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DESIGN GUIDELINES: SECTION TWO - SITE DESIGN

 

SITE DEVELOPMENT

Sites should be developed with attention to surrounding development, subdivisions, or planned subdivisions of land. Site plans for large parcels should be part of an overall development plan.

Guidelines

· Where a parcel is split apart or is part of a larger development, the Development Authority reserves the right to review the proposal within the context of the larger scheme or concept plan.

· Piecemeal subdivision and development without an overall plan is discouraged.

OPEN SPACE

A natural open space system is evident within the technology corridor consisting of features identified with development limitations. These features generally consist of ridges, stream-beds, floodplains, sinkholes, and steep slopes. Development is discouraged from these locations. The intent is to retain these natural systems as conservation zones, capitalizing on their aesthetic as well as functional value. Additionally, the Scenic Highway Act of Tennessee requires that visual continuity and the protection of views be maintained along the Pellissippi Parkway.

Guidelines

· Buildings or construction which impairs scenic views or reduces the visual quality of the Corridor is prohibited.

· Building or construction is prohibited in floodways, streambeds, and sinkholes.

· Natural drainage corridors should be preserved to reduce infrastructure costs and conserve the natural systems in place.

· Conservation of slopes shall be maintained based on the degree and severity of the slope.

· The criteria for the conservation of slopes include: prevention of erosion, preservation of vegetation, and the preservation of scenic views.

 

SLOPE	CONSERVATION	PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT*
25% or greater	100%	0%
13% - 24%	negotiable	negotiable
0 - 12%	0%	100%

 

*Development includes buildings, parking lots, artificial berms, and detention/retention ponds.

 

CONSTRUCTION

Care should be taken during the construction phase of development so as not to disturb the natural systems in the Technology Corridor.

Guidelines

· Grading and site preparation should be kept at a minimum during the development process.

· All grading should complement natural land forms.

· Large land areas disrupted during construction should not be left bare and exposed during the winter-spring runoff period.

SETBACKS

The open space system is encouraged by the use of building setbacks. Because a wide variety of lot shapes and sizes exists in the Technology Overlay Zone, standards for setbacks are not set at a fixed distance. In order to accommodate buildings on small sites while retaining open space, the setback standards are proportional with the lot size.

Guidelines

· For properties within the Technology Overlay Zone these setbacks will be required:

 

Parkway frontage:	Lot depth x 0.32; maximum of 150'
Front yard:	Lot depth x 0.21; maximum of 100'
Side yard:	Lot width x 0.16; maximum of 75'
Rear yard:	Lot depth x 0.11; maximum of 50'

 

· When any site abuts a residential zone, a 100 foot setback is required.

Additionally, the Knox County Zoning Ordinance sets forth base zone standards for setbacks. In any case where the setback of the base zone is different from the calculated setback, the more restrictive will take precedence.

DEVELOPMENT DENSITY

Development density is controlled by Ground Area Coverage, Floor Area Ratio, and Impervious Area Ratio restrictions. Ground Area Coverage (GAC) is determined by dividing the area of a lot covered by a building by the gross area of that lot. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is determined by dividing the gross floor area of buildings on a lot by the land area of that lot. Impervious Area Ratio (IAR) is determined by dividing the gross area of all impervious surfaces by the gross area of the lot. Impervious surfaces are those which do not absorb rain and include all buildings, roads, parking lots, sidewalks and any area paved in concrete or asphalt.

The intent of establishing maximum coverages is to ensure that building and parking spaces share gound space with the appropriate amount of open green areas. The implementation of these regulations will contribute to the achievement of a soft campus-like environment within the Technology Corridor. The GAC, FAR, and IAR standards are as follows:

Guidelines

· Ground Area Coverage (GAC) of less than or equal to 25%.

· Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of less than or equal to 30%.

· Impervious Area Ratio (IAR) of less than or equal to 70%.

· The maximum height of a structure is set at six stories, or ninety (90) feet, measured from average ground level. If the base zoning of the property allows a different standard, then the more restrictive standard shall apply.

CIRCULATION

The flow of traffic at or near a site is related to the activity patterns of land use proposed for the site. Circulation systems, in this context, refer to vehicle and pedestrian passages within and surrounding the site. The circulation system of local streets and sidewalks should be planned to accommodate the patterns of activity within a site. The intent should be to maintain the natural, soft edges of existing roadways and, where new internal streets are required, work with the physiography of the land.

Guidelines

· The interior circulation system of a site (roads and sidewalks) should reflect the change in scale between arterial highways, secondary roads and local road networks.

· Internal streets should be planned to discourage through traffic.

· Where appropriate, sidewalks and landscaping should be used to separate pedestrians and vehicles.

· Internal streets should have a minimum width of 25 feet measured from curb to curb.

· Sidewalks should have a minimum width of four feet.

· Space for bicycle or pedestrian trails should be set aside to provide connections between sites and for recreational purposes.

PARKING

Parking is an important factor in creating a quality setting within the Technology Corridor. Careful attention must be paid to site design in order to ensure that parking lots do not detract from the views of neighboring properties or the public right-of-way. Parking should be integrated with the building and landscaping plan.

Guidelines

· The configuration of the parking lot should respond to site conditions and topography.

· Parking must meet the standards of the Knoxville or Knox County zoning ordinances for their respective zones. If there are differences between the Design Guidelines and the zoning ordinances, the more restrictive requirements will apply.

· Minimum parking requirements for all properties in the Technology Overlay Zone are as follows:

1 space per every 1.2 employees

OR

1 space per 300 sq. ft. of gross building area

· The maximum number of spaces allowed on a site is equal to 1 space per 100 sq. ft. of the gross floor area of the buildings on the site.

· Impervious Area Ratio (IAR) of the site of less than or equal to 70%.

· Parking spaces should have a minimum area of 200 square feet.

· 30% of the spaces may be designated for compact cars.

· 5% of the total land area devoted to parking must be landscaped.

· The parking lot should be screened from public rights-of-way.

· Long rows of parking spaces should be divided by landscaping islands.

LIGHTING

As the lighting function changes from roadway orientation to a parking or pedestrian orientation, the consistency in style and design should be maintained. Street lights are recommended along the internal road systems, parking lots, and building access points.

Guidelines

· Lights are not to exceed a 30-foot height limit.

· Light poles are to be a neutral, preferably dark color.

· All parking, road, and security lights are to be cut-off luminaries.

· All light sources are to be high-pressure sodium.

· Intensity of lighting at building entrances should be five footcandles, paths and sidewalks an average of one footcandle, and parking and local road network an average of one-half footcandle.

· Any lighting used for exterior illumination shall be directed away from adjoining properties.

· Glare, whether direct or reflected, such as from floodlights, shall not be visible at any property line.

UTILITIES

The utility network of the Corridor is a vital element in the marketability of the area. To ensure quality of development and the preservation of the natural character of the Corridor, the following guidelines apply:

Guidelines

· All electrical serviced and telephone lines should be placed underground.

· Any utility equipment should be of neutral color and completely screened.

WATER MANAGEMENT

The open space system of the Technology Corridor offers a unique opportunity to introduce a natural water management component to the development. The floodplains of rivers and the conveyance zones of permanent streams serve as a continuous network serving storm-water runoff, providing a basic framework for a management system. The intent is to slow stormwater runoff from individual sites in its route to the river and stream valleys by utilizing catchment ponds and retention basins. Stormwater discharge should be directed away from slopes and into detention and retention ponds. A decentralized system is encouraged in which small facilities are constructed serving one or two users. The natural drainage systems are to be kept free of development throughout the Technology Corridor in order to avoid bottlenecks on individual sites. All site plans and stormwater plans will be subject to the approval of the Knox County Hydrologist.

Guidelines

· Natural drainage corridors should be preserved.

· The rate of discharge must correspond to the rate in evidence prior to site development.

· Detention and retention ponds should be utilized to slow the acceleration of stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces.

PELLISSIPPI PARKWAY ACCESS

In addition to the access controls stipulated by the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Zoning Resolution for Knox County, Tennessee, and where feasible, access to properties fronting on the Pellissippi Parkway shall be from an existing roadway or from a new public road constructed according to the officially adopted Tennessee Technology Corridor Comprehensive Development Plan, or from a private road constructed according to that plan. No new median cuts shall be provided to the Pellissippi Parkway.