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12/22/2017

Subdivision Regulations Workshop

The Planning Commission staff will be holding an Introductory Workshop on the recently amended Knoxville-Knox County Subdivision Regulations. The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2018 from 8:30 to 10:30 am at the City of Knoxville’s Public Works Complex at 3131 Morris Ave., Knoxville, TN. The Subdivision Regulations that were adopted by the Planning Commission on October 12, 2017 have an effective date of February 1, 2018. The amended Subdivision Regulations are available here.
A new zoning district will provide owners of rural property a means of ensuring preservation of farms, open space, and the scenic value that rural land can provide.
Active Knox, a collaborative of organizations promoting a built environment that encourages active living and transportation choices, recently held a series of events with guest speaker Jeff Randolph. Each event addressed a different audience, focusing on how to support the creation of mixed-use developments at all scales and price points.
The University of Tennessee’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research recently released new projections of Tennessee’s population through 2070. A 40 percent statewide gain is expected over the next 50 years, with more diversity and an aging population expected.
Can your organization or firm assist with Recode Knoxville? We’re soliciting help in a new RFP related to the project.
2017 marks a major milestone for many of our employees. Join us in congratulating and thanking them for their service to MPC and the community.
Active Knox is bringing developer Jeff Randolph to Knoxville to discuss how the public can support the creation of successful mixed-use developments at all scales and price points. He will speak at a free public event on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at Bearden High School. More information about the event and speaker is available in the flyer below. Please share this invitation with others who may be interested! Check out the flyer RSVP requested Randolph will also present before the Recode Knoxville Stakeholder Advisory Committee at 10 a.m. Nov. 15 in the Small Assembly Room at the City County Building. This meeting is open to the public and no RSVP is needed.
The American Planning Association recently recognized Knoxville’s Market Square as one of 15 Great Places in America. The list recognizes streets, neighborhoods and spaces that enrich communities, encourage economic growth and inspire others around the country.
In an effort to make it easier to do business with MPC, we now accept payment via credit card, including Visa, Mastercard and Discover Card, as well debit cards. Most applications and payments are made in person at the City County Building, 400 Main St., Suite 403, Knoxville, TN 37902.
Notice to consultant engineers regarding a request for qualifications and letters of interest. The Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC), an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer, invites firms to submit qualifications for consulting services to perform a transportation corridor study for the portion of Chapman Highway (US-441/SR- 71) within the City of Knoxville, TN. Letters of Interest are due to MPC on or before 3:30 p.m. EST on Monday, November 13, 2017. Download the RFQ
A new, interactive map created by MPC/TPO staff shows the factors that contribute to crashes and location trends across the region. Over 1400 crashes from seven area law enforcement agencies are included.
MPC’s Sidewalk Subcommittee has concluded its work to draft a walkability policy. The City of Knoxville is moving forward with an ordinance and Knox County will continue to study the matter.
MPC adopted the Draft Minimum Subdivision Regulations at their regularly scheduled meeting on October 12, 2017. The updated regulations are effective February 1, 2018. Workshops for surveyors, engineers and other in the development community will be scheduled to help facilitate the transition to the new regulations.
New design guidelines for the Edgewood-Park City H-1 District were approved by the Historic Zoning Commission in September and by MPC in October, 2017. The design guidelines and rezoning proposal will be forwarded to City Council final consideration in November, 2017.
The John Sevier Scenic Highway Corridor Stakeholder Committee met for the first time in September. A summary of the meeting and information about their next meeting can be found here.
New design guidelines for the Edgewood-Park City H-1 District were approved by the HZC in September. That document, and their recommendation to expand the existing historic zoning in the area, are headed to MPC in October 2017.
At their Aug. 17 meeting, the Historic Zoning Commission (HZC) recommended the proposed H-1 expansion for Edgewood-Park City. The decision was based on the area's historic and architectural significance. However, HZC postponed a vote on their recommendation on the design guidelines updates that will apply to the existing district as well as the expansion area. That vote will occur at their Sept. 21 meeting. The proposal for the expansion of the H-1 zoning district along with the design guidelines updates will then be reviewed by the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) on Oct.12 at 1:30. After MPC's decision, it will be reviewed by City Council. 
TDOT's change of traffic count locations will allow a private contractor to add new stations. You can find information on each station, present and discontinued, on TPO's traffic count page and KGIS maps. 
Staff from the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) recently completed a draft cell tower ordinance for the City of Knoxville and Knox County. The last update to the cell tower ordinance was in 2001, when people were only using cell phones for phone calls on a 2G (second generation) system.
Approximately 60 people attended a Design Guidelines Workshop co-sponsored by MPC and Knox Heritage at Cansler YMCA on July 29th. A summary of questions from meeting participants and responses from MPC staff is now available.
Knox County is proposing to make improvements to Canton Hollow Road from Kingston Pike to Trent Lane. The proposed project will provide widened travel lanes, a left turn lane at Woody Drive, sidewalks, a multi-use path, and curb and gutter drainage for the length of the 1.7 mile project area. There will be a public meeting to discuss these improvements from 5-7:00 p.m. on July 18, 2017. The meeting will be held at Farragut High School Commons Area, 11237 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, 37934. Read the full notice
Residential uses are currently prohibited in most of the City’s commercial districts, but the proposed amendment identifies multi-dwelling structures as a use permitted on review. The amendment would allow dwelling units in the C-3 zoning district, either as a separate structure or as part of a mixed use development.
Smart Trips was recently awarded one of eleven 2017 Governor's Environmental Stewardship Awards after a panel of 22 professionals representing conservation fields and academia judged more than 89 nominations.
We need a few minutes of your time and your thoughts on the direction of Knoxville’s updated zoning code.
