Staff Recommendation

Adopt the Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Plan as an element of the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan.

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At the December 13, 2001 public hearing, the Planning Commission directed staff to develop a plan to be used as a guide in making decisions on applications for approval of new telecommunications towers. Commissioners noted a number of concerns arising out of a period of several months when disputes between neighborhood groups and tower applicants seemed to dominate the public hearing agenda.

We have prepared this plan working with a core group of neighborhood leaders, wireless telecommunications industry professionals, and attorneys representing telecommunications companies and tower builders.

MPC staff publicized and conducted 5 public workshops, which were well attended. Information used in developing the plan was also posted on MPC?s website. The Staff researched the wireless facility planning experiences of other communities and received advice from our radio frequency engineering consultant. The plan has been revised a number of times in response to suggestions we received at our workshops.

The plan has 4 purposes:
1. Provide a policy framework for the Planning Commission?s decisions on telecommunications facilities under the use on review provisions of the Knoxville and Knox County Zoning Ordinances.
2. Provide advisory standards and visual guidelines for construction and siting of telecommunications facilities, particularly towers or alternative tower structures.
3. Make recommendations for future improvements to the zoning regulations and review process for telecommunications facilities, particularly with regard to zoning incentives to encourage unobtrusive tower design and improvement of the permit review process.
4. Provide a greater degree of predictability for the telecommunications industry and community residents and business owners who may be concerned about the placement of these structures.

The plan will be an element of the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan and will be the basis for other planning proposals included in the Sector Plans and the City of Knoxville Development plan (the ?One Year Plan?).

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Disposition Summary

Adopt the Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Plan as an element of the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan