Disposition Summary

Approve the request for an auto repair shop in the C-G-1 (General Commercial) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the request for an auto repair shop in the C-G-1 (General Commercial) district, subject to 3 conditions.

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1) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Zoning Ordinance.
2) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Engineering Department.
3) Meeting all applicable requirements of the City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections Department.

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This is a special use request for a 3-bay auto repair shop on a parcel that contains two existing structures - a 4,620 -sq ft warehouse and 1,722-sq ft house. The applicant wants to use the warehouse structure as the repair shop and the house as office space, waiting rooms, and additional storage. The applicant has stated that the business would typically serve five customers daily and vehicles being repaired would remain on the premises overnight, ranging from 3-5 vehicles. The applicant is not proposing any exterior renovations to the existing structures.

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 re-use of existing structures is consistent with the General Plan's Development Policy 9.3 that encourages ensuring that the context of new development, including scale and compatibility, does not impact existing neighborhoods and communities. An auto repair shop will be compatible with other nonresidential uses in this area.
B. The MU-SD NC-14 (Mixed Use Special District, Inskip Small Area Plan) land use classification of the North City Sector Plan and the One Year Plan refers to the Inskip Small Area Plan that was adopted in 2011. The proposed use is consistent with the Inskip Small Area Plan's recommendation for this property, which states that this area is ideal for office or small commercial uses due to its proximity to the I-75/I-640 (p. 27).
C. The SP (Stream Protection) designation indicates this property is within the 100-year and 500-year flood plains. The parking lot will be subject to all applicable stormwater regulations during the permitting phase.

2) THE USE IS IN HARMONY WITH THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THIS ZONING CODE.
A. The C-G-1 district intends to provide for a heterogeneous mix of retail, personal service, office, and residential uses within and along Knoxville's commercial nodes and corridors. The proposed use at this corridor of commercial and office use meets the intent of the district.

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 proposed use is compatible with the character of this area. As described above, the corridor is predominantly characterized by commercial and office uses.
B. No building additions are proposed that would change the scale or size of the existing structures.

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. No significant adverse impact is anticipated with the proposed use. The existing house on the property has been vacant for several years as the previous tenants have only occupied the warehouse.

5) THE USE IS NOT OF A NATURE OR SO LOCATED AS TO DRAW SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
A. Central Avenue Pike is classified as a minor arterial street, and the proposed use should draw similar traffic as the property's past nonresidential uses.

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.