Local building activity in 2016 saw a spike in residential investment that has not been reported since the start of the Great Recession. Nearly 3,100 new housing units were delivered in Knox County last year, the highest volume since 2007, just before the housing market meltdown.
The taller cell towers that dot the area are being supplemented with small antennas that serve high demand areas and provide higher connection speeds.
The Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association (TAPA), in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) and Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC), has received a $60,000 grant from Planners4Health. The initiative aims to integrate planning and public health at the local level across the state of Tennessee.
The City’s Charter, as amended in 2002, requires that an annual report on the state of historic preservation within the City of Knoxville be reviewed by the Metropolitan Planning Commission and presented to the City Mayor. This purpose of this report is to convey the current state of historic preservation efforts and activities within the city and to report wins as well as losses. The topics covered include initiatives in historic preservation, recommendations for implementation of preservation initiatives, and Historic Zoning Commission activity.
The Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) is making changes to their public notice signs and the procedures concerning them. Currently, MPC staff post black and white signs on behalf of applicants for those applications requiring a public meeting
The first community meeting for the Recode Knoxville zoning code update is scheduled for May 18th at 6 p.m and this is an opportunity for the community to learn about the project and begin sharing their input.
Each year, MPC reaches out to local office property owners and managers with a survey asking about space availability, rents, and tenant activities. That information is supplemented with online and field research to compile an inventory of local office buildings. Staff researchers then take a look at local and national trends in construction, vacancies, and pricing to evaluate conditions of the Knoxville office market.
On April 13 at their monthly meeting, the Metropolitan Planning Commission recommended that City Council approve a climate-controlled, self-storage facility in an office, medical, and related services (O-1) zoning district.
Did you know that incomes in Knox County rose only 2.3% from 2005 to 2015, while home prices increased 9.8% and rents climbed 15.5%? And that there is a shortage of affordable housing across several income groups?
After nearly 60 years, the City of Knoxville is updating its zoning ordinance. A lot has changed since that time, which is remembered for the Market House fire in downtown, the expansion of UT, and the annexation of Fountain City, Bearden, West Hills, Norwood, and Gresham.
We’d like to take a minute to brag on our staff! Half of the MPC team have spent a decade or more with the agency, and 2017 marks milestones for some. We want to share their stories and thank them for their service to MPC and the community.
On April 13, the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) will consider an amendment to the indoor and outdoor paintball ranges regulations of the Knox County Zoning Ordinance.The regulations were first adopted in 2000 and since then a similar sport, airsoft, has gained popularity.  
The Sidewalk Committee is working to establish clear standards for sidewalk construction. Once the policy is completed, it will be incorporated into the Minimum Subdivision Regulations Update.
Placemaking is when unused public spaces are transformed by ordinary citizens to improve the community’s health, happiness, and well-being. This concept focuses on creating people-centered projects that are lighter, quicker, and cheaper.
The document, which outlines strategies to help preserve the character and assets that define East Knox County, is now available for your review and comments.
The City of Knoxville's Office of Neighborhoods and the Neighborhood Advisory Council will hold the biennial Neighborhood Conference on March 11, 2017 at the Knoxville Convention Center.
Andrea Kupfer joined the Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission as a GIS operator at the end of November. She comes to MPC after working in planning and GIS as the Community Development Specialist for the City of Oak Ridge. She was also previously employed with the City of Knoxville where she provided GIS analysis and administrative support to the Knoxville Fire Department.
At a recent public meeting, residents of Hardin Valley were provided a map and asked to sketch the extent of their “community.” This is how it turned out.
MPC sponsored a community open house on February 17th at the O’Connor Senior Center. The event gave property owners in the proposed expansion area of the Edgewood-Park City Historic District H-1 Overlay an opportunity to receive information and give input.
MPC invites the public to the East Knox County Community Plan Open House on Thursday, February 23, 2017. This event will be held at Carter Elementary School, 8455 Strawberry Plains Pike, Knoxville, TN 37924 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. All interested parties including residents, landowners, community representatives, business owners, and county officials are encouraged to drop in at their convenience.
An open house will be held from 1 – 4 p.m. on Friday, February 17 to discuss the proposed expansion to the existing Edgewood-Park City Historic District H-1 Zoning Overlay. The event will be at the O’Connor Senior Citizen’s Center at 611 Winona Street.
Last year, a Sidewalk Committee was formed to create a comprehensive policy for the City of Knoxville and Knox County. Their goal was to determine requirements for new development and redevelopment areas.
The Metropolitan Planning Commission is beginning the annual update of the One Year Plan for the City of Knoxville. Learn more about upcoming meetings and how to get involved.
Some notable downtown projects will be discussed at an upcoming special meeting of the Downtown Design Review Board. These include a sign application for Hyatt Place Hotel and the upcoming renovation of the Pryor Brown Garage.
A community meeting was held on January 19 at the O’Connor Senior Center to discuss the proposed expansion of the existing Edgewood-Park City Historic District H-1 Zoning Overlay. MPC staff presented information and then answered questions from among approximately 105 community members in attendance.
A community meeting was organized last week by the Hardin Valley Supports a Middle School group, following the Knox County Schools (KCS) rezoning meeting at Hardin Valley Elementary School. Over 60 community members stayed after the KCS meeting to discuss how growth and development are occurring in the rapidly growing Hardin Valley community. 
The first community meeting for the Hardin Valley Mobility Study was held in January. Participants were asked to rank a list of priorities for the overall area. They were also asked to prioritize types of improvements at specific locations. In addition to the data gathered at this meeting, two surveys were available online earlier this year. One focused on traffic and safety, while the other looked at land use and development. This input will continue to inform project recommendations.