du/ac is in conflict with the Northeast County Sector Plan Land Use Classification table, which recommends PR @ up to 1 du/ac with units clustered on a portion of the property and does not include higher densities in the list of other zonings to consider. At the December 2022 County Commission meeting, they agreed with this on a similar request and only approved 1 du/ac for a request where the applicant desired 2 du/ac.

The sector plan guides this to PR @ 1 du/ac.

The property to the southeast, PR @ 3 du/ac, was rezoned in 1997 and 2002, before the current Growth Plan and General Plans were adopted. That density should not be justification for a higher density on this parcel.

January 5, 2023
at 9:32 AM

1-H-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-H-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 5, 2023 at 9:45 AM

The requested density of up to 12 du/ac is in conflict with the Development Policies of the General Plan.

Policy 11.2 guides "Medium-density 6 to 12 du/ac in planned growth and urban growth areas; appropriate along collector or arterial roads, waterfronts, and as buffer zones between lower density residential and more intense uses"

This parcel is in the Planned Growth Area. Clayberry Dr however is not an arterial or collector road, and access would be through two residential streets, unless the applicant has access to Harrell Rd or Oak Ridge Highway through Willow Place Apartments.

January 5, 2023
at 9:45 AM

1-G-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-G-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 5, 2023 at 9:51 AM

A request to rezone this property to CB conflicts with the adjacent residential uses on the west and south, even though the sector plan would allow consideration.

From 5.32.01 - the description of the CB zone - it even says that it has an adverse effect on surrounding property:

"This zone provides for a wide range of business and manufacturing uses. The nature of such businesses is to attract large volumes of automobile and truck traffic and to have adverse effects on surrounding properties. Hence, they are not properly associated with, nor compatible with residential or institutional uses or with other uses that require an environment free of noise, odors and congestion."

A zoning of Neighborhood Commercial would be more compatible as it includes landscaping and lighting standards.

January 5, 2023
at 9:51 AM

1-A-23-DP

Kevin
37918

1-A-23-DP
Kevin (37918), January 6, 2023 at 2:14 PM

Comments attached. Request to add require a pedestrian crossing on Murphy Rd.
View Attachment

https://agenda.knoxplanning.org/attachments/20230106141454.pdf

January 6, 2023
at 2:14 PM

1-A-23-DP

Kevin
37918

1-A-23-DP
Kevin (37918), January 6, 2023 at 2:15 PM

Prior comments from 3-B-21-UR attached for the record.
View Attachment

https://agenda.knoxplanning.org/attachments/20230106141530.pdf

January 6, 2023
at 2:15 PM

1-E-23-DP

Lance
37918

1-E-23-DP
Lance (37918), January 8, 2023 at 8:49 AM

I am not against well planned and executed development. This plan is not such. We are talking about allowing 200+ additional total homes coming out one street onto Beeler Rd. In total this might not seem crazy but if you have driven down Beeler rd then you will know the blind view where these vehicles will be coming from is not safe. Also, the traffic analysis always speaks of Emory being 5 lanes. This will not be something completed for many many years. The area is not safe for this many additional vehicles, deny this proposal as it is to dense for the allotted area. Also, Gibbs school district can not handle the additional children this will bring to the area. Without additional schools and proper infrastructure this plan hurts the community. Please do not allow this very dense development.

January 8, 2023
at 8:49 AM

1-E-23-DP

Kevin
37918

1-E-23-DP
Kevin (37918), January 10, 2023 at 5:33 PM

I would like to commend the conditions requiring stub-outs to future parcels, and provisioning for future greenway connections. These attributes help make our developments more resilient and better connect our residents to each other and to recreation and the outdoors.

I do agree also with a comment made where last year a lot of reasoning was made for why connectivity to the east was not possible, but now all of a sudden it is possible...

January 10, 2023
at 5:33 PM

1-SE-23-C

Kevin
37918

1-SE-23-C
Kevin (37918), January 11, 2023 at 8:10 PM

Is this subdivision being required to provide for future street connections to the adjoining undivided property to the south (subdivision reg 3.04.C.2.b)? Why, or why not? The purpose section of Street Connectivity (3.04.C) sates that an interconnected street system is necessary to:

a. ensure that streets will function in an interdependent manner;
b. provide adequate access for emergency and service vehicles;
c. connect neighborhoods;
d. promote walking and biking;
e. reduce miles of travel that result in lower air emissions and wear on the roadway;
f. provide continuous and comprehensible traffic routes;
g. reduce the volume of traffic and traffic delays on major streets (collectors and arterials); and
h. ultimately improve livability in

Shouldn't we be striving for provisioning a street system that can be connected?

January 11, 2023
at 8:10 PM

1-E-23-DP

Kate
37918

1-E-23-DP
Kate (37918), January 11, 2023 at 8:57 PM

Please consider that this community plus fairview road homes will have a combined number of 213 homes with only one entrance and exit. Please drive down Beeler Road and see how skinny the road is. This is also on the blind hill right before Beeler Farms Subdivision. I understand the need for homes, but this is far too dense for the area and infrastructure and ultimately makes our existing communities less safe. Infrastructure really needs to be considered before building to this extent.

January 11, 2023
at 8:57 PM

11-C-22-OA

Kevin
37918

11-C-22-OA
Kevin (37918), January 12, 2023 at 8:19 AM

The KCPA Board of Advocates is excited to see implementation of some of the recommendations of the Alcoa Highway Corridor Study. We thank the Planning Staff for their thoughtful research, analysis, and work on this proposal.

KCPA does have a few concerns and proposals for how to address those. Please see the attached comments, and the redlined ordinance that we will provide as a separate comment.

We encourage you to deliberate and provide feedback on the zoning ordinance proposal and our suggestions at this month’s meeting. We know the staff, Michelle in particular, have worked very carefully on this.
View Attachment

https://agenda.knoxplanning.org/attachments/20230112081936.pdf

January 12, 2023
at 8:19 AM

11-C-22-OA

Kevin
37918

11-C-22-OA
Kevin (37918), January 12, 2023 at 8:21 AM

OK - so the first comment had the redlined ordinance suggestions attached. This comment has our commentary and questions attached.
View Attachment

https://agenda.knoxplanning.org/attachments/20230112082118.pdf

January 12, 2023
at 8:21 AM

1-V-23-RZ

Kevin
37918

1-V-23-RZ
Kevin (37918), January 12, 2023 at 12:29 PM

The East County Community Plan, adopted Nov 2016 by County Commission, provides additional context for considering the appropriateness of the rezoning request.

The plan is available at https://knoxplanning.org/plans/small-area/eastcounty/resources/adopted%20plan/East%20Knox%20Community%20Plan%20(September%202017).pdf

The Planning website for the development of the plan is here, which describes the public process and workshops: https://knoxplanning.org/plans/small-area/east-county

And the public comments summary is here: hhttps://knoxplanning.org/plans/small-area/eastcounty/resources/related%20documents/Comments%20Summary%20as%20of%20September%207,%202017.pdf

January 12, 2023
at 12:29 PM