TTCDA Proposes Changes to Enabling Legislature

After many years of working within the current legislation and identifying areas that could be improved, several specific amendments have been proposed to the enabling legislation establishing the Tennessee Technology Corridor Development Authority.

A proposed amendment to Section 6 would allow the Knox County mayor to nominate board members. This practice has already been in place for some time since the enabling legislation calls for nominations to come from the Tennessee Technology Foundation, which no longer exists to handle this responsibility. It would be appropriate for the county mayor to make these nominations since the vast majority of the corridor is in the unincorporated portion of Knox County and the Private Act established the TTCDA as a Knox County agency.

It is recommended that Section 9 be amended to extend the amount of time that the TTCDA board has to approve or deny applications. The current requirement calls for the board to approve or deny applications within 60 days from the time the application is submitted. The change will mirror recent changes to state law regarding the allotted time for approving subdivisions plats.

In Section 10, the proposed amendment will allow the board to review medium and high density residential developments in the Technology Overlay. Currently, the board is limited in the types of residential development that can be reviewed in the Technology Corridor and currently, can only review single-family dwellings. MPC staff has determined that large apartment and condominium developments have as much impact on the environment and surrounding development pattern as any office, technology based or commercial development. This change would amend the city and county overlay zone to include medium and high density residential projects in the list of projects that can be reviewed by the TTCDA board. This change also is pertinent since the corridor’s updated Development Plan envisions mixed use residential, commercial and office developments as future uses at appropriate locations near Pellissippi Parkway.

The final change would amend several sections to reference the Knoxville City Council, the city’s governing body, as well as city administrative staff since part of the Technology Corridor has been annexed by the city. These changes would clarify the city’s involvement in project review, code administration and enforcement and the authority for the city council to consider appeals of the TTCDA board actions. Currently, appeals of actions affecting city property are considered by Knox County Commission.

These amendments have passed local review including the TTCDA, MPC, city council and county commission. They will now go before the state legislature.

Established in 1983, the Tennessee Technology Corridor stretches along Pellissippi Parkway.