Planners Begin Work on Northwest County Sector Plan Update

Public meetings and an online survey are available to share your thoughts on the sector's future.

Northwest County Sector

When the Northwest County Sector Plan was last updated in 2003, the area had few people and little community infrastructure in the form of parks, recreation facilities, and schools. But as one of the most rapidly developing areas in the county, the sector has grown by more than 14,000 people, added two schools, and saw the construction of a major sports park.

With so much growth, it is imperative that citizens bring their ideas to the table as MPC begins the process of updating the plan that will guide the sector for the next 15 years.

There will be several opportunities to participate in the update, beginning with a trio of public meetings in the coming weeks:

Monday, September 22, 2014
Pellissippi State Community College
Cafeteria Annex Room
10915 Hardin Valley Road

6:00 -7:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 25, 2014
Cedar Bluff Elementary School
Library
705 North Cedar Bluff Road

6:00- 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014
K
arns Community Club
7708 Oak Ridge Highway

7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

For those who want to voice their opinions but are unable to attend a public meeting, MPC has developed an online surveyto encourage as much participation as possible. Also, if your community or civic group would like to have MPC staff come to one of your meetings and make a presentation and gather input, contact Liz Albertson at liz.albertson@knoxmpc.org.

Before you attend a meeting or take the survey, you can review the Northwest County Sector's background reportwhich describes major changes in the sector since the plan was last updated. The report provides maps and data pertaining to the area's land use, parks, roads, civic centers, and public services, including information on community facilities and infrastructure added in the past several years, such as Amherst Elementary School and Hardin Valley Academy, major road projects along Middlebrook Pike, Schaad Road, and Outlet Drive, and new parks and greenways.

Sector plans provide recommendations for land use, community facilities, and transportation systems across 12 geographic divisions of Knox County. They focus on applying goals from the Knoxville-Knox County General Plan 2033 to guide land use and development over a 15-year period. And for the near term, five-year capital improvements and implementation programs also are provided in each sector plan.

MPC staff will use the input gathered from meetings and surveys to formulate draft plans that will be presented to the public for review and comment. The final document will be presented for adoption by the Planning Commission, Knoxville City Council, and Knox County Commission.

Questions and comments about the Northwest County Sector Plan are welcomed and may be directed to Liz Albertson at 215-2500 or liz.albertson@knoxmpc.org.