City Land Use Classifications

Refer to the appropriate Sector Plan for land use classifications in Knox County.

City Zoning Districts

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Code

Classification

Description

Location Criteria

Permitted Zones

AG
Agricultural

This is rural / agricultural in character and includes farms and large tracts of undeveloped land.

Farms and large tracts of undeveloped land.
Land where soils are designated as prime or locally important by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rural areas prime for conservation such as forests, moderate and steep slopes, riparian areas and historic and cultural sites

AG, OS

BP-1

BP-1
Business Park Type 1

Primary uses are light manufacturing, office and regionally- oriented warehouse/distribution services in which tractor- trailer transportation is to be a substantial portion of the operations. Substantial landscaped buffers are expected between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Relatively flat sites (predominant slopes less than 6 percent) out of floodplains
Relatively large sites (generally over 100 acres)
Away from low and medium density areas or where truck traffic would have to go through such areas
Areas with freeway and arterial highway access (generally within two miles of an interchange)
Rail access is a consideration
Can be served with sewer, water and natural gas

OP, I-MU, I-RD

BP-2

BP-2
Business Park Type 2

Primary uses are light manufacturing, offices, locally- oriented warehouse/distribution services, large-scale research and development facilities, office developments, and office parks/campuses. Retail and restaurant services, developed primarily to serve tenants and visitors to the business park can be considered. Substantial landscaped buffers are necessary between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Relatively flat sites (predominant slopes less than 6 percent) out of floodplains
Relatively large sites (generally over 100 acres)
Away from low and medium density areas or where truck traffic would have to go through such areas
Freeway and arterial highway access (generally within two miles of an interchange)
Rail access is a consideration
Can be served with sewer, water and natural gas

OP, I-MU, I-RD

CC
Community Commercial

This land use includes retail and service-oriented development, including shops, restaurants, and "big box" retail stores. The typical service area includes 20,000 to 30,000 residents.

Sites should be relatively flat (under 10 percent slope) and with enough depth to support shopping center and ancillary development.
Vehicular and pedestrian connections should be accommodated between different components of the district (e.g. between stores, parking areas and out-parcel development)
Infrastructure should include adequate water and sewer services, and major arterial highway access
Develop community commercial areas providing a wide range of goods and services to accommodate the majority of consumer needs within major geographic sectors of the community
Locate community serving commercial development on major collector and arterials streets on sites which allow for the clustering of activities and result in minimal negative impact on adjacent properties of the transportation system.
Control the formation of new community commercial areas to ensure the balanced distribution of commercial services throughout the City

O, C-N, C-G, C-H

CI
Civic / Institutional

Land used for major public and quasi-public institutions, including schools, colleges, the university, churches, correctional facilities, hospitals, utilities and similar uses.

Existing public uses, other than parks and greenways
Quasi-public uses of two acres or more

INST

GC
General Commercial

This class provides locations for retail and service-oriented commercial activities. It is generally intended to provide a full range of goods and services at the community or regional scale.

Commercial sites should be relatively flat, regular in shape and of sufficient size.
Locate on arterial and collector streets; however, their placement should not significantly reduce the proper functioning of the transportation system
Sites that are easily served by utilities and other support services
Sites should be compatible with adjacent land uses. Use of transitional land use classes such as HDR, MDR, MDR/O and O should be considered as a buffer between GC and residential uses to create more harmonious relationships and increase compatibility
Control linear commercial development to prevent traffic congestion and commercial encroachment into residential areas.

O, OP, C-G, C-H, C-R

HDR

HDR
High Density Residential

This land use is residential in character with a density greater than 24 dwelling units per acre. Primary land uses included in this class are medium and high-rise attached multi-family developments. There should be an emphasis on aesthetics, open space and recreation in planning such developments.

