Disposition Summary

Approve the variance to reduce the minimum vertical curve K-value on Road 'A' from 25 to 20 at its intersection with Governor John Sevier Highway based on the following evidence of hardships.
A) There is a pronounced drop-off at the location of the request.
B) The steep grades along the Governor John Sevier Highway frontage were created by highway construction.
C) Approval of the variance is not anticipated to be detrimental to public safety, health, or welfare because the requested K-value meets AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) and the Tennessee Department of Transportation standards. The Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works recommends approval of this variance based on the justification provided by the applicant.

Approve the alternative design standards based on the justification provided by the applicant and recommendations of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Approve the Concept Plan subject to 19 conditions.

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Staff Recommendation

Approve the variance to reduce the minimum vertical curve K-value on Road 'A' from 25 to 20 at its intersection with Governor John Sevier Highway based on the following evidence of hardships.
A) There is a pronounced drop-off at the location of the request.
B) The steep grades along the Governor John Sevier Highway frontage were created by highway construction.
C) Approval of the variance is not anticipated to be detrimental to public safety, health, or welfare because the requested K-value meets AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) and the Tennessee Department of Transportation standards. The Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works recommends approval of this variance based on the justification provided by the applicant.

Approve the alternative design standards based on the justification provided by the applicant and recommendations of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Approve the Concept Plan subject to 19 conditions.

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1. Connection to sanitary sewer and meeting other relevant utility provider requirements.
2. Provision of street names consistent with the Uniform Street Naming and Addressing System within Knox County (County Ord. 91-1-102).
3. Maintaining a tree buffer with 50 ft of depth along the Governor John Sevier Highway frontage, except for allowing approved access to Governor John Sevier Highway, and installing high-visibility tree protection fencing before clearing and grading activities begin, to be maintained until site and building construction are complete, per the zoning condition (9-L-24-RZ). The portions of this frontage that do not have trees must be replanted with a Type B landscape screen (Exhibit B).
4. Providing a Type B landscape screen along the Tipton Station Road frontage, per the zoning condition (9-L-24-RZ).
5. Submitting the landscape plan to Planning staff for review and approval during the design plan phase.
6. Implement the recommendations of the 1413 Tipton Station Road Subdivision Transportation Impact Study (TIS) (AJAX Engineering, 11/25/2024) as required by Knox County Engineering and Public Works and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) during the design plan phase (see Exhibit C).
7. If during design plan approval or construction of the development, it is discovered that unforeseen off-site improvements within the right-of-way are necessary, the developer will either enter into an MOU with the County for these improvements or reimburse the County for their direct expenses (if completed by County crews) to make corrections deemed necessary.
8. Entering into an MOU with Knox County Engineering and Public Works, if required during the design plan phase, for completing off-site improvements per Chapter 54, Article V of the Knox County Code (Ord. O-23-4-102). The cost of these improvements is the responsibility of the property owner.
9. Provide a sidewalk on one side of Road 'A' between the intersections of Governor John Sevier Highway and Road 'D' per the requirements of Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the design plan phase.
10. Providing guest parking at the termini of the Road 'B' turnaround as shown and ensuring on-street parking opportunities are available on Road 'B' and Road 'C' similar to those shown on plan sheet C-2.
11. Providing a sight distance easement on the inside of the 175-ft horizontal curve in Road 'E', south of the Road 'D' intersection, per the requirements of Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the design plan phase. Any driveway that cannot be located outside the sight distance easement must have a 20-ft depth outside the sight distance easement.
12. Providing a 50-ft wide right-of-way stub-out from Road 'E' to the property to the east (parcel 137 04804). The stub-out shall be provided on the final plat and identified for future connection. The stub-out shall be in the approximate location shown on the concept plan.
13. Installing the curbing and asphalt road surface through the intersection radii for the stub-out referenced in condition #12 and installing notification of future street connection as required by Section 3.04.C.2.d. of the Knoxville-Knox County Subdivision Regulations.
14. Providing a Type B landscape screen along the Tipton Station Road frontage, per the zoning condition (9-L-24-RZ).
15. Providing a greenway easement with a minimum width of 20 ft along Tipton Station Road. The site grading shall not prohibit the future installation of the greenway, with review and approval by Knox County Engineering and Public Works during the design plan phase.
16. Providing pedestrian access from the subdivision to the greenway easement. The access must be in a common area with a minimum 10-ft width.
17. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works.
18. Meeting all applicable requirements of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance.
19. Before certification of the final plat for the subdivision, establishing a property owners association or other legal entity responsible for maintaining common facilities, such as common areas, amenities, private roads, and/or stormwater drainage systems.

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This subdivision includes approximately 64 attached and 73 detached residential lots on 27.73 acres zoned PR(k) (Planned Residential) up to 5 du/ac, subject to 3 conditions (9-L-24-RZ). There is a single access to Governor John Sevier Highway and no vehicular access to Tipton Station Road.

ZONING CONDITIONS
A) Maintain a tree buffer with 50 ft of depth along the Governor John Sevier Highway frontage, except for allowing approved access to Governor John Sevier Highway, as recommended by the Governor John Sevier Scenic Highway Corridor Study. High visibility tree protection fencing shall be installed before clearing and grading activities begin and maintained until site and building construction are complete.
B) There shall be a Type B landscape screen along Tipton Station Road.
C) There will be no access to Tipton Station Road.

VARIANCES
Variance #1 requests to reduce the vertical curve K-value from 25 to 20. This is located on Road 'A' at the intersection with Governor John Sevier Highway, resulting in a sharper crest in the road. A higher K-value results in a flatter vertical curve. The proposed K-value of 20 meets AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) standards for a road posted at 25 MPH. In addition, the road grade meets the 8 percent maximum grade within the TDOT right-of-way.

ALTERNATIVE DESIGN STANDARDS
Five requests require approval by the Planning Commission, and one requires approval by Knox County Engineering and Public Works.

Planning Commission approval: Four requests are to reduce the minimum 250 ft horizontal curve radius. Only the 175 ft curve on Road 'E' south of the Road 'D' intersection appears to require a sight distance easement through the inside of the curve.

The Planning Commission can approve a reduced lot frontage from 25 ft to 20 ft for attached (townhouse) lots if guest parking is provided throughout the development as required by the Planning Commission. The applicant proposes 4 off-street parking spaces at both ends of the elongated turnaround at the end of Road 'B' and identifies the potential for up to 5 on-street parking spaces along the curb of Road 'B' and up to 10 spaces on Road 'C' (see plan sheet C-2). However, on 26-ft wide roads, on-street parking should not be directly across from each other because the travel lane will be reduced below the minimum requirements for the fire code. If cars are to be parked on both sides of the road, they should be staggered.

Knox County Engineering and Public Works approval: The Subdivision Regulations require a maximum intersection grade of 1 percent and allow Knox County Engineering and Public Works to approve intersection grades up to 3 percent as an alternative design standard. An intersection with a crosswalk cannot exceed 2 percent.

TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDY (TIS)
The TIS studied the impact of the development at the Road 'A' intersection with Governor John Sevier Highway. The conclusions and recommendations of the study are to restripe the two-way left-turn lane on Governor John Sevier Highway to reflect an exclusive westbound left-turn lane at the intersection with Road 'A', and install an eastbound right-turn lane on Governor John Sevier Highway at the intersection with Road 'A'. A traffic signal is not warranted based on the traffic projections.