After two and a half years of studying and receiving public input, the Joint City-County Task Force on Ridge, Slope and Hillside Development and Protection has forwarded its recommendations to MPC for consideration. Its recommendations are presented as the Knoxville-Knox County Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan and will be considered by MPC as an element of the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan. MPC saw the proposed plan for the first time at its October 14 meeting and will consider it again at its November meeting.

Mark Donaldson

The task force is comprised of 29 citizens of Knoxville and Knox County representing a wide variety of interests and professions within the community. MPC staff supported the task force. The task force and its subcommittees met approximately 50 times and have reviewed many ordinances, reports and studies from other jurisdictions on such topics as land disturbance, street design and parking, viewshed protection, slope restoration, fire safety and protection, water quality and habitat protection. The task force hosted a total of 11 public meetings and conducted surveys to gather public input.

In developing its recommendations, the task force sought to achieve a balance between conservation and development on hillsides and ridges. Many policies are recommended to achieve hillside and ridgetop conservation while still allowing for development, including: (1) encouraging development of the more level portions of parcels to protect forest and water resources and our natural heritage; (2) a refinement of existing general plan policies regarding density on the extremely steep slopes (those above 40 percent); (3) limitations on retail development to slopes less than 15 percent; (4) allowances for medium density residential and office development on slopes 15 to 25 percent with guidelines for building size and parking provisions; and (5) the addition of land disturbance guidelines in hillside areas.

The plan recommends several new tools that should be used in future hillside and ridgetop development practices, among them: (1) the use of conservation subdivisions to protect the steepest hillside areas while allowing clustering of development and protective covenants on the land not developed; (2) density bonuses for development on the most level areas of a parcel in exchange for setting aside open space; (3) reduced road widths and right-of-way standards to avoid slope cuts; (4) reduced setbacks to allow more flexible building sites; (5) reduced parking requirements and alternative parking designs; (6) maximum grade requirements for driveways; (7) use of land disturbance requirements to assure best practice methods; (8) recommended reforestation practices for new slope cuts; (9) encouragement of a public review process for new water storage facilities; and (10) development of a public trail system connecting prominent ridges.