Locate on a major collector or arterial street near employment centers and major retail shopping districts
Locations should be convenient to highways, central business districts, or other major activity centers
Site with less than 10 percent slopes
Along corridors with transit and sidewalks

RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4, RN-5, RN-6, RN-7, DK

HI
Heavy Industrial

Typically consists of older industrial areas used for the heavy manufacturing and assembling of goods. Heavy industrial uses include processes used in the production of steel, automobiles, chemicals, cement, and animal by- products and are viewed as clearly not compatible with areas designated for residential, institutional, office and retail uses. Substantial landscaped buffers are expected between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Existing industrial areas
Within one mile of an interstate interchange with access via standard major collector or arterial streets
Sites are relatively flat and require minimal alteration
Sites are large enough to accommodate buildings, building setbacks and parking lots, and are regular in shape and sufficiently large for the proposed activity
Accessible to arterial streets and , where appropriate, rail lines
Not accessible by residential streets
Served or can be served adequately by utilities (power, water and waste disposal facilities)
Locate new industrial development primarily in industrial parks or other suitably planned industrial settings of 10 acres or greater.
New industrial development outside industrial parks or planned settings should occur only within existing zoning or adjacent to existing industrial areas.
Locate industrial parks where there will be no significant adverse impacts on areas designated for residential use

I-H, I-G

HIM

HIM
Mining

Quarry operations and asphalt plants are a particular form of heavy industrial use and generally located in rural areas. Substantial landscaped buffers are expected between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Existing industrial areas
Within one mile of an interstate interchange with access via standard major collector or arterial streets

I-H

HP
Hillside Protection Overlay

This classification is used to identify hillsides, ridges and similar features that have a slope of 15 percent or more.

Hillsides greater than 15 percent slope

Applies to all; HP Overlay

LDR

LDR
Low Density Residential

This land use is primarily residential in character at a density of less than 6 dwelling units per acre. This type of development includes detached single-family dwellings and duplexes. The primary residential pattern should be neighborhoods. The main neighborhood form should be detached residential development that is of sufficient size and design to promote neighborhood formation and land use stability.

Protected from through traffic by avoiding direct access to major collectors or arterial streets
Buffered from incompatible land uses

AG, EN, RN-1, RN-2

LI
Light Industrial

Typically consists of older industrial areas used for the light manufacturing, assembling, warehousing and distribution of goods. Light industrial uses include such manufacturing as assembly of electronic goods and packaging of beverage or food products. Substantial landscaped buffers are expected between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Existing industrial areas
Within one mile of an interstate interchange with access via major collector or arterial streets

I-MU, I-RD, I-G

MDR

MDR
Medium Density Residential

This land use is primarily residential in character with a density ranging from 6 to 24 dwelling units per acre. Primary land uses within this class include detached single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhouses and attached multi-family dwellings.

Near community activity centers, including uses such as schools and colleges, parks, and community commercial/office nodes
On collector or arterial streets
As transitional areas between more intensive non-residential uses and low density residential neighborhoods
Sites with less than 15 percent slopes
Along or near corridors that are served by or proposed to be served by transit, with densities proposed to be above 12 dwelling units per acre and to be served by sidewalks

RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4, RN-5

MDR/O

MDR/O
Medium Density Residential / Office

Office and medium residential uses typically have similar development characteristics: scale of buildings, areas devoted to parking, yard spaces and location requirements (along thoroughfares). Either use is acceptable in this designation. These uses provide a buffer to low density residential areas, particularly when located adjacent to a thoroughfare or as a transition between commercial uses and a neighborhood.

Near community activity centers, including uses such as schools and colleges, parks, and community commercial/office nodes
On collector or arterial streets
As transitional areas between more intensive non-residential uses and low density residential neighborhoods
Sites with less than 15 percent slopes
Along or near corridors that are served by or proposed to be served by transit, with densities proposed to be above 12 dwelling units per acre and to be served by sidewalks

RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4, RN-5, RN-6, O

MU-CC

MU-CC
Mixed Use Community Center

These centers are envisioned to be developed at a moderate intensity with a variety of housing types. The core of the district, with its predominant commercial and office uses, should be within .25 mile of the higher intensity residential uses (such as townhouses and apartments. Redevelopment of vacant or largely vacant shopping centers are considerations for these centers. This class includes high-density mixed-use development with housing densities of 6 to 24 dwelling units per acre.

Flat terrain (slopes generally less than 10 percent)
Areas currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks, transit, and located near a major arterial or interstate highway
Within a .25-mile radius of an intersection of the thoroughfare system (a collector/arterial or arterial/arterial intersection)
Commercial/office core should be within .25 mile of the higher intensity residential uses (e.g. townhouses and apartments)
The location does not include auto and truck- oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse/distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas

O, C-G, C-H

MU-NC

MU-NC
Mixed Use Neighborhood Center

This land use is the least intense of the mixed use classifications. It is intended for medium density mixed use development with housing densities of 6 to 12 dwelling units per acre. The buildings of these centers should be designed with a residential character and scale to serve as a complement to the surrounding neighborhoods.

Currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks
At the intersection of a local street and throughfare
Flat terrain (slopes generally less than 10 percent)
Next to low or medium density residential
Does not include auto and truck- oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse / distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas

O, C-N

MU-RC

MU-RC
Mixed Use Regional Center

These are envisioned to be highest intensity mixed use centers with housing densities over 24 dwelling units per acre. Downtown Knoxville's Central Business District is a regional mixed use center.

Flat terrain (generally less than 10 percent slopes)
Currently served by or planned to be served by sidewalks and transit
The location does not include auto and truck-oriented uses such as industrial, strip commercial and warehouse/distribution uses unless the proposal calls for a redevelopment of such areas
On a major arterial, adjacent to an interstate highway or adjacent to downtown

OP, C-G, C-H, C-R, DK

MU-SD

MU-SD
Mixed Use Special District

This can include designations to address urban design, pedestrian and transit-oriented development and vertical mixed use in designated areas. The areas may include older portions of the City where redevelopment and/or preservation programs are needed for revitalization purposes. Each designated area will have a reference number to a specific sector plan.

Case-by-case analysis is recommended.

See recommended zones in sector plan

MU-UC

MU-UC
Mixed Use Urban Corridor

This land use consists of urban streets that have potential for redevelopment and vertical mixed uses such as shops on the ground level and apartments above. Commercial cores or nodes should be created along these corridors. Nodes should not be more than 4 blocks.

Corridors should be served by or planned to be served by sidewalks and transit
On streets designed or planned for redesign with street trees, on-street parking, and other streetscape amenities
On streets capable of sustaining on-street parking along corridor or along side streets

C-G, C-H, I-MU, DK, SW, CU

NC
Neighborhood Commercial

This classification includes retail and service- oriented commercial uses intended to provide goods and services for the day-to-day needs of households within a .5 mile radius.

Locate on collector or arterial streets that result in minimum negative impacts on adjacent properties
Limit the size of neighborhood commercial areas to 5 acres or less, depending on site characteristics
New NC should not be zoned for or developed within .5 mile of existing commercial development that features sales of day-to-day goods and services
Automobile-oriented uses (e.g. gas stations or convenience stores) should be located on arterial streets at the edge of neighborhoods

C-N

O
Office

This land use includes business and professional offices and office parks. In some cases, areas suitable for office development may also be deemed suitable for medium density residential uses.

Low intensity business and professional offices (less than three stories) may be transitional uses from commercial or industrial uses to neighborhoods
Generally level sites (slopes less than 15 percent)
Access to major collector or arterial streets, particularly within one-quarter mile of such thoroughfares
Locate office parks on major collector or arterial streets adjacent to or in close proximity to development centers.
Integrate office uses with commercial uses in the design of major development centers
Low intensity office uses may be permitted as a transitional use adjacent to Community and Neighborhood Commercial areas.
Locate high intensity office uses (development that is four or more stories), within the business district or in close proximity to arterial/ freeway interchanges or be served by transit

O, OP

OS
Other Open Space

Primary uses include cemeteries, private golf courses, and similar uses. Open space areas should serve as buffers or conservation and recreation areas.

Existing cemeteries, private golf courses and private open spaces
Areas possessing either topographical or environmental features that would limit intensive development

AG, OS, NA

PP
Public Parks and Refuges

This classification contains existing parks, wildlife refuges or similar public or quasi-public parks, open spaces and greenways.

Location criteria is not needed relative to large components of the park system, like community, district and regional parks and refuges. These areas are generally established through capital expenditures of land transfers from state or federal governments.
Neighborhood parks, squares and commons should be within .25 mile of residents in the traditional residential areas (particularly the 19th and early 20th century grid street neighborhoods of Knoxville) and within .5 mile of residents within the balance of the city and county's Planned Growth area.
Greenways should be located along or within the flood plains of streams and rivers/reservoirs. Other potential locations include ridges and utility corridors.

