City Land Use Classifications

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

This is rural / agricultural in character and includes farms and large tracts of undeveloped land. Undeveloped tracts with the best soils for agriculture are considered as the primary areas for agricultural conservation (AGC).

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. A zoning category which requires site plan review is expected in the development or redevelopment of such areas. Site plans shall address landscaping, lighting, signs, drainage, and other concerns that are raised in the rezoning process. Substantial landscaped buffers are expected between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

Primary uses are light manufacturing, offices, and locally- oriented warehouse/distribution services. Retail and restaurant services, developed primarily to serve tenants and visitors to the business park can be considered. A zoning category which requires site plan review is expected in the development or redevelopment of such areas. Site plans must include provisions for landscaping, lighting and signs. Substantial landscaped buffers are necessary between uses of lesser intensity, particularly residential, office and agricultural uses.

This land use includes retail and service-oriented development, including shops, restaurants, and what has come to be known as "big box" retail stores; typical service area includes 20,000 to 30,000 residents. Community commercial uses may also be considered within community centers (see Mixed Use and Special Districts).

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

This includes previously developed strip commercial corridors providing a wide range of retail and service- oriented uses. Such land use classification and related zoning should not be extended because of the adverse effects on traffic-carrying capacity, safety and environmental impacts. Redevelopment of commercial corridors, including mixed use development, should be accommodated under planned or design-oriented zones.

This land use is primarily characterized by apartment and/or mixed use development at densities greater than 24 dwelling units per acre.

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

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

This classification is used to identify hillsides, ridges and similar features that have a slope of 15 percent or more. Open space, recreation land or very low density housing (one dwelling unit per two acres) is recommended for slopes exceeding 25 percent. For slopes of 15 to 25 percent, housing densities should not exceed 2 du/ac). Office uses may also be considered. Building height should not exceed 35 feet.

This type of land use is primarily residential in character at densities of less than 6 dwelling units per acre. Conventional post-1950 residential development (i.e. large-lot, low- density subdivisions) and attached condominiums are typical.

Typically 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.

Such land uses are primarily residential at densities from 6 to 24 dwelling units per acre. Attached houses, including townhouses and apartments are typical. Mobile home parks are another form of this land use.

Office and medium residential uses typically have similar development characteristics: scale of buildings, areas devoted to parking, yard spaces and location requirements (on arterials/ collectors). These uses provide a buffer to low density residential areas, particularly when located adjacent to an arterial/collector or as a transition between commercial uses and a neighborhood.

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 1/4 mile of the higher intensity residential uses (such as townhouses and apartments). The district should be located within a 1/4-mile radius of an intersection of the thoroughfare system (a collector/arterial or arterial/arterial intersection). In addition to sidewalks, the district should be served by transit. Redevelopment of vacant or largely vacant shopping centers are considerations for these centers.

These are the least intense of the proposed mixed use districts. Locations at the intersection of a local street and thoroughfare are generally most appropriate. The surrounding land uses should primarily be planned for low or medium density residential. The buildings of these centers should be designed with a residential character and scale to serve as a complement to the surrounding neighborhoods.

These are envisioned to be highest intensity mixed use centers. These districts should be served by sidewalk and transit systems and be located on a major arterial, adjacent to an Interstate highway or adjacent to downtown. Downtown Knoxville's Central Business District is a regional mixed use center.

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 or county where redevelopment and/or preservation programs are needed for revitalization purposes. Redevelopment of commercial centers for rural communities and activity nodes should also be considered. 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).

Several street corridors within the city have potential for redevelopment with a mix of retail, restaurants, office and residential uses. Commercial cores should be created at points (nodes) along these corridors, allowing a vertical mix of uses (for example, shops at ground level and apartments above); such nodes should not be more than four blocks long.

This classification includes retail and service- oriented commercial uses intended to provide goods and services that serve the day-to-day needs of households, within a walking or short driving distance. Neighborhood commercial uses may also be accommodated within neighborhood centers (see Mixed Use and Special Districts).

This land use includes business and professional offices and office parks.

Include cemeteries, private golf courses, and similar uses

This classification contains existing parks, wildlife refuges or similar public or quasi-public parks, open spaces and greenways. Quasi-public spaces are owned by civic or related organizations. 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 or land transfers from state or federal governments.

This land use includes retail and service-oriented development that meets the needs of residents across Knox County and surrounding areas. Development typically exceeds 400,000 square feet; malls have been a typical form and 'lifestyle centers' are examples of regional-oriented commercial uses. Regional commercial uses may also be considered in Regional Centers (see Mixed Use and Special Districts).

Generally, the rights-of-way of interstates and very wide parkways and arterial highways

This land is rural in character with very low density residential and/or clustered housing subdivisions as typical land uses.

Typically these are areas which are subject to flooding. Such areas include both the floodway, which carries the significant portion of stormwater, and the 500-year flood fringe, which the city and county govern with various stormwater regulations.

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

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 or county. The development standards that are adopted by the Tennessee Technology Corridor Development Authority should be used for such districts.

Typically includes the French Broad River, Holston River, Tennessee River (Fort Loudoun Lake), and Clinch River (Melton Hill Lake)

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).

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