OS, NA

ROW

ROW
Rights-of-Way

Generally, these areas are the rights-of-way of interstates, railways, airports, very wide parkways and arterial highways

RS
Regional Commercial

This land use includes retail and service-oriented development that meets the needs of residents across Knox County and surrounding areas. "Big box" retail, malls and 'lifestyle centers' are examples of regional-oriented commercial uses.

Sites should be relatively flat (under 10 percent slope) and with enough depth to support shopping center and ancillary development.
Water, sewer, natural gas utilities and stormwater systems should be capable of handling the development
Vehicular and pedestrian connections should be accommodated between different components of the district (e.g., between stores, parking areas and out-parcel development).
Locate region-serving commercial development on arterials in locations which are easily accessible to the interstate system. Development sites should be sufficient in size to permit future expansion.
RS development should be limited and carefully located to avoid market over-saturation and conflict with the central business district

OP, C-H, C-R, I-MU

SP
Stream Protection Overlay

Typically, these are areas which are subject to flooding. Such areas are designated by FEMA as the floodway, which carries the significant portion of stormwater, as well as the 100-year and 500-year flood fringe, which the City governs with various stormwater regulations.

Floodways and floodplains

Applies to all; F Overlay

SWMUD I

SWMUD I
South Waterfront Mixed Use District Type 1

This district allows a range of development intensities and forms, subject to regulations of the Knoxville South Waterfront form based development code (Article 7.1).

Case-by-case analysis is recommended.

SW-1, SW-2, SW-3, SW-4, SW-5, SW-6, SW-7

SWMUD II

SWMUD II
South Waterfront Mixed Use District Type 2

This district allows for diverse uses and range of development intensities and forms. Zoning is limited to districts which require Planning Commission special use approval.

Case-by-case analysis is recommended.

RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4, RN-5, O, C-G, I-MU, I-G

TDR

TDR
Traditional Neighborhood Residential

This land use is primarily residential and is characterized by neighborhoods where a mix of detached and attached houses, sidewalks, smaller lots. Alleys have typically been or are to be created.

Neighborhoods where lots are typically less than 50 feet wide, and usually have sidewalks and alleys. This area is essentially the 19th and early 20th century grid street neighborhoods.

RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, RN-4

TP
Technology Park

This land use primarily includes offices and research and development facilities. The target area for such development has been the Pellissippi Technology Corridor. Additional districts could be created in other areas of the City. The development standards that are adopted by the Tennessee Technology Corridor Development Authority should be used for such districts.

Within the Technology Corridor or subsequent areas designated for Technology Park development
Near freeway interchanges or along major arterials
Water, sewer and natural gas utilities are available

OP, I-RD

W
Water

These are areas designated to protect river and creek channels and flood plains from development that would appreciably increase flood heights and flood damage. Generally, no structures or uses should be permitted within the floodway that would alter a stream's character and ability to carry floodwaters.

FEMA designated floodways
Rivers and TVA reservoirs such as the French Broad River, Holston River, Tennessee River (Fort Loudoun Lake), and Clinch River (Melton Hill Lake)

F Overlay

City Land Use Classifications

AGAgricultural

BP-1Business Park Type 1

BP-2Business Park Type 2

CCCommunity Commercial

CICivic / Institutional

GCGeneral Commercial

HDRHigh Density Residential

HIHeavy Industrial

HIMMining

HPHillside Protection Overlay

LDRLow Density Residential

LILight Industrial

MDRMedium Density Residential

MDR/OMedium Density Residential / Office

MU-CCMixed Use Community Center

MU-NCMixed Use Neighborhood Center

MU-RCMixed Use Regional Center

MU-SDMixed Use Special District

MU-UCMixed Use Urban Corridor

NCNeighborhood Commercial

OOffice

OSOther Open Space

PPPublic Parks and Refuges

ROWRights-of-Way

RSRegional Commercial

SPStream Protection Overlay

SWMUD ISouth Waterfront Mixed Use District Type 1

SWMUD IISouth Waterfront Mixed Use District Type 2

TDRTraditional Neighborhood Residential

TPTechnology Park

WWater